Women’s World Cup 2023

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      England’s Lionesses ready to roar again as Women’s World Cup kicks off Down Under

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      THE Lionesses are ready to roar again as the Women’s World Cup kicks off Down Under.England’s footballing queens of Europe begin their bid to become world champions with a Group D match against Haiti at 10.30am on Saturday.
      Manchester City striker Chloe Kelly and teammate Alex Greenwood are gunning for glory Down UnderCredit: Getty
      Lauren James and Lucy Bronze also got in on the photoshoot funCredit: Getty
      Millie Bright, pictured alongside Rachel Daly, takes the captain’s armband from injured Leah WilliamsonCredit: Getty
      Manager Sarina Wiegman’s squad also face first-round clashes with China and Denmark.
      Among the stars gunning for glory in Australia and New Zealand are Manchester City striker Chloe Kelly and teammate Alex Greenwood.
      Millie Bright takes the captain’s armband from injured Leah Williamson.
      Bright was pictured making peace signs alongside left-back Rachel Daly.
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      Lauren James and Lucy Bronze also got in on the photoshoot fun — and keeper Hannah Hampton showed why she is a safe pair of hands in goal.
      Bronze has said the team feels empowered to improve standards in the women’s game after a bust-up with the FA over performance-related pay.
      A letter signed by all 24 members of the squad said: “We are disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved.
      “We view the successful conclusions of these discussions, through player input and a transparent long-term plan, as key for the growth of women’s football in England.”
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      Keeper Hannah Hampton showed why she is a safe pair of hands in goalCredit: Getty
      Manager Sarina Wiegman’s squad face first-round clashes with Haiti, China and DenmarkCredit: GettyHERE FOR OUR GIRLS

      FOOTIE superfan Andy Milne has arrived in Australia for his first Women’s World Cup.
      The retired teacher — a dead ringer for ex-Three Lions boss Steve McLaren — claims to have attended every men’s World Cup since he was 19, and is now looking forward to his first women’s tournament.
      Andy, from Northwich, Cheshire, joined supporters for selfies near Sydney Harbour Bridge.
      Speaking ahead of kick-off, he said: “Football is coming home.” More

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      England Lionesses get their kits off as they strip down to lingerie for incredible campaign to keep girls in sport

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      ENGLAND Lionesses have stripped down to their lingerie for an incredible campaign aiming to keep girls in sport.Current and former Three Lions players have taken their kit off to support Bluebella lingerie’s #StrongIsBeautiful campaign.
      England Lionesses, including Fara Williams, have stripped down to their lingerie for an incredible campaignCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man
      Reanna Blades is among the England stars aiming to keep girls in sportCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man
      Williams has teamed up with Bluebella lingerieCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man
      The brand is hoping to encourage teenage girls not to drop out of school.
      New research from Women In Sport shows that 64 per cent of secondary school girls stop playing sport before they turn 16.
      This is in part down to insecurities about their bodies during puberty.
      England’s most capped female player Fara Williams and under-19 international Reanna Blades have endorsed the campaign.
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      The pair have posed in lingerie in a bid to encourage girls to be proud of their bodies and to keep playing team sports.
      Williams won 177 caps for the Lionesses during her 18-year international career, scoring 40 goals from midfield in that time.
      She also played at the 2012 Olympics for Team GB, as well as at seven major tournaments for England.
      Those included three World Cups, with Williams’ extra-time penalty at the 2015 tournament securing a third place finish for England.
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      Chelsea’s Reanna Blades is also involved in the campaignCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man
      Fara Williams and Reanna Blades are aiming to encourage girls to be proud in their bodiesCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man

      Since retiring in 2021, she has gone into a career in sports media, appearing as a pundit.
      As for Blades, the 18-year-old forward currently plays for Chelsea and has also represented England at youth level.
      The Lionesses are set to begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti in Brisbane on Saturday morning.
      Sarina Wiegman’s side will then face Denmark before concluding the group stage against China on August 1.
      The campaign has been launched ahead of the Women’s World CupCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man
      Fara Williams is England’s most capped female playerCredit: Bluebellla/ Cavendish Press (Man More

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      Chelsea star Ann-Katrin Berger beat cancer twice – now she’s heading to the World Cup and could face her Lioness partner

