Toone: 'I can't go to sea with lash extensions' Credit: FA/Naomi Baker
England are in Group D for the 2023 Women's World Cup. The European champions will face Haiti for the first time in Brisbane on July 22, then travel to Sydney for a game against Denmark on July 28 and then face China in Adelaide on August 1, looking to build on the semi-finals of the last two World Cups. Cups.
Scroll down for the latest from Ella Thun, sailing and Jamie Vardy's autobiography.
Who is the England squad?Goalkeepers
Mary Earps, 30 years (Manchester United, 34 matches)
Squad №1
Earps has firmly established herself as the No. 1 scorer in England since head coach Sarina Wigman joined her in September 2021. Her 14 clean sheets in the Women's Super League last season set a new WSL single-season record. In January, she also became the first goaltender to have 50 career clean sheets in WSL matches.
Hannah Hampton, 22 (Chelsea, 2 matches)
Team No. 13
Hampton is considered one of the most technically gifted young goalkeepers in England and made her debut for the Lionesses senior team in 2022 when the Arnold Clark Cup was drawn against Spain.
An unused Euro replacement last summer, then expelled from club and country in autumn 2022, but her strong form at Aston Villa in the second half of the season led to her recall. to Wigman's team just in time for this World Cup.
Ellie Roebuck, 23 (Manchester City, 11 matches)
Team #21
Team #21
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Manchester City's top goalkeeper and a player with relatively more WSL experience for his age, Roebuck is a more than capable replacement for Earps and will likely be first in line to be called if Earps is unable to play a World Cup match for any reason. She excels in one-on-one situations and stopping shots is the best part of her game.
Defenders
Millie Bright, 29 (Chelsea, 66 caps, 5 goals)< br />Squad #6
This summer, Bright will lead his country's national team in the absence of injured skipper Leah Williamson. Bright will be in the spotlight more than ever before this summer, but he seems to be handling those responsibilities with ease. It is heading into its fourth major international tournament and England have reached at least the semi-finals in all three previous ones.
Strong in her physique, powerful in the air and adept at handling long diagonal passes, she will start as a central defender – provided, of course, that she is overtaken in time. Bright hasn't played since March due to a knee injury, but is “confident” to be ready for the tournament and her rehab is said to be ahead of schedule.
Lucy Bronze, 31 (Barcelona) , 105 games, 12 goals)
Squad #2
In June, Bronze won the Women's Champions League for the fourth time in their career – more than any other English player — and by doing so with Barcelona, the former Lyon star became the first English player to win Europe's best women's club competition with two different teams.
She is one of England's undeniably 'world class' players and was named FIFA Women's Player of the Year 2020.
< strong>Jess Carter, 25 ( Chelsea, 18 caps, 1 goal)
Team 16
Carter's versatility, especially adept at left or centre-back, is a good asset for Wigman, and she has featured in all five of England's matches in the February and April international windows. This suggests she will play a significant role this summer, playing just 16 minutes in England's triumphant Euro campaign a year ago.
Niam Charles, 24 (Chelsea, 7 matches)
Team 3
After barely missed out on a 23-team final at last summer's Euros and was selected as a reserve for the GB Women's Olympic Football Team in Tokyo, Charles' debut at a major tournament has finally arrived.
Already a three-time WSL champion with Chelsea, having helped them win three straight home doubles, Charles is a versatile attacking full-back who has often been used as a full-back for his club or even as a winger.
Alex Greenwood, 29 (Man City, 75 caps, 5 goals)
Team 5
A technically proficient, ball-handling centre-back with more passes than any other WSL player last season, Greenwood is also experienced on the left and can start in any position for the Lionesses this World Cup.
She was used as one of England's substitutes during last summer's Euros when Rachel Daly started at left back, but Daley is likely to be used as a striker and skipper Williamson is injured, Greenwood will now be an integral part part of England's back line, and her accurate passing will be a key part of the Lionesses' tactics.
Esme Morgan, 22 (Manchester City, 5 caps)
Squad #15
Having made her senior debut in October last year, Morgan is one of the new young faces in this team who will be unfamiliar to any of the spectators who did not tune in to her after last year's Euro triumph, but she is a stable defender who shows maturity beyond her years. . The epitome of this was when, in January, at the age of 22, she was captained by Manchester City, a club she first visited with a season ticket when she was three years old.
She was ruled out of Euro 2022 after missing almost a year of football due to a broken leg, but she is promised to be a Lionesses mainstay in the future.
Lotte Wubben – Moy, 24 (Arsenal, 10 matches)
Squad No. 14
Although Wubben-Moy was an unused substitute throughout Euro 2022, Wubben-Moy still made an indelible contribution to the sport that summer, as she was the brainchild of the team's open letter to prime ministerial candidates at the time, urging everyone to be given girls equal access. football in schools during physical education lessons and extracurricular activities.
