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      Who is England defender Millie Bright?

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      MILLIE Bright is hoping to lead the Lionesses to glory in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.Here we take a look at the defenders career and the club’s she has played for.
      Millie Bright has played for a number of clubs throughout her careerCredit: Getty
      Who is England defender Millie Bright?
      Millie Bright, born on August 21, 1993 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, is a professional footballer.
      Bright, who plays as a defender, was first introduced to the sport at the age of nine while watching a friend play – and this led to her showcasing her credentials on the pitch.
      As of July 2023, Bright is managed by Revo Sports Management – and FA licensed agency for male and female professional footballers.
      What teams has Millie Bright played for?
      Millie Bright has played for a number of clubs throughout her successful sporting career.
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      During her youth career, Bright played for Killamarsh Dynamos, a local team in Derbyshire and Sheffield United.
      The footballer started out her senior career at Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2009.
      At her own request, Bright then went on loan to Leeds United in their 2011–12 FA Women’s Premier League season, before returning to Doncaster where she had developed into a regular first team starter.
      At Doncaster she was shortlisted for the FA Women’s Super League 2 Player of the Year award in 2014, having excelled for the Belles as they narrowly missed out on promotion.
      Most read in Football
      The defender remained at the club until 2014.
      Bright then signed with London-based club Chelsea ahead of the 2015 season and has achieved great success ever since.
      According to the club’s official website, the Chelsea player ”reads the game well, often starting attacks with a sweeping pass from the back and is a threat in the opposition box at set-pieces due to her stature” – and thunderous tackles are her calling card.
      Bright has also enjoyed international success – representing England on the senior national team, as well as numerous youth national teams, including the under-19 and under-23 national team squads.
      How long has Millie Bright played for England?
      The Lioness made her England debut in 2016.
      Bright earned her first cap for the senior England national team that year as a last-minute substitute in a 2–0 win over Belgium.
      In May 2019, she was selected to represent England at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
      Bright was also included as part of the squad which won the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.
      She has been described as one of the most experienced members of Sarina Wiegman’s squad due to her reliability and presence at the back.
      Why is Millie Bright captaining the England team at the Women’s World Cup?
      With the 2023 Women’s World Cup underway, all eyes are on the Lionesses – including captain, Millie Bright.
      Bright is hoping to lead the team to their first World Cup win in the Fifa contest’s 32-year history, in the absence of Leah Williamson.
      The Arsenal star’s hopes of leading the Lionesses were cruelly dashed by a knee ligament injury she suffered in April.
      Opening up on the honour of leading the team, Bright said: “There was always going to be extra pressure. 
      “This will be the biggest Women’s World Cup so far, the quality has gone up, the expectation goes up. 
      “We have to keep two feet on the ground and know the challenge ahead will be bigger than any other tournament.”
      Bright added: “I feel really grateful to be selected, let alone to be captaining the girls, it is a massive honour. 
      “But for me nothing changes, I stay the same, I’d like to think people see the same Millie.
      “I always lead for the team, that’s just natural to me. 
      “I expect standards from the group, I see myself as the driver because I am so competitive.
      “You have to keep pushing to be better year in, year out. You have younger players at a first tournament, you have to make sure they have everything they need. 
      “We just want them to be excited to go out, have their best summer and play their best football.”
      Speaking of her teammate Williamson, the footballer said: ”(I’m) Absolutely gutted (for Leah).
      “Straight away I was just in shock that she had suffered such a severe injury. 
      “I don’t think the captaincy crossed my mind at all, hand on heart. 
      “Then I got my injury so my head was just fully on my rehab and trying to make the selection.
      “That (the captaincy) was probably the last thing I thought of.
      “You don’t want to see any player go through that injury. There are too many on that topic at the minute.
      Read More on The Sun
      “We’ve had check-ins, to make sure Leah is alright – when you go through that, you need a team around you. 
      “She’s also checked how I’ve been getting on, we’ve stayed in touch for sure.” More

