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      Sarina Wiegman concerned by ‘short turnaround’ for Lionesses between Women’s Nations League and World Cup

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      SARINA WIEGMAN admits to being concerned by the “tight turnaround” for her players between the World Cup and the Women’s Nations League. The Lionesses boss was speaking on Wednesday after announcing her squad for clashes with Scotland and the Netherlands this month.
      Sarina Wiegman wants to see more talks between coaches and Fifa and Uefa regarding match scheduling for international playersCredit: PA
      Keira Walsh has been left out of England’s squad due to a calf injury sustained ahead of their first two Women’s Nations League gamesCredit: Getty
      Bethany England is also unavailable for Lionesses duty with the striker recovering from a hip operationCredit: Reuters
      Keira Walsh and Bethany England, who featured for the team during the World Cup, will both be absent due to calf and hip injuries.  
      And Wiegman mentioned some players having just six days off in between the end of the tournament and the start of England’s training camp for the Women’s Nations League. 
      They include Arsenal stars Alessia Russio and Lotte Wubben-Moy.
      While Wubben-Moy did not play in the World Cup, Russo appeared in seven games for England at the tournament including their 1-0 loss to Spain in the final on August 20.

      Both are included in Wiegman’s 24-strong Women’s Nations League squad
      The team will play Pedro Losa’s Scotland side on September 22 at the Stadium of Light and the Netherlands in Utrecht on the 26th.
      Of her concerns about the short break for players between the contests, Wiegman said: “I was worried before the World Cup and we knew it was a short turnaround. 
      “We really have to get connected with Fifa and Uefa to make that better. 
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      “Next week they come in and some players have only had six days off which after such a high-pressure competition is not good for them.
      “We have major tournaments in the summer all the time (at the moment).
      “The urgency to solve it and make it better is really high. 
      “We all know the challenges have been addressed for a while now but we also know changes cannot be made overnight. 
      “But the conversations are going on and we just need to keep doing that and hopefully find a better solution to what we have.”
      Midfield ace Walsh will miss the team’s battle with Scotland in their first ever Women’s Nations League game on September 22 due to a “small calf injury”. 
      It follows the Barcelona and Lionesses star sustaining and recovering from a knee injury in July during the World Cup. 
      And Tottenham striker England is currently recuperating after undergoing surgery on September 4 to treat her hip problem.
      Manchester United’s Maya Le Tissier has been included in England’s squad for their games against Scotland and the NetherlandsCredit: Getty
      Lucy Staniforth, Maya Le Tissier and Jess Park have all been named in the squad after being included on Wiegman’s World Cup standby list before the contest in Australia and New Zealand. 
      But Beth Mead and Fran Kirby have been left out with the duo needing more game time after returning to club action for Arsenal and Chelsea. 
      Wiegman added: “Beth (Mead) needs to take the next step to get games and get consistency.
      “Fran (Kirby) is really close. She played some friendlies already and did well.
      “Again it is a little too early. I am very looking forward to seeing them play.”
      England’s squad update comes 13 days after Wiegman dedicated her Uefa Women’s Coach of the Year award to World Cup winners Spain.
      The team saw their triumph overshadowed by former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales being slammed for planting an unwanted kiss on the lips of forward Jenni Hermoso. 
      This month during an interview with Piers Morgan he announced he had quit his role following the row.
      The ex-Spain football federation chief, who has been provisionally suspended by Fifa, will appear in a Madrid court on Friday.
      This follows Hermoso, who is her national side’s record goalscorer, filing a legal complaint against him. 
      And Wiegman hopes more attention will be paid to Spain’s World Cup triumph rather than the controversy surrounding Rubiales.
      Wiegman wants more attention paid to Spain’s triumph at the World Cup rather than the row concerning Luis RubialesCredit: Getty
      She added: “We would like to leave that now and celebrate those players.
      “Players need to be listened to and we need to move on. 
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      “The women’s game has improved so much but there’s still a long way to go, not only in Spain but everywhere.
      “We need to try and make the world better for those players.” More

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      Laura Woods opens up on her career highlight, her ‘power woman’ and ‘excruciatingly embarrassing’ live TV moment

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      LAURA WOODS has lifted the lid on the origins of her career in sport and revealed her ‘power woman’.The sports presenter, who recently joined TNT Sports, opened up on her inspirations and gave her take on the current landscape of women’s football in an interview with Karen Millen.

