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      Is Alex Greenwood related to Mason Greenwood?

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      ALEX Greenwood is one of the most experienced members of England’s Lionesses.With all eyes on the team, it comes as no surprise that fans want to know more about her life – including if she is related to fellow footballer Mason Greenwood.
      Alex Greenwood is not related to fellow footballer Mason GreenwoodCredit: Getty
      Is Alex Greenwood related to Mason Greenwood?
      As two well-known figures in the world of football, fans are eager to know if England defender Alex Greenwood is related to Mason Greenwood.
      Despite sharing the same surname and a passion for football, the pair are not related.
      Who is Alex Greenwood and when did she start playing for England?
      Alex Greenwood, born September 7, 1993, is an English professional football player.
      She currently plays for Women’s Super League club Manchester City and the England national team.
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      Established as a talented centre back, she can also play as a left back and is known for being a set-piece specialist.
      Born and raised in Liverpool, Greenwood started her career at Everton and made her professional debut in 2010.
      A year later, aged 18, she won the prestigious FA Young Player of the Year for the 2011-12 campaign.
      Following her time at Everton, Greenwood went on to join Notts County and Liverpool, before making the move to Manchester United in 2018.
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      Greenwood captained the Red Devils as they won promotion to the Barclays FA Women’s Super League in their debut season as a team.
      Recognised as a key figure in the game, Greenwood joined  Olympique Lyonnais a season later.
      However, a return to Manchester was on the cards for the sports star – this time at a different club.
      In 2020, she joined Manchester City on a three-year deal.
      Internationally, Greenwood made her debut for England in 2014, scoring her first international goal later that year in a win against Montenegro.
      She went on to play at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup – where she was the youngest member of the squad.
      In 2019, Greenwood was part of the England team that won the SheBelieves Cup in the United States.
      That same year, she was selected as part of England’s World Cup squad.
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      The sports star was also included in the England squad that won UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.
      In 2023, Greenwood was named as one of the players joining Sarina Wiegman’s squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. More

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      England’s Lionesses’ embarrassingly low wages compared to men revealed including bonuses if they win Women’s World Cup

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      ENGLAND’S Lionesses will get paid a fraction of the money their male counterparts received for their World Cup exploits – even if they lift the trophy.Sarina Wiegman’s side face Australia in tomorrow’s Women’s World Cup semi-final.
      England will pocket £3.38m if they win the Women’s World CupCredit: Getty
      The men’s team received £13.38m for reaching the quarter-finals at Qatar 2022Credit: Getty
      It is the third time in a row England have reached the final four, losing on their two previous appearances.
      But Fifa figures expose the huge discrepancy between the pay for the men’s and women’s tournaments.
      All countries across the two events were given a £1.18million fee for qualifying for the group stages.
      However, the overall prize pot for the women’s edition stands at just a quarter of the men’s.

      Fifa boosted the women’s fund by 226 per cent to £86m for Australia-New Zealand 2023 while the Qatar 2022 number was £346m.
      As for the winners, Argentina landed a cool £33m but the nation that wins Sunday’s final in Sydney will receive just £3.38m.
      The beaten finalists will get £2.37m while England are guaranteed at least £1.93m for reaching the semis.
      By comparison, Gareth Southgate’s men earned England a whopping £13.38m – despite getting knocked out in the quarter-finals.
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      And teams that went home after the group stages collected more than £7m – double that of the Women’s World Cup champions.
      The USA, who won it 2015 and 2019, crashed out in the last 16 this time around.
      But the total money won by the women’s team and the men in Qatar, around £12.79m, will be divvied up evenly among the 49 players after an equal-pay agreement was reached.
      It means, once ten per cent is sliced off for US Soccer, the footballers will take home approximately £234,000 each.
      The average annual wage for female footballers globally is around £11,000 – although the BBC stated last year in England’s WSL it is around £47,000.
      However, that is a tiny proportion of the men in the Premier League, who earn an average of £60,000 per week which equates to £3.12m a year.
      That prompted Fifa to introduce bonuses for the individual players at the Women’s World Cup on top of the country’s prize money.
      It means all 23 members of the trophy-winning squad on Sunday will pocket £212,500.
      By reaching the last four, the Lionesses have already secured £129,000 as a personal bonus from Fifa – more than double the £55,000 they got for winning the Euros in 2022.
      ‘REAL AND MEANINGFUL IMPACT’
      The men received £300,000 each for reaching the Euro 2020 final the year before – and would have got £460,000 per player had they won the shootout against Italy at Wembley.
      England pay their Three Lions and Lionesses £2,000 every time they represent the national team, with the men’s match fees given straight to charity.
      But the disparity for FA bonuses triggered a public statement from the Lionesses blasting the national governing body on the eve of the World Cup.
      Fifa president Gianni Infantino hailed the “unprecedented new distribution model” for personal player bonuses at the Women’s World Cup, which sealed at least £23,600 for all 732 players at the tournament.
      He said: “Eeach individual player can now fully rely on remuneration for their efforts as they progress through the tournament.
      “The captain that ultimately lifts the iconic Fifa Women’s World Cup Trophy on August 20 in Sydney will receive $270,000 (£212,500), as will each of her 22 team-mates.
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      “The global salary of women’s professional footballers is approximately $14,000 (£11,000) annually so the amounts allocated under this unprecedented new distribution model will have a real and meaningful impact on the lives and careers of these players.
      “Beyond this, all member associations will also receive a record financial distribution based on their performance, which they can use to reinvest back into football in their countries and which we believe will help to propel the women’s game even further.”
      Leah Williamson and the rest of the Lionesses got £55,000 each for winning the EurosCredit: PA
      Argentina landed £33m – ten times the amount Sunday’s victorious nation will getCredit: Getty
      Fifa World Cup prize money per country
      MEN’S – QATAR 2022
      Group stage: £7.08m
      Round of 16: £10.23m
      Quarter-finals: £13.38m
      Fourth place: £19.68m
      Third place: £21.25m
      Runner-up: £23.61m
      Winner: £33.06m
      WOMEN’S – AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND 2023
      Group stage: £1.18m
      Round of 16: £1.47m
      Quarter-finals: £1.72m
      Fourth place: £1.93m
      Third place: £2m
      Runner-up: £2.37m
      Winner: £3.38m More