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      Watch Man Utd fan Rachel Riley dance on stage and copy both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to help set world record

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      MAN UTD fan and Strictly star Rachel Riley has helped set a new world record for the largest synchronised goal celebration – with the help of hundreds of Lionesses fans.The TV presenter used her dancing know-how to lead more than 500 fans in a synchronised mash-up of popular goal celebrations as England defeated Haiti.
      Rachel Riley helped set the world record for the largest synchronised goal celebrationCredit: Alamy
      She copied Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Suiii’ celebrationCredit: Alamy
      Among the celebrations featured were Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’, Peter Crouch’s robot dance, and Lionel Messi’s two fingers to the sky.
      It took place at Wembley Stadium’s BOXPARK fan zone which has been renamed ‘WeetaBOXPARK’ for England’s first two matches following a partnership with Weetabix.
      The 37-year-old, who teamed-up with the cereal brand to help set the new record, said: “As a nation, we all love a good goal celebration – it unites us in support.
      “This record break was the perfect way to bring football fans together to have some fun and show the Lionesses and how proud we are of them.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      “I learnt a lot during my time on Strictly, but this routine was a different dance sequence altogether – I hope I did Crouchy proud!”
      The mass-dance follows a study commissioned by Weetabix into the greatest football goal celebrations of all-time – with Peter Crouch’s robot dance coming top.

      Paul Gascoigne’s dentist chair finished in second place and Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’ secured third spot.
      Other notable goal celebrations included Jürgen Klinsmann’s dive, Eric Cantona’s boss man stance, and Jimmy Bullard’s half time team talk.
      Most read in Football
      Celebrations from the women’s game made the cut too – including Chloe Kelly swinging her top overhead, and Ellen White’s goggles celebration.
      Rachel added: “I loved that Chloe Kelly’s iconic goal celebration came out as 10th in the most iconic moves of all time.
      “It really shows how football fans have moved on and that the Lionesses are now seen as rivals to the major men’s players.”
      It also emerged 60 per cent of the 1,000 football fans polled believe a truly great celebration can make a goal “even better.”
      Chloe Kelly had an instantly iconic celebration after scoring a last gasp winner for the Lionesses in the European Championships and made the top tenCredit: Reuters
      Peter Crouch’s iconic robot was voted as the best celebration everCredit: PA:Press Association
      While 62 per cent believe goal celebrations have the power to unite countries when cheering on their side.
      And an iconic celebration can also get more people playing football – as 39 per cent believe Chloe Kelly’s at England’s European Championship win in 2022 inspired more young girls to take up the sport.
      Rachel said: “As a mum to two girls, I love that the Lionesses are such incredible role models.
      “And I’m sure they will inspire my two little ones to want to lace up their football boots in the future.
      “Weetabix have been championing women’s football for years.
      “And I love that they’re on a mission to inspire more young girls to get into the beautiful game through their Weetabix Wildcats initiative, where young girls aged 5-11 can play, have fun and find a new sense of confidence.
      “I wish something like that existed when I was younger!”
      England’s Lionesses started their World Cup journey with a 1-0 victory over HaitiCredit: EPA
      Georgia Stanway’s penalty was the difference between the two sidesCredit: EPA
      The study also found 77 per cent of fans polled follow the women’s game, with 35 per cent putting it down to just enjoying all football.
      While 24 per cent believe the game is more family friendly, and 40 per cent think it’s inspiring for young girls.
      Carried out through OnePoll, the study identified the Lionesses fans are most excited to see play over the coming weeks – with Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo, and Chloe Kelly the top three.
      Hannah Shorley, senior brand manager for Weetabix, said: “As a nation we love to cheer on goal celebrations. “Whether it’s the robot or ‘Siuuu’, we cheer on our favourite footballers as they bust a move.
      “And it’s clear we love to replicate these iconic moves ourselves – helping us to feel a part of the action and more connected.”
      England vs Denmark will be shown at WeetaBOXPARK on Friday July 28 at 9.30am – to book your free tickets click here.
      TOP 25 GOAL CELEBRATIONS OF ALL-TIME:
      1.    Peter Crouch’s robot dance
      2.    Paul Gascoigne’s dentist chair
      3.    Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’ spread
      4.    Jürgen Klinsmann’s dive
      5.    Eric Cantona’s boss man stance
      6.    Alan Shearer’s one arm raise/hand
      7.    Roger Milla’s corner flag dance
      8.    Lionel Messi’s two fingers to the sky
      9.    Wayne Rooney’s boxing knockout punch
      10.   Chloe Kelly swinging her top overhead
      11.   Jimmy Bullard’s half time team talk
      12.   Mario Balotelli’s “why always me?”
      13.   Fabrizio Ravanelli’s shirt over head
      14.   Erling Haaland’s Zen pose
      15.   Daniel Sturridge’s arm wave dance
      16.   Luis Suárez’s three kisses
      17.   Edinson Cavani’s archer
      18.   Megan Rapinoe’s pose with her outstretched arms
      19.   Kylian Mbappé’s two hands across the chest
      20.   Alex Morgan’s exaggerated sip of tea
      21.   Ellen White’s goggles
      22.   Brandi Chastain’s shirtless celebration
      23.   Samuel Eto’o’s old man pose
      Read More on The Sun
      24.   Emile Heskey’s DJ set
      25.   Jesse Lingard’s milly rock More