A London-born and longtime Arsenal fan, she helped her club reach the semi-finals of the Women's Champions League last season but is the only member of the Arsenal team playing for England this summer due to injuries to her teammates on command. Williamson and Beth Mead.
Midfielders
Laura Coombs, 32 (Manchester City, 5 matches)
Squad #17
England's oldest international career, Coombs is enjoying a renaissance of sorts after she made her first appearance for the Liones since 2015 in the Arnold Clark Cup in February. She helped England win the European Under-19 Championship back in 2009 with a team that also featured Bronze and Jordan Nobbs, but Coombs had to wait until this year to really see her fortune transform at the top international level.
Her extensive club career is a rarity as she has played for all three of the WSL's most successful teams: Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, as well as Liverpool, and has previously played for United States.
< p>Jordan Nobbs, 30 (Aston Villa, 71 appearances, 8 goals)
Squad #12
Misfortune has haunted Nobbs' dreams of major international success after injuries ruled her out of last year's Euros, her last World Cup in 2019, and limited her to just one appearance at the 2015 World Championships, but this summer she's racing to win. stellar second half of the WSL campaign with her new club, Aston Villa.
Eager to make sure she deserves a place on this World Cup team, she decided to end her 13-year stay at Arsenal in January to join Carla Ward's squad, especially with England in mind.
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Georgia Stanway, 24 (Bayern, 50 appearances, 15 goals)
Squad #8
Who could forget Stanway's scorching long-range shot that won England's quarter-final against Spain last summer? The hard-tackled Cumbria midfielder has since won the Frauen Bundesliga title in Germany with Bayern Munich and is set to play for his country again in Australia.
She is expected to be the team's number one penalty taker again, so she could very well score goals repeatedly, but in regular play her role in England's midfield will be vital to their progress.
Ella Thun , 23 (Manchester United, 32 games, 16 goals)
Team 10
One of England's “super substitutions” last summer, Thun's role is now switched from changing the rules of the game in the second half to playing from the start amid the continued absence of Chelsea playmaker Fran Kirby.
With her name already guaranteed to forever be in the English history books with her first goal against Germany in the final at Wembley last summer, 2023 is her chance to show her potential on the world stage in her first World Cup.
Kira Walsh, 26 (Barcelona, 59 appearances)
Team 4
The most expensive signing in women's football since her With a move to Barcelona from Manchester City last summer for a fee of just over £400,000, Walsh has more than proven her worth by helping the Catalan club win the Champions League in June and she's out to this World Cup as one of England's most important players.
Among strong contenders for the unofficial title of “best midfielder in the world” and undoubtedly one of the top defensive midfielders of her generation, she is the backbone of Wigman's team.
Kathy Zelem , 27 (Manchester United, 8 matches)
Team No. 20
Betting specialist and captain of a Manchester United team that had just had its best season yet, Zelem was relieved to be called up to this World Cup after being unexpectedly left out of the squad for April's matches against Brazil. and Australia.
Before that, Wigman regularly turned her on, and although she is unlikely to start games in this tournament when everything is in shape, she will offer a strong option from the bench.
Forwards
Rachel Daly, 31 (Aston Villa, 69 caps, 13 goals)
Squad 9
Daly arrives at this World Cup as one of the best strikers on the planet, winning the WSL Golden Boot with 22 goals in 22 league games last season for Aston Villa.
Euro viewers last summer know her as the singing song of left-back Celine Dion, who started every game of this tournament as England's No. 3, but while her versatility is extremely valuable to Wigman, there are high hopes this summer that Daley will be used as a centerpiece. striker, where she has thrived at her club since signing with the Houston Dash last August.
Bethany England, 29 (Tottenham Hotspur, 21 appearances, 11 goals)
Detachment No. 19
With her international career seemingly in the doldrums, having not played for her country since September, the Barnsley-born Englishwoman was keen to restore her chances of a World Cup challenge when she left Chelsea in January to join the ” Tottenham.” She believes the 'big risk' she took leaving Chelsea paid off in full after she scored an impressive 12 goals in 12 WSL games for Tottenham and that hitting streak meant Wigman couldn't ignore her speeches.
She was also part of the squad for last summer's Euros, but did not feature in any of the Lionesses' six matches at that tournament, so it remains to be seen if she will get her chance in the big final.
Lauren Hemp, 22 (Man City, 38 caps, 10 goals)
Team 11< br />Only Earps, Walsh and new captain Bright have played more minutes in an England shirt since Wigman took charge in 2021 than Manchester City winger Hemp, who, despite being only 22 years old, is now the team's eighth-highest scoring player. .