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      How Lionesses Alessia Russo became England’s ‘million pound’ golden girl but was left blushing after meeting famous fan

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      AT 11, Alessia Russo was tipped as a future England star by goalscoring great Kelly Smith – and now, 13 years later, she really is making the Lionesses roar.The World Cup forward, who scored the winning goal against Colombia on Saturday to take England into the semi-finals, has been dubbed the “golden girl” of the Women’s Super League.
      Alessia Russo has been dubbed the ‘golden girl’ of the Women’s Super LeagueCredit: MARK CANT/Women’s Health UK
      Alessia in her new Arsenal strip having left Man Utd in a shock transferCredit: Getty
      Alessia with her mum, dad and brotherCredit: Instagram @alessiarusso99
      The 24-year-old had already cemented her place in the nation’s hearts with a spectacular backheel goal for England in last year’s Euros semi-final against Sweden which was named the Goal of the Tournament.
      Now, a month after her transfer to Arsenal from Manchester United, Alessia — known to her family as Lessi — is lighting up the World Cup too.
      And she’s going for gold as well as goals.
      Factoring in commercial deals with such brands as Adidas, Gucci, PlayStation and Beats by Dre, she is now thought be the first WSL player to earn more than £1million a year.
      Read More on Alessia Russo
      With celeb fans such as David Beckham — and his daughter Harper — she is already such a national treasure that her boots have been displayed in the Tower of London.
      Colin Whitfield, a former coach at Bearsted FC in Kent, where she began her footie career, told The Sun she is inspiring a new generation.
      He said: “The girls in particular all want to be the next Alessia Russo. She has inspired lots of people, not just at Bearsted.
      “There’s a real sense of excitement off the back of her success. I can’t see it ever disappearing.”
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      The Kent-born striker’s rise to the top was on the cards from a young age.
      Coming from Sicilian stock, Alessia grew up in Maidstone in a sporting family — policeman dad Mario played for Met Police FC and coached local kids, brother Giorgio played for non-league team Ramsgate and younger brother Luca represented England in under-20s track and field events.
      Mum Carol recently recalled Alessia as a “cute three-year-old dancing in a tutu” but added that she had been desperate to ditch ballet because she wanted to go to football training with her dad and brothers.
      Coach Mario revealed he had got “strange looks” from other parents when he moved his daughter from the girls’ to the boys’ team after spotting her potential.
      At St Simon Stock Catholic School in Maidstone, Alessia’s star quality was clear, and former head teacher John Malone and PE teacher Claire Brown recall she was a “driven” pupil who “already had the mindset of a great sporting star”.
      John told Good Morning Britain: “She played for the girls’ team but also, up to a certain age, girls can play for the boys’ team.
      “Her reputation was out there in the community. So PE departments from other schools would be calling us on the match day to say, ‘Is that girl playing for you this evening?’.
      “If the answer was yes, they knew that they were going to lose.”
      From the age of eight, Alessia trained at Charlton Athletic’s academy, where in 2006 she was led on to the pitch as a mascot by Casey Stoney, who would later become her boss at Manchester United.
      Offered a contract by Chelsea just as she was considering university, she opted to take a soccer scholarship at the University of North Carolina, where her brother Luca was already studying on an athletic scholarship.
      Her first-year roommate was fellow England player Lotte Wubben-Moy.
      Sporting star
      Her university coach Anson Dorrance — who also trained Lioness Lucy Bronze — told a newspaper: “Players usually slow down in shooting practice to achieve more accuracy.
      “But Alessia never did that, she always played the game. She always went 100mph to try and score a goal, even in an exercise. Russo trained ruthlessly to become the player she is and she’s going to keep getting better.
      “So even to this day I use examples of my great players, Alessia certainly being one of them, to help my current players become elite.”
      Always a star of the England youth teams, once scoring five goals in one match against Croatia aged 17, she was called up to the senior squad in February 2020.
      Seven months later, on her return from the States, the life-long Manchester United supporter was snapped up by the Red Devils.
      Last month, when she left after three years to join Arsenal, she reflected on how it had always been her dream to play at Old Trafford.
      She said: “If I ever picture myself as a little girl, I’m wearing a United shirt with a ball glued to my feet. If someone told that little girl she’d represent the club one day, create so many memories and score at Old Trafford, I can’t imagine how she’d contain the excitement.”