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      NOT many players can say that they’ve represented their country at a World Cup.Even fewer can say that they’ve done so off the back of a double-winning season.
      Ann-Katrin Berger is at the World Cup with GermanyCredit: Getty
      The goalkeeper was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year during Euro 2022Credit: Getty
      She returned to the Chelsea squad in SeptemberCredit: Getty
      But only one will be able to say that they’ve done all of the above after beating cancer… twice.
      Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger has enjoyed some of the highest of highs throughout her playing career, but she has also had to endure some terrible lows.
      In November 2017, just over one year into her spell with Birmingham City, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
      Despite her devastating diagnosis, Berger was determined to continue playing football.
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      She even earned a spot in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, just two months after recovering.
      And the following year, she made a huge move to Women’s Super League giants Chelsea.
      Career-wise, the 32-year-old is at the top of her game, having won four WSL titles, three FA Cups and two Continental Cups with the Blues.
      Berger’s incredible form saw her earn a place in Germany’s Euro 2022 squad last summer, but her immense joy – after being called up for her first major tournament – was marred when she found out that her cancer had returned following four years in remission.
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      She has since recovered and helped Chelsea to the WSL title and another FA Cup winCredit: Getty
      Berger received support from her international teammates last SeptemberCredit: Getty
      The goalkeeper told Sky Sports in November: “It had actually started at the beginning of July.
      “We came [together] with the German national team [for the Euros] on July 3 and my yearly appointment was on July 5.
      “It was a little bit of a weird feeling because it was the last one of the normal appointments, but then the blood samples came back negative in thyroid cancer language.
      “Whilst the Euros were still ongoing, I had to do some other tests and the next step after the blood test. Most of the time, it was ultrasounds so they’re checking any lymph nodes or unusual things and that was one week after.
      “After that, I started to wonder what was going on because sometimes, the bloods can go up and down, that’s a normal thing, especially with athletes when hormones and everything are different.
      “But then after the ultrasound, they called me again and I had to go in and they took a biopsy as well. Then I was like ‘Ok, something bad is going on’, but I still wanted to carry on with football.
      “At that point, we’d finished the group stages and I wanted to keep it to myself. Obviously close ones, my family and everything, they started to know something was wrong but at that time, my team didn’t know because they had to focus on the Euros.
      “I know how to deal with it because I’ve been there before so that’s why I started to keep it to myself. The doctors gave me the all-clear to train as normal and said there wouldn’t be any problems.”
      Berger waited until the latter stages of Euro 2022 to inform her international teammates of her diagnosis, simply because she wanted to enjoy the tournament as much as possible.
      She added: “It was a difficult moment, but I kept it a little bit more quiet. I wanted to enjoy the Euros for myself because that kept me going – it actually was just nice to do something and not feel sorry for yourself.”
      In August, Berger announced to the world that her cancer had returned.
      In a statement on social media, she wrote: “I wanted to update fans directly that unfortunately, after four years of living cancer-free, there has been a recurrence detected in my thyroid.”
      Despite the devastating setback, she remarkably returned to action just over a month later, featuring in Chelsea’s WSL clash against Manchester City.
      And in March she was hailed as a hero after saving two penalties which subsequently sent the Blues through to the Champions League semi-final.
      Four months on from that electric evening at Stamford Bridge, Berger is now in Australia and New Zealand for her first World Cup.
      The goalkeeper has already lifted the WSL trophy and the FA Cup this year, but now she has her sights firmly set on arguably the biggest accolade in football.
      The goalkeeper is dating England defender Jess CarterCredit: Getty
      Carter is in the England squad for the World CupCredit: Getty
      However, in order to win the World Cup, Berger and her Germany teammates will have to get past European champions England.
      And that means the goalkeeper will have to better her girlfriend, and Chelsea teammate, Jess Carter.
      The couple started dating in 2017 and they now live together in London.
      But while they represent two different nations, there is little-to-no rivalry between them.
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      In an interview with The Guardian last year, Carter said: “There wasn’t really any direct competition [during the Euros] because we are both really chilled people.”
      Germany kick off their World Cup campaign against Morocco on July 24, while England face Haiti on July 22nd.
      The couple have been dating since 2021Credit: Alamy More

