With the World Cup less than 50 days away, Sarina Wiegman has named her 23-player England squad to travel to Australia and New Zealand. The tournament will get under way on July 20th, with the final to be held in Sydney a month later.
Chelsea defender Millie Bright will captain the Lionesses with Leah Williamson unavailable through injury. Here’s a look at Wiegman’s key player selections, who has missed out, and who is available on standby.
England World Cup Squad information
Key Players
Manchester City’s Alex Greenwood could provide a wealth of experience throughout the tournament. Making a name for herself as one of the best defenders in the Women’s Super League, Greenwood’s inclusion in the squad could prove vital as England prepare to face some of the best attacking teams in the world.
Goalkeeper Mary Earps was a key presence for England during Euro 2022 last summer. The Manchester United shot-stopper has enjoyed a glittering season with the Reds as the club reached their first ever major final, as well as qualifying for the Champions League.
With Earps undoubtedly Sarina Wiegman’s first choice keeper, her inclusion in the squad was almost guaranteed.
Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly could prove pivotal for the Lionesses this summer. As the WSL’s top striker, Daly will undoubtedly be one of England’s key attacking threats alongside Alessia Russo. After being named Player of the Season as well as picking up the Golden Boot, the 31-year-old has enjoyed a standout campaign.
Injury Misses
Despite naming a strong squad, Wiegman undoubtedly has several key losses to contend with. Captain Williamson was unavailable for selection after suffering an ACL back injury in April. Manchester City goalkeeper Sandy MacIver will also not feature this summer. The 24-year-old ruled herself out of contention earlier this month to focus on her rehab after also suffering an injury in April.
Beth Mead had potentially been in contention for selection, however this summer’s tournament has come too soon in the forward’s recovery from her own ACL injury. Chelsea’s Fran Kirby will also be a huge miss as the Lionesses aim to lift their first ever World Cup.
Embed from Getty ImagesStandby List
Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier and Emily Ramsey make up the Lionesses standby list. Park and Le Tissier will travel with the squad to Australia before departing ahead of England’s opening game to Haiti. Ramsey will train with the squad at St George’s Park, however the keeper will not be on the plane to Australia.