      Alessia has also revealed her health struggles, telling Women’s Health magazine: “In lockdown, it was tough. I was training on my own, I was home and I lost quite a bit of weight.
      “Then I signed for Man United soon after lockdown and within about six weeks, I completely tore my hamstring, which I could only relate back to losing a lot of weight because I’ve never had a muscle injury before.
      “[My diet] was high in protein but I was sacrificing all the carbs and the fats. I used to track everything.
      “I was at a low point with my food and with my weight. I wasn’t strong enough. I wasn’t robust. I thought I looked great but really, on the football pitch, I wasn’t strong enough to compete.”
      While at United, Alessia went on to become United’s top scorer, earning an estimated £35,000 to £45,000 a year, rising to more than £60,000 in her third year, as well as bonuses for goals and winning matches, placing her among the WSL’s highest earners.
      Her income was boosted by her call-up to the Lionesses, with each player paid £2,000 per game for an average of 11 a year.
      Winning the 2022 European Championship brought the elite players into a whole new ball park for earnings, with each of the Lionesses receiving a £50,000 bonus.
      They were also paid £430 a day to take part, for a total of 37 days, meaning a pay cheque of £15,910.
      Along with the Arnold Clark Cup and the Finalissima tournament, each player banked around £88,000, claims sport website The Athletic.
      With Euros glory still fresh in fans’ minds, Alessia was already hot property when she joined Arsenal, who signed her on a free transfer after being knocked back with a world-record bid, estimated to be around £500,000, in January.
      Alessia, who has 567,000 followers on Instagram, can expect to cash in on her fame with commercial deals worth six figures.
      This month, boot sponsor Adidas selected her as one of five players to promote its Champion The Girls initiative, aimed at preventing teenage girls from dropping out of sport, and she appeared alongside David Beckham in a campaign for the brand as well as modelling its Gucci collaboration range.
      After her spectacular Euros goal against Sweden, Adidas displayed her green boots among the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, declaring her a “national treasure”.
      Her advertising earnings are thought to be between £300,000 and £500,000 a year and estimates suggest Alessia earned almost £4,000 from sponsored Instagram posts in the first quarter of 2023, bettered only by England team-mates Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson.
      Her earnings from social media are expected to have doubled in the run-up to the World Cup.
      PR expert Nick Ede said: “Alessia Russo is a breakout star and with her athletic good looks she can command millions this year.
      “She’s already an ambassador for numerous brands and I can see her expanding this into more luxury and beauty territories.”
      Other schools would call us to ask if she was playing …and if the answer was yes they knew they were going to lose.Former teacher John Malone
      With their sights on the World Cup, the Lionesses stand to earn even more.
      Fifa has guaranteed that every player competing in the tournament will be paid at least £23,500, with every winning player receiving at least £213,000.
      Despite Alessia’s success, many in the world of football praise her lack of arrogance.
      Man United’s Leah Galton said: “She works extremely hard and she’s one of the nicest people off the pitch I think I’ve ever met.”
      David Beckham and 12-year-old daughter Harper enjoyed a chat with Alessia, hosted by Adidas, before England’s World Cup game against Haiti last month.
      Afterwards Alessia said: “He’s been one of my idols ever since I was a little girl.
      “That’s probably one of my biggest highlights, having a normal conversation with someone you used to watch on the world stage when you were younger.
      “It was amazing and he was really nice, a bit of a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport is doing. It’s special to hear that Harper is a huge fan.
      “He said we should never lose sight of what we are doing as a team, which was really cool because we’re all in the moment in terms of all we see and competing every day on the pitch. The impact you have away from that is what’s really special to hear.”
      But Alessia’s biggest fans are still her devoted family, and earlier this month, as she left for the World Cup in Oz, mum Carol posted an emotional tribute to “Lessi”.
      She said: “The day is finally here, I can’t believe you’re off to your first senior World Cup.
      “How exciting. It only seems like yesterday you were that cute little three-year-old, dancing around in your tutu but desperate to give it all up so you could join football coaching with Daddy and play football with Luca and Giorgio.
      “We had no idea, did we, that it would lead to all this?
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      “You’re living your dream and doing what you love, and shining like our little superstar.”

