A WEST Cumbrian footballer has captained her team to Cypriot Super Cup glory.

Steffi Hardy, from Workington, was part of the Apollon Ladies team which beat Omonia Ladies 5-0.

The 25-year-old was delighted to win the trophy.

She said: "This was my first time winning the Super cup with Apollon.

"We took revenge on the team who beat us in the cup last year so it was even sweeter."

The Cypriot Super Cup is a one-off match in which the previous season's league winner plays the winner of the cup.

It is similar to the Community Shield in English men's football.

Steffi has officially won the league twice with Apollon.

The league was cancelled last year due to Covid with the Limassol-based side top of the league by a distance.

The former Stainburn school student said that she loves her life in Cyprus.

She said: "[It's] amazing.

"I’m playing football everyday at a high level, I’m on a winning team and it hardly rains!

"It hasn’t rained since April!"

Steffi is well-travelled, having played football in four different countries.

As a youngster, she played with Workington Reds and Seaton Town girls and boys.

The centre-back then went on to play with Cumbria centre of excellence, joining Blackburn Rovers with her twin sister Rio when it closed.

The sisters played for the Lancashire side's under 17 and ladies teams before moving across the pond to study and play at the University of South Alabama.

They joined full-time Icelandic club Grindavík in March 2018, before making the move to Cyprus in January 2019.

Steffi described the reasoning behind joining the Cypriot champions.

She said: "Apollon is a winning side and they play in the Champions League every year."

Things have been different recently, after Rio moved to Coventry United in the summer.

This is the first time that the sisters have not played in the same team.

Steffi said that she loved playing alongside her sister, who is a forward.

She said: "[It was] amazing, we know how to challenge each other more than anyone."

She shared her reasons for her love of the game.

She said: "I’ve grown up with football my whole life, my family loves it and I couldn’t imagine my life without it.

"Football has taken me all over the world. I love being competitive and winning, football allows me to do that!"