      Laura Woods has enjoyed a glittering broadcasting career so farCredit: Instagram
      Woods lifted the lid on her career inspirationCredit: Getty
      Woods, 36, was first asked where her passion for sports came from.
      In reply, she revealed: “Passion for sport for me started when I was very young.
      “I think it’s just something that my mum threw me and my brothers into all the time to get us to get out of the house.
      “We had so much energy. She [mum] was so busy and she needed to get us to make loads of friends, stay out the house, keep busy and it was just our happy place when we were younger.”

      Woods started off her career in the industry as a runner on Soccer AM.
      And while Woods also did work experience with the Croydon Advertiser, she admitted she fell in love with a “magical thing” with telly when she walked into the Soccer AM studio.
      She has enjoyed a stunning career so far, picking up a number of awards along the way.
      However, Woods admitted the last six to eight months, covering both the men’s and Women’s World Cup have been special for her.
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      Woods holds a particular affinity for the Qatar World Cup final between Argentina and France, a match she describes as the “best game of football I’ve ever seen”.
      She added: “You had Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe and I don’t think you could have scripted a better final.
      “So to be there in person and watch it and work on it was just like at the time that was the pinnacle.”
      That’s not to say the Women’s World Cup was any less significant, with Woods insisting despite England’s heartbreak in the final, the rapid growth of the game over the last two years was great to see.
      But Woods also acknowledges the monumental challenges women’s football still has to overcome, as well as women wanting to work in the sports industry.
      Asked what advice she would give to women or girls looking to forge a career in sport, she said: “I always remember one of the first pieces of ‘advice’ I was ever told was from a producer.
      “He had heard I wanted to be a presenter, and back then there was a real ‘Oh you want to be a presenter’ and I was like ‘Yeah, I do’.
      “And he said: ‘One piece of advice for women is you have a much higher height to fall from, so you have to be better’.
      “And It stuck in my head at the time because I was like ‘Why? That’s really unfair’. But it is unfair, it’s not a level playing field yet.
      “The thing I took from that is, okay I will be better, I’ll work harder and do my research. What it actually did for me was it just made me a very good professional.”
      ‘DO YOUR HOMEWORK’
      She continued: “So I would say to anyone, it’s going to be very difficult because it’s very competitive but you have to back that you’re going to do all your homework and have your own ways of doing things and not try to replicate what someone else is doing because it doesn’t work.
      “And also don’t be disheartened if you’re really bad at it to begin with, because everybody is with presenting. It’s so unnatural and your job is to make the unnatural look natural. And that’s hard.
      “It just takes practice and you will fail and it will be excruciatingly embarrassing especially if it’s on camera. But guess what? You’re never going to do that again.”
      Woods has described the gender disparity in football as “exhausting”, referencing comments made by Fifa president Gianni Infantino saying women “have to pick the right battles” to “convince us, men, what we have to do” in the fight for equality.
      She believes there is more to be done to level the playing field due to rising interest being countered by what Woods’ describes as an “unbelievably narrow-minded attitude” at the top of football.
      Funding is one such example, with the Jamaica national team having to crowd-fund their path into the tournament due to a lack of funding from the Jamaican FA.
      INSPIRING GABBY
      That being said, former talkSPORT presenter Woods has drawn inspiration from BBC Sport host Gabby Logan.
      Woods labelled Logan her “power woman” as both a child and an adult.
      On Logan, she said: “I just watch everything she does and I just think she does it with such class and ease.
      “There is something about Gabby that is very rare I think in lots of presenters In that she has this authority.
      “You wouldn’t mess with her, but you also would go down the pub and have a pint with her and feel really comfortable in her presence.”
      The growth of the women’s game has been immense for all to see, with the World Cup semi-final between England and Australia the biggest-ever TV event for the Aussies.
      Woods believes the level of interest being shown means women’s football is going to explode even more over the next ten years.
      She explained: “I started working on Lionesses games with ITV two years ago, and we did a game at St Mary’s and the gate was 8000.
      “We actually had to close off some of the stands and make sure our camera didn’t face those stands as much as possible.
      “Two years later the Lionesses sold out Wembley and it was for the Finalissima. They played and beat Brazil.
      “It was honestly the most wonderful experience and just comparing the two different events, that’s how you can really gauge growth.
      “Watching them at the World Cup and seeing the level of interest and the fact boys and girls are looking at these sportswomen as superstars and they don’t really care what the gender is.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “Leah Williamson said something about that. She said: ‘If you don’t want to get behind it fine, but this is going to explode.’
      “Women’s football in a few years time is going to be everywhere and I’m all for it.”
      Woods slammed the ‘narrow-minded attitude’ at the top of footballCredit: Getty
      Woods said Gabby Logan was an inspiration growing up and nowCredit: Getty More