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      Rachel Daly says ‘no one is happy to sit on bench’ but admits England boss Wiegman has a selection headache

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      RACHEL DALY admits it’s tough to start on the bench for England – but acknowledged Sarina Wiegman’s World Cup selection headache.The WSL Golden Boot winner was a sub during the Lionesses’ group stage defeat of Haiti with Alessia Russo given the starting XI nod.  
      Rachel Daly admits Sarina Wiegman is facing a selection headache in terms of starters for England’s striker role at the World CupCredit: Getty
      Daly was deployed as a second half substitute during England’s 1-0 Group D defeat of Haiti in the tournamentCredit: AP
      Daly and her team-mates will take on Denmark next after sealing a group stage opening win in BrisbaneCredit: Reuters
      And team-mate Bethany England is yet to make an appearance for the Euros champs in the contest. 
      England number nine Daly entered the fray in place of Russo in the 76th minute of their clash with Haiti on Saturday in Brisbane. 
      The Aston Villa striker, who netted 22 goals in 22 WSL games last term, came close to doubling her team’s lead three minutes later.
      Had her header found the back of the net it would have seen the Lionesses end an open play scoring dry spell with the team goalless in their previous two fixtures.
      Read More Football Stories
      On if it is frustrating to be on the Lionesses’ bench, Daly said: “No one is happy to sit on the bench.  
      “If you are, then you are not in the right place, not in the right career. 
      “It’s a tough place for Sarina to be in to pick the team.
      “And I respect her decisions and I will support Alessia all the way and I know Bethany (England) will do the same.
      Most read in Football
      “That’s the beauty of having a competitive squad.
      “Everybody is digging out for a position. It’s a headache Sarina has to have in multiple positions. 
      “I wouldn’t like to be in her shoes obviously making such big decisions coming into tournaments. 
      “But she’s a fantastic manager, we respect all of her decisions. It proved tonight that it works, so we are happy.”
      Whilst having 11 shots on target to Haiti’s two, England found themselves under pressure from the contest debutants, ranked the 56th best team in the world.
      Melchie Dumornay, Nerilla Mondesir and 5ft 4in goalkeeper Kerly Theus were among Haiti’s standout performers, with Theus pulling off some stunning saves.  
      Daly, who has 70 England caps, added: “Haiti were a fantastic side and they are a force to be reckoned with. I think they will do some damage. 
      “You have got to give credit to the opposition as they were brilliant.”
      The second-half introduction of Lauren James and Daly gave Wiegman’s side more zeal in attack with James teeing up Kelly who fired wide late on. 
      However the sole goal of the game from England, who play Denmark on Friday, came from Georgia Stanway’s retaken spot-tick. 
      This means the usually clinical Lionesses have now gone 337 minutes without burying a non set-piece goal. 
      Daly added: “You could put it down to a number of things, but I think we are quite a new side, a relatively new side. 
      “We have lost a lot of players through injury and retirement.
      “We are still building, but I don’t think it’s a worry and a concern at the minute. Hopefully, more will come.”
      The result of England’s clash with Denmark is likely to play a key role in determining which side finishes top of Group D. 
      The Danes are currently in pole position after sealing a narrow 1-0 against China on Saturday.
      A duel with China on Tuesday 1 August will following England’s Group D clash with DenmarkCredit: Getty
      Some observers believe England’s slim win against Haiti is comparable to their 1-0 defeat of Austria during their march to Euros glory. 
      Read More on The Sun
      Daly said: “It’s three points on the board, we will take that.
      “That’s all that matters coming out of games in the group (stage).” More