      7.2M see triumph on telly
      THE Lionesses’ 2-1 World Cup win over Colombia was seen on TV by 7.2million delighted fans.
      The quarter-final match drew the tournament’s highest audience so far and was ITV’s second biggest peak audience this year, behind the Grand National.
      England’s win secured a place in the semi-finals against tournament co-hosts Australia on Wednesday.
      And if they beat the Aussies they will then face the winner of the match between Sweden and Spain in Sunday’s final.
      Colombia match winner Alessia said the England team celebrated reaching the semi-finals with a trip to see dolphins.
      On the outing, her team-mate Ella Toone jokily threw a yabby – a type of crayfish – into Lessi’s lap, causing her to fall off a wall.
      And she revealed there was already some friendly rivalry between the England squad and the host nation ahead of Wednesday’s big match in Sydney.
      Arsenal striker Alessia told the England Football YouTube channel: “Some Aussie couple came up to us and said, ‘Congratulations for last night. Good luck for Wednesday – but not too much luck’.
      “I think everyone is looking forward to it and so are we as players. It makes it even more exciting that you’re playing the hosts.
      “We know it’s going to be packed out, so yes, just buzzing for it.”

      Triumphant Alessia in England’s defeat of ColombiaCredit: Rex
      Adidas selected Alessia as one of five players to promote its Champion The Girls initiativeCredit: ADIDAS
      Alessia also has a deal with Beats by Dre
      Young talent Alessia as a footie-mad childCredit: INSTAGRAM/ALESSIA RUSSO
      Mascot Alessia with Casey Stoney in 2006
      Alessia takes a tumble and falls off a wall More

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      Alessia Russo reflects on England chat with David Beckham and describes it as a ‘pinch-me’ moment

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      ALESSIA RUSSO was “buzzing” when she discovered David Beckham’s daughter Harper can be counted among the Lionesses fans.The England ace described meeting the Three Lions icon as a “pinch-me” moment with the duo sharing World Cup playing experiences. 
      Alessia Russo has opened up on discussing England playing experiences with David BeckhamCredit: Getty
      Russo was reflecting on her conversation with the retired Three Lions hero ahead of the Lionesses’ World Cup clash with ColombiaCredit: Getty
      Russo revealed Beckham was one of her football idols during her childhoodCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      The duo met for a chat hosted by Adidas before the Lionesses’ tournament opening clash with Haiti in July.  
      Their meeting saw them swap England shirts and reflect on the joys and pressures of playing for their country on the game’s biggest stage. 
      The striker, 24, who will battle Colombia with her team in the World Cup quarter-final, said: “He’s been one of my idols ever since I was a little girl. 
      “That’s probably one of my biggest highlights off the pitch – to sit and have a normal conversation with someone you used to watch on the world stage when you were younger. 
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      “It was amazing and he was really really nice and a bit of a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport is doing.”
      Beckham, 48, who was capped 115 times before retiring in 2013, played in his first World Cup 25 years ago
      The former England skipper, whose 21-year playing career included spells at Manchester United and Real Madrid, led the Three Lions to two quarter-finals.
      During his chat with Russo, the Inter Miami owner mentioned his daughter Harper, 12, being inspired by Sarina Wiegman’s side. 
      Most read in Football
      Russo, who has 26 international caps, added: “It’s special to hear that Harper is a huge fan.
      “He said we should never lose sight of what we’re doing as a team.
      “That was really cool because we’re all in the moment in terms of all we see and compete for every day on the pitch. 
      “The impact you have away from that is what’s really special to hear.”
      On Saturday Russo is set to help her team attempt to reach their first World Cup semi-finals under head coach Wiegman. 
      The duel with Colombia will see the Kent-born striker play in a quarter-final fixture in the tournament for the first time in her career.
      The victors of the clash between the Euros champs and last year’s Copa America Feminina finalists will face Australia or France for a World Cup final spot. 
      Their opponents’ star players include Real Madrid ace Linda Caicedo, 18, who played four international tournaments last year including the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups. 
      They have proven themselves capable of causing upsets by defeating Germany and South Korea in the group stage. 
      Last month they made headlines when their pre-tournament training game with Vera Pauw’s Republic of Ireland was abandoned after 23 minutes
      The game was halted due to their challenges being deemed too “overly physical”. 
      However, Russo is relishing going toe-to-toe with England’s opponents who are the only South America side left in the tournament. 
      Russo said: “Colombia are a physical team but so are we. 
      “It’s something that we’ve faced before in this tournament and we’ve stepped up.
      “That’s part of the game now, it’s getting more physical. Players are quicker and faster. 
      “I’m quite a big player, in terms of my height and stature, so I’d like to think that I can hold my own, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I couldn’t. 
      “I’m up against Millie Bright most days in training.
      “If there’s ever a test, it’s right there. You prepare for those moments 
      “In this tournament, the levels are so high and it’s great to see. 
      England’s clash with Colombia will see their defences tested by tournament star Linda CaicedoCredit: EPA
      “No one in this tournament is an underdog.
      “Colombia have put on some really good performances and we’ll be ready for them.
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      “It’s great that you can’t take your foot off the gas for one second and not that you could for the Euros. 
      “You can see every game is so tight and that just shows the level of the game right now.” More

