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11 Players to Watch on England's World Cup 2019 Squad

14/06/2019 - 10:10 AM

Manager Phil Neville selected 23 women to represent England at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup [1], and we've picked out 11 star players that you'll want to keep your eye on [2] in the coming days. These key members of the squad are making waves on the pitch, and we're keeping everything crossed that the Lionesses can bring home the trophy. In the 2015 tournament, they finished third, having made it to the quarter-finals in both 2011 and 2007.

The 2019 tournament kicked off in France on June 7, and England won their first match on June 9, beating Scotland 2-1. England is in Group D, and the team's remaining group round fixtures will be on June 14 against Argentina (5 p.m. BST kickoff) and on June 19 against Japan (8 p.m. BST kickoff). All of the matches in the tournament are being televised on BBC. Ahead, meet the 11 Lionesses to watch, and find out why they might just lift the trophy on July 7.

Lucy Bronze

Manager Phil Neville believes that right back Lucy Bronze is the best player in the world [3]. England's vice-captain plays for French team Olympique Lyonnais and has just won her second successive Champions League with the side. This season her team also won the domestic title and French Cup. Fun fact: her middle name is Tough — literally.

In the last World Cup, Bronze scored twice across six games. She's earned 68 caps for her country. The 27-year-old has also been named the PFA Player of the Year twice.

Nikita Parris

Nikita Parris has had a very successful season with Manchester City on both a team and individual level. The striker finished second top scorer in the Women's Super League (and is the all-time top scorer in the WSL) and was also England's top scorer in the qualifiers with six goals. She was named the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year.

Parris is now moving to play domestic football in France alongside Lucy Bronze at Olympique Lyonnais, considered the world's best women's team. Sporting skills must run in the family, as the 25-year-old's sister is Olympic boxer Natasha Jonas.

Steph Houghton

Centre back Steph Houghton is England's captain. Neville believes Houghton is playing the football of her career [4], and the 31-year-old has had a very successful season with her domestic club, Manchester City, winning the FA Cup.

Houghton made her debut in 2007 and has gone on to earn 105 caps for her country. She was awarded an MBE in 2016. Expect to see her often in this tournament, as she started every game at the last World Cup. She also scored three goals in four games at the London 2012 Olympics.

Fran Kirby

Fran Kirby scored on her debut in 2014, and her goal against Mexico in the 2015 World Cup earned her the nickname "mini Messi" (which she hates! [5]). She's earned 39 caps for England.

The 25-year-old had a big year in 2018, winning the Professional Footballers' Association Women's Player of the Year and the inaugural Football Writers' Women's Footballer of the Year. She was also on the shortlist for the inaugural Women's Ballon d'Or award.

Karen Carney

Karen Carney has the most caps in the World Cup squad, having earned 140 caps for England over the years. As England's longest-serving player, this is her eighth major tournament for the national side, having made her international debut in 2005 at 17 years old.

The 31-year-old Chelsea captain previously won the quadruple with Arsenal, and she has an MBE. Fun fact [6]: her teammates named Carney as Neville's "teacher's pet" in a recent interview.

Jill Scott

Jill Scott is a long-serving member of the England team — part of the Centurions Club with her 136 caps — and she's been playing for her country for nearly 13 years. In fact, her appearance in this World Cup will put her second on the all-time list of England World Cup appearances. She'll have played more matches at the World Cup than any of the country's outfield players.

The 32-year-old's won every domestic title with her current club Manchester City — the WSL, FA Cup, and WSL Cup. Fun fact [7]: The 5ft 11in midfielder earned the nickname "Crouchy" — after Peter Crouch — after scoring on her debut Everton and performing the robot.

Toni Duggan

Toni Duggan made history with Barcelona this season, as her Spanish team reached the Champions League final for the first time. This World Cup will be the Liverpudlian's third major championship, having been part of the England senior set-up for seven years. Fun fact: she was a Morris dancer when she was a child.

Expect to see the 27-year-old on the pitch in every game that fitness and injury allow [8], as the forward is the only player to have featured in every match since Neville became England's head coach. She scored four times during England's qualifying campaign.

Karen Bardsley

Karen Bardsley was born in California but has family connections in Stockport. The 34-year-old was first-choice keeper at the 2011 and 2015 World Cups and is England women's most capped goalkeeper — only Peter Shilton has made more appearances as England's keeper.

She's won all three domestic titles with Manchester City and was named in FIFA's 2015 All-Star team.

Jodie Taylor

Jodie Taylor currently plays for Seattle Reign in the USA and has played football in four other countries: Australia, Canada, England, and Sweden. At the 2017 European Championships, the forward was the tournament's top scorer and became the first woman to score a hat-trick for England in a major tournament.

The 33-year-old is somewhat of a lucky mascot — the Lionesses have never lost a game in which she's scored.

Beth Mead

Beth Mead made her debut for the Lionesses in April 2018 and has already scored five goals, including her famous cross-shot in the SheBelieves Cup — which made her a firm favourite with fans.

The forward scored 77 in 78 games for former club Sunderland and has played in a wider position since joining Arsenal in 2017. The 24-year-old's team won the WSL title this season.

Ellen White

This is Ellen White's third World Cup, having played for the national team for nine years. The 30-year-old won the WSL and the FA Cup with Arsenal twice and is now on the move to Manchester City from Birmingham.

The striker netted 21 goals in 26 league games for Birmingham this season and has scored many crucial goals for England over the years. Keep an eye out for the 30-year-old's binocular celebration when she scores.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/Meet-England-Women-World-Cup-2019-Squad-46246810