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      Women’s World Cup stars forced to flee New Zealand hotel after arson attack sparks ‘devastating’ blaze

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      THE New Zealand women’s national team had to be temporarily evacuated from their hotel on Saturday night after a suspected arson attack.Emergency services were called to the Pullman Hotel in Auckland just before 8pm after the alarms were set off.
      New Zealand stars were evacuated from their hotel on SaturdayCredit: EPA
      The police have been on high alert in AucklandCredit: AP
      They arrived at the scene to find that the building was full of smoke due to several fires.
      According to The New Zealand Herald, the Football Ferns – who won the opening game of the tournament 1-0 against Norway – were evacuated through a stairwell before being sent to a nearby private restaurant.
      They then had to wait before receiving confirmation that they would be able to return to their team base.
      An official statement from New Zealand Football read: “New Zealand Football can confirm that the Football Ferns team and staff have been temporarily evacuated from the Pullman Hotel, their team base for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, due to a fire.
      Read More in Football
      “All of the team and staff are safe and accounted for.”
      New Zealand police later confirmed that a 34-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the fire.
      A spokesperson said: “A man has been arrested following a suspicious fire at a premises on Waterloo Quad, Auckland Central last night.
      “The 34-year-old has been charged with burglary and arson and is due to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday.”
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      On Sunday, New Zealand defender CJ Bott revealed that some players encountered smoke while evacuating the hotel.
      During a press conference, she said: “It was devastating and it definitely threw a spanner in the works for us.
      “It’s not ideal and it’s not a situation anyone wants to be in.
      “Yeah, one of the fire exits was a bit smoky but the majority of us got down the other safe exit and we exited the building perfectly fine.”
      Gabi Rennie added: “We had really good security on board that gave us really good instruction and we all kind of dealt with it pretty well.
      “I think our team is pretty good with dealing with adversity. So it’s just another kind of test.”
      The fire occurred just a matter of days after Auckland was rocked by a fatal shooting which left two people dead and six injured.
      New Zealand will be in action again on Tuesday against the Philippines. More

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      Ian Wright calls for BAN on popular signs spotted at England’s World Cup win as fans say ‘it’s pretty cringe’