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      When does the Women’s Super League return and how can I watch it?

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      FOLLOWING England’s performance at the Women’s World Cup the nation officially has football fever.The Lionesses may not have won the FIFA tournament but they have sparked a huge interest in women’s football, leading many fans to question when the Women’s Super League will be back.
      Manager Emma Hayes of Chelsea won the FA Women’s Super League in May 2023 with players Magdalena Eriksson and Millie BrightCredit: Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
      When does the Women’s Super League return?
      The Women’s Super League (WSL), also known as the Barclays Women’s Super League, was established in 2010.
      It is the highest league of women’s football in England.
      The FA has confirmed that the first games of the WSL 2023/24 season will take place on Sunday, October 1.
      The upcoming season is staring later than last year’s due to the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which ended on August 20.
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      England made it to the final of the competition but lost to Spain 1-0.
      The matches taking place on October 1 are:

      Arsenal v Liverpool
      Aston Villa v Manchester United
      Bristol City v Leicester City
      Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur 
      Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion
      West Ham United v Manchester City

      The full set of fixtures for the 2023/24 season can be found on The FA Women’s League website.
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      The WSL will pause around a week before Christmas, after the weekend of December 16 and 17.
      Games will then resume in January 2024, with the first matches of the year scheduled for January 21.
      The season will then come to an end on the weekend of May 18 and 19.
      At the end of the 2022/23 season, Chelsea successfully retained their title by defeating Reading.
      The win marked Chelsea’s fourth consecutive – and sixth overall – WSL title.
      Which England Lionesses play in the Women’s Super League?
      A number of players who travelled to Australia and New Zealand as part of Sarina Wiegman’s World Cup squad play for clubs in the WSL.
      Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, Nikita Parris, and Lotte Wubben-Moy play for Arsenal while Hannah Hampton plays for Aston Villa.
      Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Frank Kirby and Bethany England, meanwhile, play for Chelsea.
      Manchester City boasts five Lionesses on its line-up, with Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp, Demi Stokes, Chloe Kelly and Ellie Roebuck all on the squad.
      Rivals Manchester United have Mary Earps, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo on their team.
      How to watch the WSL
      Like last season, WSL matches will be available to watch on the BBC, Sky Sports or the Football Association website.
      Read More on The Sun
      Sky Sports will show two games a week, while the BBC will broadcast one match live each week
      Any games not broadcast on TV will be available to watch on the FA Player for free. More

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      I endured the worst sexism when I started out in football, I’m so proud of our Lionesses and how far we’ve come