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      Inside the Lionesses’ bizarre superstition that helped them win Euro 2022 as they now target World Cup 2023 glory

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      BEHIND every successful team is a great manager, a flawless philosophy and a relentless work ethic.There is also the odd superstition.
      England won Euro 2022 at Wembley last summerCredit: Getty
      The Lionesses are now hoping to replicate that success at the World CupCredit: PA
      England had all of the above when they stormed to European Championship glory last summer.
      Sarina Wiegman united a squad, and that squad gradually united a nation when the Lionesses edged through each round of Euro 2022, first defeating Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland in the group stages before seeing off Spain in the quarter-finals and Sweden in the semi-finals.
      They then capped off an unforgettable month with a 2-1 win over bitter rivals Germany in the final, thanks to goals from Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly.
      But after lifting that glorious glass trophy under the iconic Wembley arch – and basking in the celebrations – attention quickly turned to the next big challenge – the World Cup.
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      A year has since passed and the Lionesses are now preparing to do it all over again, this time in Australia and New Zealand.
      But while the team looks slightly different – with Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby absent due to injury – Wiegman and her squad are approaching this year’s World Cup with a similar mindset.

      They are even prepared to replicate one key superstition that helped them to victory last summer.
      England midfielder Georgia Stanway has revealed that it became a tradition for all players to NOT pack their suitcases during the Euros, even when they had to leave their base hotel.
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      The 24-year-old told FourFourTwo magazine: “That was something we really enjoyed doing: not packing our suitcases, leaving our stuff exactly where it was.
      “It was never really spoken about, but for every matchday minus one, we would travel to a different hotel, and it became tradition to leave everything unpacked at our base hotel.
      “It was where all of our clothes were and where everything was unpacked.
      “We had made the rooms our own and made it the Lionesses’ hotel, and there was always a bit of: ‘Are we taking our bags?’
      “But it became normal to leave them because we knew we were coming back.
      “That meant we were coming back for the final.”
      AUSSIE BASE
      England are based at the Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific Hotel for the World Cup, a four-star complex on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.
      The Lionesses took a 90-minute flight to Brisbane from their base camp on Sunday ahead of their opening match against Haiti on Thursday.
      After the match, they will return to their base hotel for their second group game against Denmark.
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      The England team will then fly another two hours to Adelaide, where they will take on China.
      Fully expect their bags at base camp to remain unpacked throughout – and hopefully up until the final on August 20.
      Hannah Hampton  with her bag packedCredit: PA
      The team left their camp in Windsor before flying to AustraliaCredit: PA
      Stanway has revealed that it became tradition for the Lionesses not to pack their suitcases during Euro 2022Credit: Getty More

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      Lauren James trained with Arsenal’s senior team at just 14 but was kicked out after complaints from players

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      CHELSEA forward Lauren James is set to take the Women’s World Cup by storm this summer.The 21-year-old, who is now a regular in Sarina Wiegman’s England team, first burst onto the scene when she made her professional debut for Arsenal in 2017.
      James will make her World Cup debut with England this summerCredit: Getty
      The forward is one of the best young players in the WSLCredit: Getty
      But prior to her first Women’s Super League outing, she endured a turbulent time in North London.
      James’ dad, Nigel, has revealed that she was promoted to train with the Arsenal women’s first team at the age of just 14, but some senior players took issue with her involvement.
      In an interview with The Beautiful Game podcast, Nigel said: “She was too good to train with the Arsenal girls when she first went there.
      “So Arsenal tried something, Pedro (Martinez Losa) who was the coach at the time, brought her in to train with the women.
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      “She was probably about 14 at the time. She stayed in her digs for a couple of nights and they got a tutor to teach her, so she trained with the women.
      “It was all good hearing it, but your 14 year-old daughter is now training with women who are 35, 28, they were grown women.
      “So when you are on the pitch it is football, but off the pitch they had nothing in common.
      “What people would see is this little girl. Some could take it and put their arm around her and some couldn’t take it and said ‘you shouldn’t be here, you should be at school.’
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      “She (Lauren) would pick up the good bits from someone and then the negative parts from others.
      “The manager left, another manager came in. There was a game she played in where the manager let her take a penalty. She took the penalty, but the next day senior players didn’t like it at the time.”
      Despite James’ outstanding ability and potential, some Arsenal players even requested that she was removed from first team training due to her age.
      The forward’s dad added: “They then asked for Lauren to be removed from the first team squad at Arsenal and to go back in the academy, but the solution was she train with the academy boys.
      “This had never happened before so it was a big thing. Some parents didn’t like it.
      “But she was superb and did very well. At the end of the season when she was 15-and-a-half, Arsenal then said you won’t be with the women, you’ll play with the academy girls. I saw her playing with girls her own age as sort of a demotion.
      “That is why we needed to leave.”
      After leaving Arsenal, James joined Manchester United in July 2018.
      She made her club debut in a Women’s Championship match the following month and went on to help the Red Devils achieve promotion to the WSL.
      James, the younger sister of Chelsea star Reece, then spent two more years in Manchester before joining the Blues in 2021.
      She has since won two WSL titles and three FA Cups.
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      The forward will take part in her first major tournament this summer with England.
      She narrowly missed out on a place in Wiegman’s European Campionship-winning squad last summer before making her international debut in September.
      Prior to her WSL debut, James endured a mixed experience at ArsenalCredit: Getty More