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      ARSENAL legend Ian Wright has called for a ban on player shirt signs at football matches.The former striker was in attendance at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday to watch England’s 1-0 win over Haiti in the Women’s World Cup.
      Wright has called for shirt signs to be banned from footballCredit: Getty
      Some fans took signs into the stadium for England vs HaitiCredit: Reuters
      But midway through the first half, he became distracted after spotting a fan with a sign asking for a player’s shirt.
      Wright then took to Twitter to call for the signs to be axed from live football.
      He tweeted: “We have to ban those signs asking for player shirts!!! Kmt.”
      Many fans agreed with the Arsenal icon, with one person adding: “Been saying this for ages!”
      Read More on Football
      Another wrote: “It’s pretty cringe. I can’t imagine many players pick them to give the shirt to though do they?”
      While a third commented: “Absolutely does my head in, fans are there to support, they shouldn’t be going there begging for shirts or expecting to get one.”
      However, one fan argued: “No… It means a lot to the kids. It’s up to the players to ignore them if they want to.”
      England kicked off their Women’s World Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over tournament debutants Haiti.
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      Georgia Stanway scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in dramatic fashion.
      The referee awarded the Lionesses a spot-kick after Batcheba Louis handled the ball in the penalty area.
      Stanway stepped up to take the kick, but her shot was saved by Kerly Theus.
      Following a VAR check, the England midfielder had to take the penalty again after replays showed that Theus had prematurely come off her line.
      The Lionesses had a series of chances during the second half, but they struggled to make the most of any of them.
      Haiti came close to levelling the score late in the game when Roseline Éloissaint broke through the defence before unleashing a low-driven strike, but Mary Earps made an outstanding save to keep the clean sheet. More

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      England 1 Haiti 0 LIVE RESULT – Women’s World Cup 2023: Stanway’s retaken penalty fires Lionesses to nailbiting win

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      ENGLAND begin their Women’s World Cup adventure with a Group D win against a stubborn Haiti side. Batcheba Louis was penalised for handball in the box after a VAR review.
      And at the second time of asking, Stanway stuck her penalty in the back of the net to earn the Lionesses all three points.

      RESULT: England 1-0 Haiti
      Live stream: ITV X
      TV channel: ITV 1
      England XI: Earps; Bronze, Bright, Carter, Greenwood; Walsh, Stanway, Toone; Hemp, Kelly, Russo
      Haiti XI: Theus; Louis, Joseph, Limage, Petit; Pierre Louis, Jeudy, Dumornay; Mondesir, Borgella, Louis
      Explainer: What is the Women’s World Cup prize money?