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      ‘Everything that has been thrown at us we have dealt with’, says Lucy Bronze on England’s World Cup run

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      LUCY BRONZE believes England having the mentality to see out difficult wins has been a boost in a World Cup of shock exits. And the Lioness star, 31, paid tribute to Brazil icon Marta and other legends who played in the tournament for the last time in their careers. 
      Lucy Bronze believes England have shown they have the mentality to seal wins in challenging situationsCredit: Getty
      The Lionesses will battle Colombia at Stadium Australia on Saturday for a place in the World Cup semi-finalsCredit: Getty
      On Saturday England go to battle with Colombia in Sydney for a place in the World Cup semis after surviving a tough clash with Nigeria.
      Their South American opponents have proven to be giant killers claiming shock victories against Germany and South Korea leading to surprise group-stage exits for both. 
      And England will be going into the game without in-form forward Lauren James.
      The Lionesses starlet, 21, is currently suspended after being sent off for treading on forward Michelle Alozie during England’s defeat of Nigeria.

      However Bronze believes recent hard-fought wins against the Super Falcons and Haiti have shown England has what it takes to get results under pressure. 
      The 109-capped right-back said: “Everything that has been thrown at us, we’ve dealt with and moved forward. 
      “We’ve built on every game; we’ve taken something from every game.
      “Whether that was the Haiti game that was physical, the Denmark game when we lost our key player in Keira (Walsh), the China game when we changed the formation completely, and then (against Nigeria) we had a red card.
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      “I don’t see many other teams who’ve had that adversity and if they had, I don’t think they’ve managed to overcome the way we have.
      “At the same time, we are not happy with our performances.”
      Out of the top seven sides competing in this year’s contest hosted in Australia and New Zealand only England, France, Spain and Sweden remain. 
      Four-time winners the USA, and two-time champions Germany have been dispatched along with Canada. 
      Australia, Japan and Holland are the other sides from the world’s top 20 teams left in the tournament. 
      Colombia, currently the 25th-best side in the world, are the lowest-ranked team to reach this year’s quarter-finals. 
      Bronze added:  “The most important thing is that we’re coming out of games with wins. I said this after the Haiti game, 
      “Some people thought that (type of win) was not probably what we wanted. 
      “However, we are the ones who are still in the competition.
      “Many top teams are going home because they haven’t been able to get that point or been able to see the games out in a penalty shootout, and we have. 
      “We’ve shown that side of our team that we know what it takes to win.”
      The group-stage and last-16 knockouts of Canada, Brazil and the United States saw three of the game’s biggest legends play in a World Cup for a final time. 
      Megan Rapinoe, 38, who won the contest twice with the USA, called time on her 17-year career following her side’s loss on penalties to Sweden. 
      And Brazil and Canada icons Marta, 37, and Christine Sinclair, 40, made their final appearances having each played in six World Cups. 
      Bronze said: “Those players are unbelievable.
      “They’re players that I looked up to when I was younger, even though I’m probably one of the older players now.
      “They really changed the game and lifted it to another level, a level that means that we’re in the position that we are today. 
      “Not just myself and this England team, but Nigeria and the other teams that are coming through like Jamaica. 
      Read More on The Sun
      “You saw when Jamaica played Brazil the kind of admiration players like Bunny Shaw had for Marta.
      “It’s because we know what legends they are and what they’ve done for us as players now.”
      Bronze hailed Brazil legend Marta for helping to transform and elevate women’s footballCredit: Getty More

