Leah Williamson Returns to England Squad for Euro Qualifiers
England’s Euro 2025 qualifiers against Sweden and the Republic of Ireland will see the return of defender Leah Williamson to the England squad. Williamson, who last featured for her country in April 2023, has been included in the squad after recovering from a minor hamstring injury that forced her to withdraw from the previous gathering. The Arsenal player has started the last three games for her club and is now looking forward to representing her country once again.
Manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her happiness at Williamson’s return to the squad, stating that she was looking forward to working with her again. Wiegman also acknowledged the disappointment felt by Williamson when she had to pull out in February due to injury. However, she commended Williamson’s recovery and stated that she is now getting back into a rhythm and needs game time.
England will face Sweden at Wembley on Friday, 5 April, and the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Tuesday, 9 April. These matches are part of their League A qualifying group, which also includes France. The top two teams from the group will automatically progress to the tournament, while the other two sides will enter the play-offs. The qualifiers will take place from April to July, with the Euro 2025 tournament scheduled for July in Switzerland.
Unfortunately, injured Chelsea centre-back Millie Bright will not be part of the squad due to a knee injury. Bright, who captained England at the Women’s World Cup last year in Williamson’s absence, has not featured for Chelsea since 2024. Wiegman expressed her disappointment but emphasized the importance of allowing Bright enough time to recover properly and strengthen herself before returning to action.
In addition to Williamson’s return, defender Millie Turner has been included in the squad as a replacement for Williamson. Turner, who plays for Manchester United, will join the team along with midfielder Grace Clinton from Tottenham, who scored on her debut against Austria last month.
Notably absent from the squad are Nikita Parris, Manchester United’s leading scorer, and Aggie Beever-Jones from Chelsea. Parris, who has 71 caps, expressed her ambition to return to the England squad, but her exclusion suggests that she still has some work to do to impress the national team selectors.
Wiegman Raises Concerns over Arsenal’s Trip to Australia
In other news, Arsenal recently announced that their women’s team will travel to Australia following the conclusion of the Women’s Super League season to play an exhibition match against an A-League All Stars team. This decision has raised concerns about player welfare, especially considering the busy schedules of the players.
Manager Sarina Wiegman voiced her surprise at Arsenal’s decision and expressed her worries about the congested schedules. She believes that it is not ideal for players to travel to the other side of the world for a short period of time without sufficient time to adapt. She emphasized that this not only affects English players but also European players participating in qualifiers.
Despite her concerns, Wiegman stated that she has had positive conversations with Arsenal and they are on the same page regarding player welfare and the challenges they face. She assured that ongoing discussions are being held with coaches, medical staff, and psychology staff to address these challenges and find solutions.
In conclusion, Leah Williamson’s return to the England squad for the Euro qualifiers is a welcome development for both the player and the team. Her recovery from injury and consistent performances for Arsenal have earned her a place in the squad. However, concerns over player welfare have been raised with Arsenal’s decision to travel to Australia after a hectic season. Manager Sarina Wiegman has expressed her worries and emphasized the need for careful planning and consideration of players’ well-being.