      Follow ALL the action from Suncorp Stadium with our live blog below…
      Women’s World Cup 2023 betting preview, odds and predictions
      That’s all from Brisbane
      England claim all three points from their opening World Cup clash against a talented Haiti squad.
      The Lionesses now have six days to prepare for their next match against Denmark in Sydney.
      But until then, thanks for reading!
      Georgia Stanway reacts
      After the match, England goalscorer Stanway told BBC Sport: “You know what, they challenged us.
      “They were very dangerous on the counter-attack, so that’s something we’ll work on in training this week.
      “Mary came up with a big save and everybody played their part. Moments like that are why she’s a top keeper. The most important thing is that we’ve got three points.
      “The first penalty was a very, very good save, so credit for that but obviously she was off her line.
      “I was tempted to change sides, but you’ve got to be confident in your strategy. There’s a process I go through and I stuck to that.
      “We’ve been in camp for five or six weeks now, so it’s nice to get the first game out of the way.”
      Credit: Getty
      Full Time – England 1-0 Haiti
      They may not have won, but Haiti can take a lot from that performance.
      The Grenadiers caused England numerous problems, especially in defence and 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay ran the show in midfield.
      A great performance from a team making their World Cup debut.
      Credit: PA
      Full Time – England 1-0 Haiti
      The Lionesses take all three points from their opening group stage game…
      Just about!
      Credit: AP
      90+3. England 1-0 Haiti
      We’re into the four minutes of added time and Haiti are making another change.
      D.Joseph is on to replace Louis.
      88. England 1-0 Haiti
      Another chance missed by the Lionesses.
      The ball is drilled into the penalty area and brought down by Stanway, who sets it back to Toone.
      Toone gives it back to the Bayern Munich star, who looks to shoot, but her effort flies way wide.
      82. England 1-0 Haiti
      Wow. What a chance for Haiti!
      Eloissaint receives the ball on the edge of the box before walking straight through defensive duo Bright and Carter and attempting a shot into the bottom-right corner.
      But luckily for the Lionesses, Earps makes an outstanding save to keep the clean sheet!
      Credit: Getty
      80. England 1-0 Haiti
      Haiti have made another change.
      Borgella has been replaced by Eloissaint.
      77. England 1-0 Haiti
      James has been a breath of fresh air for England since coming on.
      Her skill and ability to unlock the Haiti defence with some clever passes has helped the Lionesses to create some more effective chances.
      Credit: Getty
      76. England 1-0 Haiti
      Another change for England.
      Daly is on to replace Russo.
      74. England 1-0 Haiti
      England come close again as Walsh finds Greenwood on the left, who crosses the ball to Russo at the back post, but Theus comes off her line to claim it.
      70. England 1-0 Haiti
      James finds Kelly with a fantastic pass out towards the right.
      The Man City star takes the ball and cuts into the box before attempting to shoot while on the turn, but her effort runs past the post.
      64. England 1-0 Haiti
      Stanway finds the ball on the right before crossing it into the box.
      Russo heads it towards goal, but her looping effort is tipped over the bar by Theus.
      A corner is then sent into the box, Bronze heads the ball down but it bounces out to Bright 15 yards away from goal, who fires her shot over the bar and into the back of the stands.
      62. England 1-0 Haiti
      The Lionesses make their first change of the match.
      Hemp is replaced by James.
      Credit: Reuters
      60. England 1-0 Haiti
      England look to press forward again as Greenwood starts with the ball in defence.
      She attempts to switch it to Kelly on the left, but she puts too much on the pass and the ball goes out for a throw-in.
      58. England 1-0 Haiti
      Louis loses the ball to Russo in the box, who shoots from around 12 yards out, but her effort is saved.
      The striker then gets another chance on goal just a few seconds later, but Theus makes another impressive stop.
      56. England 1-0 Haiti
      Another poor pass from Bright falls straight to Mondesir in midfield.
      The Haiti captain takes a touch before unleashing a wild shot which flies way over the goal and into the middle of the stands.
      51. England 1-0 Haiti
      Hemp is booked for a challenge on Mondesir, who goes to ground with what looks to be an ankle injury.
      After some treatment from the physios, she looks to play on.
      50. England 1-0 Haiti
      Huge chance for Haiti!
      Dumornay unleashes a powerful strike from the edge of the box, forcing Earps into tricky save.
      The goalkeeper parries the ball away and England can eventually clear the danger.
      46. England 1-0 Haiti
      Kelly, who has moved onto the left, picks up the ball on the wing and skips past her defender before squaring it towards the penalty spot, but her pass is intercepted and cleared.
      A good start for England after the break.
      Kick Off – England 1-0 Haiti
      We’re back underway.
      No changes have been made.
      Half Time – England 1-0 Haiti
      Wiegman could make some changes at the break.
      England have been sloppy in possession of the ball in midfield at times, so Lauren James could be introduced to replace Ella Toone as a way of improving the transition from midfield to attack.
      Alessia Russo, who has missed a fair few chances so far, could also be replaced by Rachel Daly.
      Half Time – England 1-0 Haiti
      England may have the advantage, but they will be disappointed with that first-half performance.
      The Lionesses have been far from their best, with some sloppy mistakes causing problems in the defensive third.
      Credit: EPA
      45+9. England 1-0 Haiti
      Stanway is booked for a challenge on Dumornay in midfield.
      45+6. England 1-0 Haiti
      Another chance missed for Haiti as Dumornay drives down the right before sending a cross to Borgella, but the striker’s header is off-target.
      Credit: AP
      Load more entries… More

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      England fans go wild home AND away as the Lionesses win 1-0 against Haiti in the Women’s World Cup