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      WIN or lose in today’s World Cup final, we should all  say thank you to our heroic Lionesses for giving us reason to be so hopeful, happy and proud this summer.What a massive achievement to go all the way and put England’s women’s football on the global map in the process.
      Whatever happens in the World Cup final, Sarina Wiegman and the England Lionesses are heroesCredit: Getty
      A peak audience of 7.3million tuned in to see England beat Australia on Wednesday, the BBC revealed, even though the time difference meant an 11am kick-off.
      And their thrilling performance was worth the watch.
      The Lionesses are an exceptionally talented bunch and they play brilliantly to each other’s strengths.
      But it’s not just about skills and teamwork. Female footballers who have come as far as these girls must be particularly determined and tenacious.
      READ MORE KARREN BRADY
      And in the excellent Sarina Wiegman they have a coach worthy of their talents.
      Despite playing for the Dutch national champions and representing her country, for most of her own football career she had to work as a PE teacher to supplement her income.
      No seamless lucrative hop from multimillion-pound player’s contract to multimillion- pound manager’s deal for Sarina.
      She had to graft to make her way as a manager. But along the way, she became a gifted and in- spirational leader.
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      Within three years of gaining her full coaching licence, she led the Dutch women’s team to victory at the 2017 Euros and the final of the 2019 World Cup. Sound familiar?
      Last year, she took the Lionesses to victory at the European Women’s Championship and now our women’s team is in its first World Cup final.
      No wonder the FA are considering her as a potential successor to Gareth Southgate for the men’s national team.But for all her success, she is in a minority.
      Spain, who England will play today, have a male manager, as do many other women’s teams.
      Just 12 out of the 32 squads in this year’s World Cup are headed by female coaches, despite clear evidence that women leading women in sport adds up to success.
      And you have to ask — why are there so many blokes in charge, given that no women manage men’s teams?
      I was the first woman to hold a top-flight role in English football at Birmingham City, after joining the club as managing director aged 23.
      When I started out, I was subjected to the most overt sexist chauvinism.
      A chairman of a fellow football club claimed that I would do a “Sharon Stone” in a football tribunal to get out of a Football Association fine.
      I was banned from boardrooms — which had a “no women allowed” policy — and was once chanted at by 30,000 football fans with words too rude to print in a family newspaper.
      It was a slog and, at times, depressing. I always say that the boardroom door was the first door I kicked down, and I have held that door open as long and as wide as possible to get as many other women as possible through it over the past 30 years.
      So, whatever happens today, I’m proud of how far we have come.
      Women’s football in England has come a long way and a World Cup win would take it to the next levelCredit: PA
      A nation is gripped. And proud. And excited. We are in the finals and bossing it!
      As a result, people are taking women’s football more seriously than they ever have. For which I give a giant hurrah.
      These women deserve to be celebrated, and I back The Sun on Sunday’s calls to give out gongs to the Lionesses.
      But there is still some major catching up to do when it comes to parity with men’s football.
      First, there’s the economics of it. Forget making a profit, or even breaking even.
      Every Women’s Super League club loses money.
      The interest in the game is there on a national level, which is obviously wonderful.
      FIERCE AND FABULOUS
      But it does not yet filter down to domestic leagues.
      So, the truth is that the men’s teams are funding the women’s game.
      Domestic leagues can’t even think about equal pay at this stage as the broadcast, sponsorship and gate revenue of the WSL doesn’t add up to a hill of beans. But this is expected to change.
      The latest figures from 2022 show that the 12 WSL clubs boosted their revenue by 60 per cent in one year — and that’s before the inevitable World Cup effect.
      Nike have not made Mary Earps’ England goalkeeper replica jersey available to fansCredit: AP
      So it’s a shame that sponsors Nike have yet to notice this team is breaking the mould, and they need to address that.
      How ridiculous that fans can’t buy a replica of Mary Earps’ goalkeeper’s shirt because the sportswear giant doesn’t think it’s worth manufacturing one.
      Then there’s the massive disparity in prize money.
      This summer is the ninth Women’s World Cup and each member of the winning team will get £213,000 from a total tournament purse of £88.5million.
      Meanwhile, the men’s purse has grown to £345million.
      In my view, it’s time for FIFA to take the lead. The women’s World Cup earns almost £1billion.
      They rake in SO much money from all these ever-expanding tournaments and yet, from their accounts, which I have studied, it’s hard to work out what they do with it all.
      It would be great if they made it their business to redress the balance by paying female footballers more money from their gate and broadcasting revenue.
      This is something domestic leagues can’t do because their revenue just can’t support it.
      After all, if FIFA can afford to pay their President Gianni Infantino more than £3million a year, surely they can afford to equal the women and men’s prize money?
      Unfortunately, as fierce and fabulous as the Lionesses are, when it comes to women’s football there is still too much uncomfortable mirroring with the world of regular work, where men run the show, get paid more and are taken more seriously than women.
      But the success of Sarina and her team is a great reminder that if you want something done right, get a woman to do it.
      After all, football could be coming home today.
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      If it does, it’s the women’s team who will be carrying it.
      Come on England!
      Attitudes towards women in football used to be archaic, says KarrenCredit: Caters News Agency More