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      England given World Cup knockout clash boost with Keira Walsh’s return to team training following injury

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      KEIRA WALSH has given England a fitness boost by returning to team training earlier today before their World Cup clash with Nigeria on Monday. This comes two days after the Barcelona midfielder was spotted training alone for the first time since her injury scare last Friday.
      Keira Walsh was all smiles at England’s training session ahead of their World Cup last-16 clash with NigeriaCredit: Getty
      Walsh returned to training with her team-mates for the first time since being stretchered off after injuring her knee during England’s defeat of DenmarkCredit: PA
      Her ongoing recovery will come as welcome news to Lionesses fans with her side aiming to claim a quarter final spot in the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. 
      Walsh, 28, has stepped up her rehab since damaging her knee during the Lionesses’ World Cup group stage defeat of Denmark 
      The England ace has been out of match action since being stretchered close to half time of that match on July 28. 
      Earlier this week the FA revealed the midfielder, who missed her side’s 6-1 demolition of China on Tuesday, had been put on an individual training programme. 
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      And she was seen at the Lionesses’ Central Coast Stadium training base on Friday for the first time since officials confirmed she had not sustained an ACL injury. 
      It is not yet known whether Walsh will feature for England in their last-16 duel against Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium at 08:30 UK time. 
      Their clash with the 11-time Women’s African Cup of Nations champs will be one of the sternest tests they have faced this year. 
      The Super Falcons have already proven they are a match for teams inside Fifa’s top ten.
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      Their group stage run saw them beat tournament co-hosts Australia and snatch a draw with Canada. 
      Nigeria aces Ashleigh Plumptre and Glory Ogbonna will be aiming to help the Super Falcons reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time everCredit: Getty
      Following Germany’s shock exit the Lionesses’ will be wary of becoming the latest football giants undone at the tournament. 
      Wiegman’s side, who conceded just once in the World Cup’s group stages, have emerged as firm contenders to lift the trophy. 
      On Friday forecasting research firm Nielsen revealed England have now overtaken the USA as favourites to go all the way in this year’s contest. More

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      Germany boss Voss-Tecklenburg calls her team’s shock Women’s World Cup exit ‘a disaster’ after Morocco reach knockouts

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      MARTINA VOSS-TECKLENBURG admits it’s hard not to see Germany’s shock World Cup departure as anything but a disaster. On Thursday she became the first boss in charge of a German women’s national side that failed to reach the competition’s knockout stages.
      Alexandra Popp’s goal was not enough to prevent Germany from being knocked out at the World Cup’s group stage for the first time everCredit: Getty
      Germany’s early exit comes eight month’s after their male counterparts failed to reach the knockouts of the men’s tourmanent in QatarCredit: Getty
      Morocco became third side from Africa to reach the World Cup’s last 16 this summerCredit: Alamy
      Her team once again saw their major tournament hopes dashed by Lionesses, albeit a side that hails from north Africa. 
      Germany’s 1-1 draw with South Korea contributed to their early exit along with Morocco’s gritty 1-0 win against Group H leaders Colombia.
      The surprise result saw last year’s Women’s African Cup of Nations finalists, reach the World Cup knockouts for the first time ever. 
      And Germany’s exit comes eight months after their male counterparts bowed out at the group stage of the men’s contest in Qatar.
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      Voss-Tecklenburg, whose side were among the favourites to win the tournament, said: “If you want to see it as a disaster in sporting terms, then it’s hard to argue against it. 
      “Our team of coaches will talk about what happened of course and what we could have done differently, 
      “But it’s not something I can analyse one and half hours after exiting.
       “Of course I’m disappointed, of course I’m frustrated. 
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      “Overall we never really played our game the way we know we can.” 
      Germany’s only goal of the game came through their star striker Alexandra Popp who also scored in every single match she played for the team at last year’s Euros. 
      The Wolfsburg star headed home close to half time cancelling out South Korea captain Cho So-hyun’s sixth minute opener.
      Popp, 32, who has netted 67 times for her national team, was left flummoxed by their surprise early World Cup exit. 
      After the game she said: “To be honest I can’t comprehend it. I don’t know what I should really say. 
      “I can’t really understand what has happened to be honest. 
      Voss-Tecklenburg, 55, who has been in charge of Germany since 2019, remained tight-lipped in response to questions concerning her future.
      Then team have often been seen as one the giants of the tournament having won it twice in 2003 and 2007. 
      And a team that featured Voss-Tecklenburg as a player finished as runners-up in 1995. 
      Of their World Cup exit, she added: “In our squad we’ve tried to change certain things and adapt, but we weren’t successful.
      “What it’s about now is how we rise again and not give up. We love this sport, but we need to let this sink in. 
      “I don’t want to look for excuses for anything. If the result isn’t what you want, then of course you’ve got to accept that responsibility.”
      South Africa’s defeat of Italy saw them claim a place in this year’s World Cup knockout stageCredit: AP
      Nigeria will face England in a last-16 duel in Brisbane on MondayCredit: Getty
      Morocco’s 1-0 defeat of Colombia saw them claim second spot in Group H. 
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      And it also saw the battling tournament debutants help their continent make history in the contest. 
      For the first time three African nations have reached the knockout stage at the same time.  More