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      ENGLAND fans are going wild at home and away – after the Lionesses won 1-0 against Haiti in the Women’s World Cup.Georgia Stanway gave England the perfect start as they began their Women’s World Cup adventure with the Group D opener.
      England fans jumped for joy in Boxpark CroydonCredit: PA
      Rachel Riley joined celebrations at Boxpark WembleyCredit: Alamy
      Youngsters react to the penalties at Boldmere St Michaels FC in Sutton ColdfieldCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
      Fans cheer on the Lionesses in RuislipCredit: PA
      One young fan combined patriotic paint with rockstar glassesCredit: Getty
      Georgia Stanway netted a penaltyCredit: EPA
      Another sported a Lionesses cowboy hatCredit: Getty
      A baby joined in celebrations in BrisbaneCredit: Getty
      Another dad turned up in styleCredit: Getty
      The stadium in Brisbane was packed with England fansCredit: PA
      She stuck her penalty in the back of the net to put the Lionesses ahead after Haiti’s Batcheba Louis gave away a handball in the box.
      Fans in Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium leapt out of their seats as the ball hit the net.

      One dad dressed in an England flag top hat, suit and waistcoat could be seen in the aisles toting his daughter, who was wrapped in a Lionesses scarf.
      Patriotic parents brought babies in full match kit to the World Cup contest – with one tot wrapped in a sheepskin coat over their shirt.
      Read More Lionesses
      At home, face-painted fans celebrated the goal at watch parties across nationwide.
      Snaps show some leaping from their tables at Boxpark Croydon – while teens and students joined in the fun at King’s College Fields in Ruislip.
      Our live blogger said that England may have come away with a win, but they will be disappointed with their performance.
      England went ahead with a penaltyCredit: Getty More

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      Ultimate Women’s World Cup rich list – highest-paid Lionesses star to Chelsea striker who bagged FIFA video game deal