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      ‘To think I will be playing in a World Cup final is a pinch-me moment’, says England ace Alessia Russo

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      ALESSIA RUSSO used to dream of scoring in a World Cup final during lively kickabouts in her hometown in Kent. The future England star, 24. would run around in a garden with her mates in East Farleigh in Maidstone imagining herself in action at the tournament. 
      Alessia Russo is set to play in her first World Cup final when England take on Spain at the Stadium Australia in SydneyCredit: Reuters
      The England striker hopes to add her tally of three goals with the team hoping to make history with a first World Cup win on SundayCredit: Getty
      Russo hailed head coach Sarina Wiegman for setting high standards for her sideCredit: PA
      Tomorrow the striker will attempt to make her childhood dream come true when the Lionesses battle Spain for a chance to lift the trophy. 
      A match that Russo describes as “a pinch me moment” with England aiming to win the sport’s biggest prize for the first time. 
      The Lionesses striker, who has two older brothers Luca and Giorgio, said: “When I was a kid we used to play World Cup in the garden and we had to score to stay in.
      “I have such fond memories with the local kids and also my brothers and my youth teams.
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      “It looked like having fun and playing freely.
      “As a kid, growing up to think I would be playing in a World Cup final is a special feeling. A real pinch-me moment.”
      Russo’s last goal at this year’s tournament cemented England’s place in the final.
      The Lioness, who joined Arsenal as a free agent this summer, is in the running for the tournament’s Golden Boot along with pals Lauren Hemp and Lauren James. 
      Most read in Football
      The trio have so far notched up three goals each.
      On whether she has a fancy celebration planned should she score in Sydney tomorrow, Russo added: “As far as celebrations go, you can see that mine aren’t planned or anything special 
      “But it’s just what happens in the moment. It’s normally a loud scream and hug whoever is near me.
      “Right now all I want to do is go out, put on a performance to be proud of and obviously to win. 
      “We started this tournament wanting to win seven games and this is the message.
      “This is the last one to go and we’re really locked in. 
      “You have the wise heads in Mary (Earps), Millie (Bright) and Lucy (Bronze) which is great because they’ve experienced a lot.
      “For players, obviously we’re all aware it’s a World Cup final and there’s that on the line.
      “But as soon as you cross the line it’s just a normal game. It’s what we love to do. 
      “It’s 11 v 11 and we have to win. As soon as we step out on the pitch, we know our job and what we need to do.
      “We’re aware it’s a World Cup final but we’ll just play our game.”
      Tomorrow’s match will see Lauren James available for selection following her two-game ban after her sending-off during England’s last-16 defeat of Nigeria. 
      And Russo, who began her senior playing career at Chelsea in 2015, believes the return of the Blues foward is a huge boost for the Euros champs. 
      The 28-capped Lioness said: “I’ve known Lauren since I was 12 at Chelsea. 
      “She’s a special, talented player. We want everyone fit and available is great. 
      “Tooney (Ella Toone) has stepped up as well so we have so many players who can come on and do a job. 
      “But to have a player as special as LJ back in the squad for the final is great. Everyone knows how impressive she’s been in this tournament.”
      Russo sees Lauren James as a “special talent” and this year’s final could the forward back in action for England following her two-match banCredit: Getty
      The Lionesses will be vying to triumph in their second major tournament final under Sarina Wiegman.
      And their boss will be guiding a team in a World Cup final for the second time in her managerial career. 
      England fans in Australia and at home will hope to see the Dutch coach steer her battle-hardened squad to back-to-back tournament wins. 
      For Russo, the Lioness chief has created a national set-up that is ultra competitive but also fun. 
      The England ace said: “Sarina is a winner. She sets the standards so high in training and she leads with real class. 
      “She’s honest and upfront and, as a player, I respect that. It’s nice to have honest conversations with the leader of your team.
      Russo and Lauren Hemp have been in fine form for the Lionesses bagging three goals each at the World CupCredit: Getty
      “It’s great for us because it’s so competitive and everyone is focused on one goal 
      Read More on The Sun
      “But away from the pitch she lets us enjoy our time, relax and switch off which is important.
      She makes camp a really fun place to be.” More

