England announce squad for FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
The England squad for the Women’s World Cup has been announced, with Lucy Bronze, Lauren James and Mary Earps among the 23 players heading to Australia and New Zealand.
Beth Mead, who won the Golden Boot in last year’s Euro 2022 triumph, has been recovering from an ACL injury sustained in November and will miss out.
Captain Leah Williamson and midfielder Fran Kirby, who are injured, are also among those who will not be going to the tournament.
Speaking about the high profile absentees, England boss Sarina Wiegman said: “It’s very disappointing for Leah. It’s very sad but it’s the same for Fran [Kirby] and the same for Beth Mead. But you have to move on too, and unfortunately this is part of top-level sport.”
Wiegman confirmed defender Millie Bright will take on the captaincy in light of Williamson’s absence.
Asked if there was ever a chance of Mead recovering from her injury in time, Wiegman said: “No, I don’t think so. Beth is so positive and she’s going really well [in her recovery]. But we were always wary of her time schedule.”
England’s first game is against Haiti on 22 July and they will later play Denmark and China in Group D.
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Fran Kirby (left) and Beth Mead, who will both not be going to the World Cup, celebrate with the trophy after winning Euro 2022
Here’s the full squad:
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Man Utd), Ellie Roebuck (Man City), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Man City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Man Utd), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Laura Coombs (Man City), Katie Zelem (Man Utd)
Forwards: Alessia Russo (Man Utd), Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Man City), Chloe Kelly (Man City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Katie Robinson (Brighton), Bethany England (Tottenham)
Leah Williamson misses out due to injury. Pic: AP
Expectations are high for Wiegman’s team after winning last summer’s Euro 2022.
They also beat Brazil in the first-ever Women’s Finalissima in April this year.
The World Cup squad was announced at Sutton Coldfield’s Boldmere St Michael’s FC to “highlight the strong connection between the grassroots game and England teams”.
Asked about the weight of expectation following recent successes, Wiegman said: “Our approach is no different in this tournament in the sense that we always want to be at our best.
“We’re a little bit in transition now with some changes in the team, but I still think we’re really good and have many very talented players.
“We’re just going to make sure that we’re at our best and then we’ll see how far we’ll go.
“We’re still in a very good place.”
Jordan Nobbs is included in the squad despite sustaining an injury in Aston Villa’s penultimate game of the season.
Read more:
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Millie Bright will take on the captaincy. Pic: AP
Meanwhile, Katie Zelem has been brought back after not making the last squad in April and there is no recall for Williamson’s predecessor as captain Steph Houghton.
Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier and Emily Ramsey have been named on standby.
Wiegman said after the squad announcement: “The last week has been pretty stressful. We’ve had to make hard decisions in the last period. It’s nice for the ones who are in, it’s not nice for the ones who aren’t.
“We’ve had very good conversations with the tactical staff, we follow the players very closely. But it’s been really hard.”
Wiegman also said she had some very enjoyable phone calls with players who found out they had made the squad.
Leah Williamson, center left, and Millie Bright lift the trophy after winning the Women’s Euro 2022 final. Pic: AP
Giving her thoughts on the selection, former England goalkeeper Carly Telford told Sky Sports News: “It’s good to see Millie Bright on that list. I think we’ll all be relieved about that.
“She’s [Wiegman] gone with experience in Jordan Nobbs. It’s great to see her back, along with Katie Zelem – I think they’re going to be important.
“There’s some freshness in there. Katie Robinson’s a very exciting prospect.
“No Jess Park, which is disappointing, but her injury towards the end of the season probably hindered her a little bit.
“It’s a solid squad. It’s got good versatility and good depth.”
A police officer who was driving a van that followed two teenagers shortly before they died in an e-bike crash will not be prosecuted.
The deaths of Harvey Evans, 15, and Kyrees Sullivan, 16, sparked riots in the Ely area of Cardiff in May 2023.
The officer was facing a dangerous driving allegation but prosecutors decided there was not enough evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) statement said: “We fully understand that this will be disappointing news for the families of both boys and will offer a meeting with them to explain our reasoning further.”
Rumours on social media that the teenagers were being pursued by police were initially denied.
South Wales Police said none of its vehicles were in Snowden Road at the time of the crash.
But police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) later confirmed it was investigating after video appeared to show them being followed by a van – without blue lights or a siren – minutes before the incident.
Other footage, however, showed the van turn off and it wasn’t following the boys at the time of the collision.
A key factor under consideration was whether there was any point at which the actions of the officers in the van “constituted a pursuit”.
CCTV showed a police van following the bike moments before it crashed
Read more:
Timeline of events before fatal Cardiff crash
The driver and passenger of the marked police van were previously issued with gross misconduct notices.
A second investigation was also opened by the IOPC into issues including police management of the crash scene and treatment of the families.
Riots broke out in the Ely area after the boys’ death. Pic: PA
Pic: PA
A riot of several hours broke out after the boys’ deaths, with cars set alight and fireworks and other missiles thrown at police.
Eleven officers needed hospital treatment and 31 people were eventually charged.
The decision not to charge the police officer driving the van can be challenged under the victims’ right of review scheme.
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