She landed 35 dribbles in the WSL last season, second only to Lauren James in the division, and she will be one of England's most dangerous attacking weapons at this tournament. With 13 goals and assists in the last WSL season, perhaps the only real criticism that can be thrown at her is that she doesn't convert enough of her chances into goals yet, but with her pace, skills and natural ability, it is maybe be her tournament to shine.
Lauren James, 21 (Chelsea, 11 caps, 1 goal)
Team No. 7
A breakout star for England in the 2023 Arnold Clark Cup, James quickly became one of the Liones' most important attacking players after a winning season at Chelsea. Extremely comfortable and confident with the ball at her feet, James often gets past defenders with ease, and her tricks will help unlock defenses.
She makes a good combination with a bronze right-back on the England right flank, but James can also play in the center at number 10. Her brother Rhys plays for Chelsea and England.
Chloe Kelly, 25 years old (Manchester City, 26 games, 6 goals)
Squad #18
Kelly, who scored the winning goal in last summer's historic Wembley final , will forever be an England hero and her image as she rides away and twirls her shirt over her head in celebration will be remembered by no Lionesses fan.
Now, after a great year for Manchester City, when they finished the WSL season in second place in the division's assist table, behind only Chelsea and Norway's Guro Reiten, the fast Kelly looks set to make another big mark on the rankings. this tournament with her acceleration, quick feet and powerful finishes.
Kathy Robinson, 20 (Brighton & Hove Albion, 5 matches)
Team №: 22
Robinson, the youngest member of England's World Cup squad, has impressed Wigman by making several appearances for the senior side since her debut last November, and she has won competition from established stars such as Manchester United winger Nikita Parris. for a seat on a flight to Australia.
Cornwall native Robinson helped her club Brighton & Hove Albion reached the semi-finals of the Women's FA Cup last season and her low center of gravity, precise ball control and agility will make her a useful offensive weapon this summer.
Alessia Russo, 24 years old (no joining, 22 games, 11 goals)
Team #23
A goal in every two games she plays for her country Russo has a strong international record and has been a regular starter for Wigman's team in 2022/23 since being used as a 'super substitute' alongside Thun during last summer's Euros.
She rose to fame by scoring a clever back-to-back goal in the Euro semi-finals in England's win over Sweden and will now be battling Daly for a chance to take the lead. they will fly to Australia with England on Wednesday 5 July to acclimate in Australia and continue training with the team until England's first match against Haiti on 22 July. For now, unless they were required as a replacement for injuries, they will go home to England. Two outfield players:
Defender – Maya Le Tissier, 21 (Manchester United, 2 games)
The young centre-back was arguably the most unfortunate of all the players to miss out on a 23-man squad, having a very impressive season in his first campaign at Manchester United that helped them finish second in the WSL with the best defensive record in the division.
The Guernsey native Le Tissier, who is not related to Southampton men's team legend Matt, signed for United from Brighton in 2022 for a fee believed to be between £50,000 and £60,000 and she has played in all 22 clubs of his new team. league games and helped them keep 14 clean sheets, conceding just 12 of those 22 goals.
Midfielder – Lucy Staniforth, 30 (Aston Villa, 17 games, 2 goals)
The Aston Villa player joined the England squad later than Le Tissier because Manchester City midfielder Jess Park was originally in the reserves, but Park was forced to pull out due to a shoulder injury.
Staniforth made her England debut five years ago under former head coach Phil Neville, but she has not played for her country since October 2021 in a home qualifier against Northern Ireland at Wembley in what was her only match under Wigman to date.
Head. coach
Sarina Wigman, 53 (born in the Netherlands)
Having twice won the European Championship after winning in 2017 with the Netherlands, and then led England to glory in 2022, as home soil for their respective teams, Wigman changed the fate of the Lionesses and helped them make this elusive step. raising their first large piece of silver.
In her 32 appearances for the team prior to the start of the World Cup, she only allowed one loss in a friendly against Australia in April, and in those 32 matches her team averaged 4.31 goals per game, conceding at a rate of about one goal in every three matches. . She reached the final at the last World Cup with the Netherlands, losing to the United States in Lyon, and this time she hopes to go further.
- England have a great team preparing for the tournament and you can support them, to win with these Women's World Cup betting offers and free bets.
What does the England kit look like?
The team will wear athletic blue shorts with a home jersey (the “coast blue with blue gym trim” away kit). Players have expressed concern about white shorts during their period.
“I really like the new uniforms,” said Kira Walsh. “The home kit is just classic, very English. This is what we love about it. He really represents us as a nation.”
The FA says it pays tribute to the 1984 Lionesses.
Ready to represent this summer again. 🏴̠̠̠̠ḥ̠̠̠
Nike's New Home and Away 'Our England' Women's Kit!