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      Karren Brady: If anyone still says women’s football is a second rate version of men’s they should think again – and hard

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      ENGLAND’S appearance in the Women’s World Cup final places it among our great international sporting triumphs.Win it against Spain on Sunday and the MBEs are practically guaranteed — and perhaps more.
      England’s women’s team is set for the World Cup Final against SpainCredit: Rex
      Boss Sarina Wiegman has worked wonders with the LionessesCredit: Alamy
      The fact we haven’t had such a triumph since Sir Alf Ramsey roamed the planet makes it a certainty that Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman will become the Netherlands’ most famous expat since Vincent van Gogh.
      And anyone who asks who VVG played for should bite their own ear off.
      Wiegman earns £400,000 a year which is less than a few elite male footballers receive for a week.
      England’ men’s manager Gareth Southgate is on £5million annually.
      Read More on Football
      Tosh to the cash.
      Already European champions, our women players have proved themselves major athletes, enjoying their football and their success.
      Every woman in the England party has earned her fame.
      The Women’s Super League has already improved and professionalised the game here beyond the wildest dreams of 13 years ago, when it was founded.
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      No one should underestimate women’s football, insists Karren BradyCredit: Getty
      Average attendance last season had doubled from 2021-2022, reaching well over 5,000 a match — about 500 fewer than League Two and nearly 2,000 more than the National League.
      But women’s football is becoming so hot that numbers should increase greatly this season and a few WSL clubs might even get close to breaking even.
      That should bring smiles of relief to accountants because financing before the expected boom is costly, in the case of West Ham more than £1m of losses a year for our WSL team.
      Players are bound to be paid more, too.
      At present, Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, scorer of Australia’s only goal against England last Wednesday showed why, in a touch and 25-yard strike, at about £470,000-a-year is the highest paid player in the woman’s game. She may shortly be overtaken.
      Manchester City’s 5ft 4in Lauren Hemp, renowned for her impish humour, is paid about half the Kerr sum but in Australia she displayed touches at pace that are going to be worth a good deal more. Other English stars will also be boosting their bank accounts.
      No doubt the commercial world is prepared for a selling bonanza in boots and strips and, just as obviously in scarves, hats, tracksuits, trainers, and maybe even tattoos.Karren Brady on the Lionesses’ success
      While Saudi Arabia is hardly likely to start a women’s professional league, there are any number of countries with excellent leagues, the US, Canada, France and Germany among them, soon to be joined by Australia.
      Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Kiera Walsh and Rachel Daly are among the England contingent playing overseas where the rewards are at least as high as at home. And their value is soaring, too.
      No doubt the commercial world is prepared for a selling bonanza in boots and strips and, just as obviously in scarves, hats, tracksuits, trainers, and maybe even tattoos.
      There will also be plenty of payments for endorsements, TV and public appearances. And in a reverse wash from all of this positivity, agents will thrive.
      This rebooted game is an attractive prospect for any talented female player, so much so that should any newcomer think women’s football is a second rate version of the men’s game they should think again. And think hard.
      It’s football, plain and simple.
      Read More on The Sun
      It’s also noteworthy that woman footballers don’t hide their sexual orientation as the men so guardedly do, setting a far better example that it’s OK to be who you are, and love who you want and feel safe and confident in being who they are.
      Yes, Viva the Lionesses and viva the woman’s game. More