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      in Soccer

      How Lioness Lauren James could become first female Pele and brother Reece claims she’s better than some male Prem stars

      by

      ONCE upon a time little girls dreamt of being fairytale princesses and finding their happy ever after with a handsome prince.Today they fantasise about becoming England centre-forwards . . . and bagging the winning goal in a World Cup final. Thank God.
      Lauren’s performance this World Cup has been nothing short of sensational. She is a household name now, but she only made her senior England debut last SeptemberCredit: Getty
      Lauren learning the games as a child, with brother ReeceCredit: Instagram @laurennjjames
      Lauren with brother Reece, 23 — of Chelsea and England fame — and former footballer dad NigelCredit: Instagram
      Lauren James is leading the charge, inspiring a whole generation of females following her very own ­foot-perfect tournament Down Under.
      “It’s what dreams are made of,” she said fittingly on Tuesday night after her two-goal, woman-of-the-match, 6-1 demolition of China, which also saw her set up three goals.
      Lauren’s performance this World Cup has been nothing short of sensational. She may be a household name now, but the 21-year-old only made her senior England debut last September — so it’s been a meteoric rise.
      For long-time followers of the ­Lionesses — of which there are now millions — her performances really aren’t that out of the blue.
      READ MORE ON LAUREN JAMES
      As her big brother, Reece, 23 — of Chelsea and England fame — once declared: “I believe she is the best women’s footballer in the world and will be for the next ten to 15 years.
      “She’s technically better than some Premier League players.”