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      Former Australia star reveals she has ‘no regrets’ over nude calendar as country prepares to host Women’s World Cup

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      FORMER Australia Women’s star Tracie McGovern has no regrets about taking part in a nude calendar 24 years ago.The ex-midfielder was Miss January in a calendar that was produced to promote the women’s side ahead of the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
      Tracie McGovern is proud of taking part in the nude calendarCredit: BBC Sport
      Amy Duggan appeared on the front cover of the Olympic Games calendarCredit: BBC Sport
      McGovern, who is the founder and director of The Australian Sportswoman website, enjoyed the photoshoot and looked back on her snap with pride ahead of the Women’s World Cup.
      “A lot of people knew me as Miss January.
      In an interview with the BBC, she said: “It was mainly about the profile. We wanted to get bums on seats at the Games, but I don’t think any of us expected the attention that we got.
      “I had a great time, although the team shot was a little awkward. We all had our robes on, we got into position and then we threw the robes off, had the photo taken and then scrambled to get them back on.
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      “I don’t regret it at all. I look at that photo after 20 years and I’m proud of it.”
      McGovern spoke about the backlash the team received but hopes people no longer feel shameful about that period in the history of the Matildas.
      “There were some feminists that felt that we had sold out,” McGovern added.
      “I totally respect that opinion and not all of the team took part in the calendar photoshoot. I did it for my own personal reasons. And then I did it for the greater good of the team. I think we achieved that objective.
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      “It was controversial, but again we got people to go to our games and we got the name out there. Could we have done it any other way? I’m not sure.
      “I really hope that people will start to embrace that part of history and don’t feel shameful about it.” More

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      How England Women could line up for World Cup 2023 opener against Haiti with left-back leading line as STRIKER