Available June 5th. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/GLGYcYLwBU
— England (@England) April 3, 2023 How will England's injuries affect their chances?
Tom Harry
If you asked the majority of women's football fans earlier this year who they tip for winning the world championship this summer, most of them would mention england and also the usa and the usa. two-time German champions as leading contenders.
But then Lionesses captain Leah Williamson and Chelsea star Fran Kirby were ruled out of the tournament with knee injuries, and European Golden Boot winner Beth Meade has now also confirmed her absence from the World Cup, England's external, global perception of the threat will be quite different.
Can England win the World Cup without these players? Yes, it is certainly possible, as Sarina Wigman's squadron remains one of the strongest that will fly to Down Under.
But will they win it? Now it seems much more questionable and frankly even reaching the last stages would count as another big achievement under the circumstances.
This is a pretty young England team compared to most previous tournaments with an average age of 25.7 years compared to 27.1 years at the 2019 World Cup. There is a lot of exciting talent – not least technical stars including Lauren James, Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp – but they will feature opposing teams with far more experience in major tournaments, especially with England's injuries.
< p>It's not just the trio's absence that will matter: centre-back Millie Bright has been selected, but she still has a race to make in time for Game 1, having been sidelined since March. And even before their injury fears intensified, the Lionesses already knew they were in for a tougher half of the draw.
In the same half of the draw, which is completely separate from the other half before the final due to the split between teams based in Australia and teams based in New Zealand in the tournament, is the majority of the world's teams in uniform: the German side, a resurgent France with under their new manager, Hervé Renard, co-host Australia and event billboard star Sam Kerr, Canadian Olympic champions and Brazil's South American champions. The four-time winners from the United States found themselves in the other half of the competition and were unable to face either side before the final.
The Lionesses have reached the semi-finals at each of the last two World Championships. Don't miss out on another semi-final. To achieve this – if they both win their group and a tough round of 16 game – England will have to beat Germany in a blockbuster quarter-final as they are on their way to the round of 16 meeting in Sydney. It will take results for the ages to deal with such a draw.
How did England manage before?
England have already qualified for the Women's World Cup six times. They have reached the quarter-finals three times and the semi-finals twice, most recently in 2019 when they were knocked out by the eventual winners from the USA.
Toon: I've changed – I'm reading Vardy's autobiography
Tom Harry< /p>
The Women's World Cup hasn't started yet, but England midfielder Ella Thun's life is already changing for the better thanks to the Lionesses' seaside training camp on Australia's Sunny Coast.
Tun called herself a “changed woman” for three reasons: swimming in the sea, not lying in bed, getting up at dawn and reading books – starting with Jamie Vardy's autobiography.
“I did amazing things in Australia,” says Thun. “I really found myself here. Usually I never wake up early, I sleep well, but the other day I woke up early – at six o'clock – I went and saw the sunrise. I love walking along the beach.
“I also went to sea the other day and luckily the girls bought me glasses – I can’t get in with my [false] eyelashes. “I was under the waves every single day and thought, ‘Wow, this is me, I can do this every single day.’
Unfortunately for Thun, her teammate Alessia Russo questioned Thun’s revelations about “born again”, saying at the time that her teammate had only experienced one single dive in the sea.
But Manchester United playmaker Thun, relaxed ahead of Saturday's Group D game against Haiti, added : “I think going out to sea really made me a different woman, it made me try different things and I even started reading books. .
“I always say [I'll read the book, but never will], but I've actually started reading the book, so it's nice. I'm reading Jamie Vardy's autobiography at the moment.
“I don't actually read novels, I just read autobiographies and they have some pictures in them, so that helps!”
“I want play football every single day”
On a more serious note, Thun says she recognizes the importance of taking a break from training from time to time, which is what Sarina Wigman encourages her team to do. she. “As I get older, I learn to do this much more often to mentally switch off.
“I have 100 miles per hour, I want to be on my feet. every day, I want to play football every single day. And one when we have a day off during the week. So yeah, it's definitely hard, but I'm learning to grow and use it to my advantage.”
On the pitch, while England have enjoyed huge success under Wigman and have only lost once since taking charge in 2021, they are experiencing an unusually dry run in front of goal, failing to score in three consecutive matches, including Friday's. zero lag. -Closed practice game against Canada's Olympic champions.
But Toon says the team is not worried about the lack of goals and knows they have the opportunity to end this streak decisively, adding: “I don't think that about this [three games without goals] talked about [in the team] as much as about other people. I don't think it's something we're worried about. We had a break, we got back together, we learn to play with each other again, we find these connections on the field and we have these chances. I think I'd be more worried if there wasn't a chance.
“Now it's about us taking them out, but I don't think it's affected us much. I don't think we're obsessed with it. We are very confident and we know that we have a lot of scorers in the group.”
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