      By this, he meant the men. And he’s absolutely, categorically correct.
      The Chelsea Women’s Super League star has a technical nous, brains and feel for the game like few others.
      Most read in Football
      She is also refreshingly down to earth. Says one pal: “Lauren doesn’t play football for fame or money — she plays because she’s been in love with the game since the age of four.
      ‘First female Pele’
      “She’s never ridden off her brother’s coat-tails or asked him for handouts or contacts. Instead, she’s quietly been ploughing her own field and doing all of this on her own.
      “She works and trains so hard and is a hugely popular figure in the changing room.
      “Lauren is only 21 and really does have the world at her feet.”
      Despite her success, she doesn’t yet have the social media presence of her male sibling.
      While Reece boasts 1.4million and nearly 3million followers on Twitter and Instagram respectively, his talented sibling has 205,000 and 550,000 which, in advertising and sponsorship revenue terms, is quite a gulf.
      But with England now through to the World Cup final 16, and facing a game against Nigeria on Monday, Lauren’s popularity and earning potential will only rise. Already Nike-sponsored, further highly lucrative endorsement deals are sure to follow.
      Celebrity agent Jonathan Shalit — who has guided the careers of stars including TV judge Simon Cowell, actor Dame Joan Collins plus singers Charlotte Church and Katherine Jenkins — tips her to become one of the game’s first multi-millionaires.
      He says: “I absolutely love Lauren, who is an incredible inspiration to young sportsmen and ladies.
      “If England win the World Cup, Lauren deserves to be the first £50,000 a week women’s player.
      “Already she is ­destined to become a multi-millionaire, but she will be by Christmas if England win the tournament.
      “She could be the first female Pele, and is young enough to compete in four World Cups for England, which is astonishing.
      “Brands will be fighting for her — Nike to keep hold of her — and H&M, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, MAC, Urban Outfitters, Levi’s, Calvin Klein, Prada, Louis Vuitton, etc to get her in their products.
      “She has vast appeal to a huge demographic and is a supremely talented young woman.”
      Unlike so many footballers, however, Lauren’s Instagram is refreshingly unflashy. Less Lamborghini on a Cannes beachfront, more grinding away on the training ground Wattbike.
       Her photos are mainly ­trackie-bum filled, or snaps of match day action.
      Lauren — promoting the World Cup in Oz, right — isn’t a fake eyelash, long-nailed, filler-filled Insta type. She’s a sportswoman. And almost every month, it seems she makes history.
       For starters, never in modern top-flight football have a brother and sister represented England.
      The offspring of former footballer dad Nigel — a defender who was on Aldershot’s books when he suffered a broken ankle in a motorbike accident and turned to coaching — the pair grew up playing the game together, alongside eldest brother Joshua.
      In an interview with The Sun last October for Black History Month, Lauren cited tennis aces Venus and Serena ­Williams as her heroes.
      Not so much as a whiff of influencer on her radar, then. Instead, Lauren is open about her ambitions — ones which extend beyond the touchlines. She explains: “To be a global icon and break down barriers is something that I also hope to do in the future. The credit has to go to the Williams women, as well as their father, who played a big ­supporting role, just like our dad.
      “My dad Nigel’s Grenadian ­heritage has been massive in our upbringing and given us a better understanding of different cultures.
      Sexist attitudes
      “I am proud to have that part of me, alongside my mum being English. It is just lovely to have it all.” Lauren is rapidly garnering a huge fanbase among impressionable kids — exactly the kind of woman they should be inspired by.
      Of their formative years growing up in south west London, dad Nigel proudly recalls: “It was just about playing. I used to set challenges in the back garden, and if they did well at that I’d give them 20p and then another 20p. Before you know, you’ve changed up £20 into 20ps and they’re all gone!
      “It became fun. The key thing was that they were doing the right things.
      “If you don’t know the standard you have to set yourself then there is no way they will improve.
      “In the end they pushed themselves to get better. I was doing it as work and they came into training with me so it was like, ‘If you want to be good at this, this is what you have to do’.”
      While many men in the game have been depressingly slow to back their female star counterparts, defender Reece has always been a big supporter. I interviewed him last October and, tellingly, he began the chat with talk of his sister.
      He called for women to be paid more in line with male footie stars and slammed outdated sexist attitudes to women’s football. He said: “I think maybe in the last five years the women’s game has come on — especially from them winning the Euros.
      “It’s put them on a much bigger stage. Most games are televised now and the women’s game is moving in the right direction. I don’t think it’s going to go backwards and that includes pay.
      Lauren in action against Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League in OctoberCredit: Getty
      Lauren won Player of the Match in England’s World Cup victory over ChinaCredit: Getty
      Lauren — promoting the World Cup in OzCredit: Getty
      “As it develops, and the teams and players and quality get higher — the pay, the fans, everything will match it.
      “It’s come a long way. It’s still got a long way to go.”
      With heroes like his sister at the fore, it won’t be long, surely, before we finally see parity between the sexes.
      Until then, it is Lauren’s time to roar.
      SIBLINGS HIT THE HEIGHTS
      LAUREN and Reece James are not the only siblings to represent their country at international level. And sometimes it is the women who outshine their brothers on the biggest stage . . .
      ENIOLA & SONE ALUKO
      England ace Eniola Aluko with Ipswich player brother SoneCredit: Getty
      ENIOLA was one of the Lionesses’ greatest forwards, scoring 33 times in 102 senior appearances for her country.
      The attacker, 36, won the Women’s Super League three times with Chelsea, the women’s Serie A with Juventus, played for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics and became a TV pundit.
      Her younger brother Sone, 34, played for England at youth level, but got seven senior caps for Nigeria. He is now with Championship side Ipswich Town.
      RIANA & RADJA NAINGGOLAN
      Siblings Riana, right, and Radja Nainggolan have both played for Roma and ItalyCredit: Twitter
      THE 35-year-old Belgian twins both played for Roma in Italy and represented their country at the highest level.
      But heavily tattooed Radja, who was criticised for smoking, played 30 times for Belgium while Riana has just one cap.
      That didn’t stop her once saying: “We kind of have the same style, only he is the male form and I’m the female form. If Radja was a girl too, I would be better.”
      SIMONA NECIDOVA & TOMAS NECID
      Simona Necidova played in the women’s Champions League for Slavia Prague and brother Tomas Necid also played for Slavia Prague’sCredit: extra.cz/fotka
      CZECH defender Simona, 29, has been capped 32 times by her country and has played in the women’s Champions League for Slavia Prague.
      Her striker brother Tomas, 33, also played for Slavia Prague and scored 12 times in 44 games for his country. The siblings both continue to play as pros in their homeland.
      MELANIA & MANOLO GABBIADINI
      Now-retired Melania, 39, played 114 times for Italy, brother Manolo, 31, had a spell at SouthamptonCredit: Twitter
      MELANIA may not have merited the huge transfer fees commanded by her younger brother Manolo – but she has enjoyed more success on the sports field.
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      During her career the now-retired Melania, 39, played 114 times for Italy and scored 45 goals.
      Manolo, 31, has 13 caps, but proved under- whelming during a spell at Southampton after signing for £14million in 2017. More