England captain Leah Wiliamson has been recalled to the Lionesses squad as they begin preparations for the Euro 2025 qualifiers with friendlies towards Austria and Italy.
Williamson has been referred to as up once more after struggling an ACL damage in April final 12 months. She lifted the Ladies’s Finalissima trophy weeks earlier than struggling the rupture, lacking England’s World Cup marketing campaign. The 26-year-old returned to the pitch for Arsenal just lately, making two begins within the WSL.
Midfielder Jess Park has additionally earned a recall after being dropped from latest squads, whereas Chelsea’s Millie Shiny continues to be unavailable by damage.
Surprisingly there isn’t a room for Manchester United’s Nikita Parris, who has been capped 71 occasions by England, in Sarina Wiegman’s 23-player squad after excelling for at membership stage in latest weeks, notching 15 targets in all competitions this season.
On the finish of 2023, England fell agonisingly in need of qualifying for the Nations League finals after defeats to the Netherlands and Belgium throughout the group stage.
Regardless of clawing again a 3-2 win over the Dutch and storming to a 6-0 emphatic victory over Scotland, it was not sufficient to topple the Netherlands’ superior objective distinction on a dramatic closing matchday, leaving the Lionesses mendacity in second.
Securing progressing to the Nations League finals additionally acted as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics and as England have been the consultant nation for Nice Britain, they won’t compete at this summer time’s video games.
Firstly of this 12 months, Wiegman signed a brand new contract with England, retaining her on the helm till the 2027 World Cup. The Lionesses made it to the ultimate for the primary time final summer time however suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain – the second successive time Wiegman had completed as a runner-up within the World Cup having carried out so with the Netherlands in 2019.
With a purpose to put together for the upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers, England have scheduled two friendlies towards complete European sides Italy and Austria to attempt to exorcise their demons after struggling to interrupt down low-blocks held by decrease ranked European groups. The 2 matches will happen on a warm-weather coaching camp in Spain.
The subsequent instalment of the Euros will place in Switzerland, beginning on 2 July 2025. To succeed in the match, the reigning champions should place within the prime two of their group within the second Nations League spherical commencing in April. The draw for the Euro 2025 qualifiers will probably be happening on 5 March 2024.
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Man Utd), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Man Metropolis)
Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Man Metropolis), Maya Le Tissier (Man Utd), Esme Morgan (Man Metropolis), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Tottenham), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Jess Park (Man Metropolis), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Man Utd), Keira Walsh (Barcelona)
Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Man Metropolis), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Man Metropolis), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