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      ENGLAND’S roaring Lionesses captured the heart of the nation on their way to victory at the Euros last year.But while they will be hoping to go one better at the Women’s World Cup this summer, they face stiff competition from the likes of the USA, Spain, Germany and France.
      Chloe Kelly and the team pulled in huge crowds to their games in the UK for the Women’s EurosCredit: Getty
      Marta is often considered the greatest female footballer of all timeCredit: Getty
      In the money leagues, top stars like Marta and Megan Rapinoe may earn just a fraction of their equivalents in the men’s game.
      However, the best players can still earn hundreds of thousands a year – boosted by sponsorship deals and lucrative side projects.
      Here, we reveal some of the highest earners who will be dazzling in Australia and New Zealand over the coming weeks.
      Marta
      Brazilian Marta, 37, is often regarded as the best female footballer ever, so it’s no surprise she can command one of the highest salaries.
      READ MORE ON RICH LISTS
      The forward reportedly earns £311,000 a year at Orlando Pride, topped up by sponsorship deals with the likes of LATAM Airlines, Avon Brasil, shampoo brand Clear and pharmaceutical company Neo Quimica.
      In some of her campaigns for Clear, she has appeared with Cristiano Ronaldo. She has also had deals with Coca-Cola and Puma.
      Marta is Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer, with a record 17 World Cup goals, and has been named FIFA’s World Player of the Year five consecutive times.
      Wendie Renard
      Wendie has captained the French national team for ten yearsCredit: Getty
      French centre back Wendie, 33, has been the captain of the French women’s team for ten years.
      Most read in Football
      As the skipper of Lyon at club level, she is one of the most decorated players in modern times, with an astonishing 15 French league titles and eight European Cups to her name.
      It’s no surprise then that she’s on a reported £298,000-a-year salary.
      One of her sponsors is Adidas and she was previously an ambassador for MasterCard alongside England’s Alex Scott, too.
      Earlier this year, she told fans she was pulling out of what will be her third World Cup.
      She said in a statement: “It is a sad day, but necessary to preserve my mental health. It is with a heavy heart that I come to inform you of my decision to step back from the French team.”
      However, after returning to the French team for friendlies against Colombia and Canada in April, she will be wearing the armband once more this tournament.
      Megan Rapinoe
      Megan has gained a huge profile for her footwork on the pitch and activism off itCredit: Getty
      Megan’s famous celebration against France at the last World CupCredit: AFP
      With her signature bleached hair and even more dazzling footwork, USA winger Megan is one of the most instantly recognisable female footballers in the world.
      At the last World Cup in 2019, her celebration against France – in which she saluted the crowd with outstretched arms – became an instant meme and even went on to be added into the FIFA video game.
      The athlete, 38, is thought to take home a salary of £348,000 from OL Reign and, according to Celebrity Net Worth, has a fortune of £3.9million.
      She tops this up with sponsorship deals and cover interviews, having appeared on the front page of Sports Illustrated, Marie Claire, and InStyle.
      Her brands deals include luxury fashion brand Loewe, Nike and Samsung.
      Alex Morgan
      Alex Morgan has topped up her earnings by writing a children’s book seriesCredit: Getty
      Her tea-sipping celebration has gone down in World Cup folkloreCredit: Rex Features
      England fans will remember USA striker Alex for her now infamous tea-drinking celebration, after scoring the winner against the Lionesses at the last World Cup.
      The San Diego Wave FC captain – who CNW estimates has a fortune of £2.3million – has played in 217 international matches and made a short-lived move to Tottenham back in 2020.
      Away from the pitch, the 34-year-old has published The Kicks, a four-book series for school children and even appeared in a music video for Maroon 5’s song “Girls Like You”, which features Cardi B.
      Her long list of sponsorship deals include Nike, Panasonic, AT&T, Chobani, McDonald’s, P&G, Mondelez International, and Coca-Cola.
      She is married to Servando Carrasco, also a football player, and they have one child together, three-year-old Charlie.
      Lucy Bronze
      Lucy is thought to be one of the UK’s wealthiest female footballersCredit: Getty
      British Lucy, 31, is one of the wealthiest Lionesses and is thought to take home around £200,000 a year for FC Barcelona.
      The right-back has played for the England team since 2013 and has also represented the country in the Olympics. She tops up her earnings with deals from Pepsi, EE, Klarna, and Visa.
      Lucy is believed to be the top-earning England player, but along with other Lionesses has slammed the FA’s decision not to pay players extra money on top of the funds dished out by FIFA this tournament.
      Speaking about it, she said: “We want to keep pushing our own standards, but also our federations’ standards, the FIFA and UEFA standards. It isn’t just about the numbers. It is the principle of what we want to improve in women’s football.
      “There is always another step the game can take. Whether that is commercial, on the pitch or off the pitch, whether it is performance based or not. It is about being rewarded for what we have done – we are the European Champions.”
      Sam Kerr
      Sam has a $1million deal with Nike among other lucrative dealsCredit: Getty
      Goal-machine Sam, 29, is believed to take home a salary of £400,000 a year at Chelsea, who she has just helped to another Women’s Super League title.
      The Australian captains her national team and will be hoping to take them all the way as the hosts.
      Her 13-year deal with Nike is thought to be worth $1million. She was also the first female player to appear on the cover of the FIFA video game.
      Sam also has sponsorship deals with luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen, Australian bank CommBank, and EA Sports.
      Chloe Kelly
      Chloe won legions of fans for her last minute goal at the EurosCredit: Getty
      England’s super-sub Chloe, 25, secured her place in the history books at last year’s Euros with her winning goal against Germany.
      It is not known how much her Man City contract is worth, but the club’s average salary for female players is thought to be around £75,000 a year.
      However, off the back of her legendary goal – and celebration – last year, Chloe remains one of England’s most marketable stars.
      The Mail on Sunday reported that she was set to sign a deal with Land Rover worth up to £2 million.
      A spokesperson for Chloe told the paper: “I can’t comment on her business dealings but… she is in demand.”
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      She has also worked with Nike, KFC and last month appeared in a Calvin Klein ad alongside Alex Morgan. More