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      How Lionesses celebrated reaching World Cup final after smashing Australia 3-1 revealed

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      THE Lionesses celebrated reaching the World Cup final with chips and gravy — and a sing-song.Semi-final goal-scorer Ella Toone, 23, revealed the players tucked into the northern treat after beating Australia’s Matildas 3-1 in Sydney.
      Semi-final hero Ella Toone revealed the players enjoyed a portion of chips and gravy after beating Australia 3-1 in SydneyCredit: Getty
      The Manchester United midfielder told the latest episode of Lionesses Down Under: “We got back quite late. We had some chips and gravy.”
      Asked to describe the bus ride after the match, Toone said: “The vibe was really good — we were all singing.”
      But not everyone was as energetic after a hard fought semi-final.
      Teammate Jess Carter, 25, said: “I just don’t know how everyone had the energy. I had my headphones in.”
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      Toone’s latest strike made her the first England player to score in a quarter-final, semi-final and final of major international tournaments.
      She said: “It’s not a bad stat that, is it.
      “One that will stay with me for life.”
      Wednesday night’s semi-final at Stadium Australia in Sydney was played in front of a sellout 75,784 crowd.
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      According to Australian football news outlet KEEPUP the match was the most watched TV event in Australian history.
      More than 11million – 42 per cent of the country – reportedly tuned in on Channel 7. More

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      Teen fan slams Nike for not releasing Lioness goalie Mary Earps’ World Cup shirt

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      A TEEN who called on Nike to sell replicas of Lioness goalie Mary Earps’ World Cup shirt has been snubbed.Millie Winslett, 17, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, wrote to the sportswear giant before the tournament but has had no reply.
      Nike have snubbed calls from fans to sell replicas of Lioness goalie Mary Earps’ World Cup shirtCredit: Rex
      Millie Winslett, 17, was left gutted when Nike told her they wouldn’t release the England women’s goalkeeper shirtCredit: SWNS
      She said: “They should be embarrassed.”
      The teen had penned a heartfelt note to the company ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand asking if they would consider selling the shirt.
      And in the message, she explained how she was saddened that her little sister couldn’t currently get her hands on the fabled sportswear.
      She said: “While I’m devastated that I can’t currently purchase an England shirt with ‘Earps 1’ on the back, it saddens me further that my 10-year-old-sister Lacey, and every other little girl in the country cannot buy [an Earps shirt].”
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      Now, after the Lionesses secured a place in the World Cup final for the first time, she joined the chorus of calls for Nike to release the goalie shirt.
      And Millie, who watched the Lionesses roar to victory at her home in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, yesterday added she was still waiting for a reply from the company.
      She said: “I’ve had no response yet. I’m not sure if I’ll get one now. I’m hoping that they’ll give me one, but they’re still refusing to comment.
      “[Mary Earps] has kept us in the game, as she has done for so many games, and I just think surely that’s enough of a statement to Nike to start producing the kit.
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      “I’ve lost a little bit of respect for the company. I’m very into my sport and like the things that they produce, but I do think it’s gone on too long now.
      “There are so many people that have reached out and spoken about it… I think by this point, they should be embarrassed by themselves for not doing it.”
      Millie said she was thrilled that the Lionesses had made it through to the World Cup final after their brilliant victory in the Euros last year.
      And she’s backed the side to ‘do the double’ again, saying they were one of the best Football teams that England had ever produced. More