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      ENGLAND kick off their World Cup campaign this weekend with a highly-anticipated match against Haiti.The Lionesses have their eyes on the prize this summer following last year’s European Championship triumph.
      England are preparing to face Haiti in their Women’s World Cup openerCredit: Getty
      Millie Bright has returned from injuryCredit: Getty
      Rachel Daly could start in attackCredit: Getty
      How England could line up against Haiti
      However, Sarina Wiegman has been forced to make some major changes to her squad.
      Captain Leah Williamson was ruled out of the tournament in April after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during a Women’s Super League match against Manchester United.
      Her Arsenal team-mate Beth Mead has also been left out of the squad with the same injury.
      And Chelsea midfielder Fran Kirby, who has been a mainstay in the England team since 2015, underwent knee surgery in May, so she will be unavailable for a “significant period” of time.
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      Wiegman has been handed some severe selection headaches this summer, with several young stars bursting onto the international scene.
      Chelsea ace Lauren James, who narrowly missed out on a spot in last summer’s squad, has travelled to Australia along with Manchester City defender Esme Morgan and Brighton winger Katie Robinson.
      Established WSL stars Jordan Nobbs, Niamh Charles and Katie Zelem also made the trip.
      But with the stakes so high, SunSport have predicted how England will line up ahead of Saturday’s opener against Haiti.
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      Millie Bright, who was handed the captain’s armband in the wake of Williamson’s devastating ACL injury, is expected to start in the heart of defence despite her recent ankle injury.
      There had been some question marks surrounding the 29-year-old’s involvement, with her injury preventing her from taking part in full training until just last week.
      However, she took part in a behind-closed-doors warm-up match against Canada on Friday, indicating that she will be fully fit to start against Haiti.
      Bright will likely line up in defence alongside Barcelona right-back Lucy Bronze, her Chelsea team-mate Jess Carter and Man City’s Alex Greenwood.
      Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway are expected to start in midfield, with Ella Toone filling in for Kirby in a slightly more attacking position.
      Lauren Hemp will likely keep her starting position on the left wing, but there are some question marks surrounding who she will line up alongside in attack.
      Chelsea forward James could start on the right wing, with former defender Rachel Daly in the No9 position.
      Daly played a crucial role in Wiegman’s European Championship-winning squad last summer, but as a left-back.
      Following the tournament, she joined Aston Villa in a permanent transfer from Houston Dash and quickly adapted to become a striker.
      The 31-year-old scored 22 goals throughout the 2022-23 WSL campaign and won the Golden Boot, so it would be no surprise to see her leading the line at the World Cup.
      While there is some uncertainty surrounding a few positions, one player is expected to start every game unless she is ill or injured.
      That player is Manchester United’s Mary Earps, who was named as The Best Women’s Goalkeeper in the World by Fifa earlier this year.
      Alternative England line up vs Haiti
      Unlike last summer, Wiegman is not expected to start every game with the same line-up.
      Alessia Russo, who joined Arsenal in a shock free transfer at the beginning of the month, could start up front instead of Daly.
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      Chloe Kelly could also muscle her way into the starting squad amid her impressive run of form, which could mean that James moves into the attacking midfield role.
      And Carter could be replaced by in-form Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy or 22-year-old Man City star Morgan. More

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      I’m an England star and here’s what I’ve packed in my bag for the World Cup – but I need some lash tips in Australia

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      HAVE you ever wondered what a potential World Cup winner takes with her to the other side of the globe?Well, England hopeful Katie Zelem has let the cat out of the bag.
      Katie Zelem (right) has revealed to SunSport what is in her bag for the World CupCredit: PA
      Zelem will keep her eye on the ball in AustraliaCredit: Getty
      Zelem on holiday – but it will be all work for the midfielder Down UnderCredit: Instagram
      Here, the Manchester United midfielder talks SunSport through her World Cup preparations Down Under — from false eyelash appointments to board games.
      SO Katie, it is your first World Cup and major tournament, how did the packing go?
      “I always leave it to the last minute. I write lists for everything. Everyone laughs at me because I’m like, ‘Don’t worry girls, I’ll write a list’ and then I tick everything off.”
      WHAT was the weirdest thing that went in the suitcase?
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      “I’m a heavy over-packer. If anyone needs anything, they come to me because I’ve probably got it.  I’d say an Amazon Fire Stick. It’s a long time out there, we need something to keep us entertained.”
      BOX sets or films in the suitcase?
      “I’m actually doing a Masters in sports business, so I need to do some lectures.  I’ve packed lots of books and highlighters, I love a bit of colour co-ordination!”
      WHAT about the beauty side of things, lashes and nails?
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      “My nails needed an in-fill, so I left it until the last day to try and do as much beauty maintenance as I could. Any good lash tips here in Australia, please hook me up as I’m going to need a good in-fill!”
      ANYTHING in the suitcase related to a pre-game ritual?
      “I always wear the same sports bra and knickers — you’ve probably heard this so many times but we wash them! 
      “I always put my right shin pad on before my left and my right boot first.”
      WHAT have you packed to pass the time?
      “Someone said this makes us sound like old women but we like to play board games.
      “We played a game called Partners.  We played it at United and now we’re slowly teaching everyone here.
      “You’ve got four players so if someone doesn’t want to play you have to recruit someone in. We like to play cards, too.”
      FAVOURITE card games?
      “Trump and s**thead!”
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      COFFEE or tea in the suitcase?
      “I’m not a coffee drinker and I don’t like tea, so I’m out of the Lionesses coffee club. Ellie Roebuck replaced Jill Scott as the club’s leader. She loves her coffee art, making hearts and leaves.” More