Bright to captain Lionesses in Women’s World Cup, in absence of Arsenal’s Leah Williamson by Michelle
England’s Women’s World Cup squad does not include Euro 2022 top scorer and Player of the Tournament Beth Mead, as she has not yet fully recuperated from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The 27-year-old Arsenal forward, who has been sidelined since November, was considered a significant uncertainty for the tournament. According to England’s head coach Sarina Wiegman, she never believed that there was a possibility of Beth Mead being fit in time for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
“She’s so positive and going well, but the timescale she had we would have taken so many risks to get to the World Cup,” Wiegman old the BBC.
“I’m not willing to take that risk to push her too much and she gets injured again. We need to take care of players.”
Beth’s Arsenal teammate Leah Williamson, who captained the Lionesses to Euro 2022 victory, also suffered an ACL injury in March 2023 and as such was withdrawn from the squad. Wiegman has confirmed that in the absence of injured defender Leah Williamson, the team will be captained by Chelsea centre-back Millie Bright, who has not played since suffering a knee injury in March 2023, Wiegman saying “She (Millie) will be fine, she has done it before.”
England squad
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City).
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United).
Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), Lauren Hemp, (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Manchester United).
Lotte Wubben-Moy is the only Arsenal player selected for Women’s World Cup 2023.
The Lionesses will play Haiti in their opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup on 22nd July 2023 in Australia.
Michelle Maxwell
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