Overview of the England Lionesses: The National Women’s Football Team

The England Women’s National Football Team often referred to as England Lionesses, is a professional setup governed by the Football Association. The team is known to be part of the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales)⁹ but competes as an independent entity in most football competitions other than the Olympics.

On this page, we will cover various topics on the Lionesses, including their origins, achievements, the current squad and their most influential players, past and present. Read on and learn everything there is to know about the English national team, starting with a breakdown of how it all began.

Brief History of the England Lionesses

Despite there being records of the England women’s football team as early back as the 19th Century, it was not until the late 1960s that a female team would exist. As a result of the triumphant success of the men’s World Cup in 1966, an influx of interest from the public domain called for a rethink of the ladies’ game. Three years later, the Women’s Football Association was established, and by 1971, an independent team had competed in various European tournaments.

In 1972, as a result of a UEFA ruling, the restrictions on women’s football in England were revoked, allowing teams to compete professionally on English League grounds. Soon after, England competed in their first recognized international match against Scotland, winning 3-2 against their bitter rivals.⁸

Success in the Women’s World Cup

England National Women’s Team has qualified for the World Cup six times. The Lionesses have yet to win a World Cup to date, having reached the quarterfinals on three separate occasions. They lost to Germany and the USA in 1995 and 2007 and then narrowly on penalties to France in 2007. More recently, the ladies went a step further, finishing third and fourth place in 2015 and 2019, respectively.⁸

Success in the Women’s Euros

The Lionesses have made more recent progress in the European Championships, reaching the final in 2009 and 2022. One of the most remarkable achievements to date was their recent victory in the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros. They beat Germany 2-1 in the final in front of a capacity crowd at Wembley Stadium. This accomplishment marked the first time an England team has won a major footballing trophy since the men’s 1966 win.⁸

England Women’s Football Team Record Holders

Over the years, England Lionesses have produced a host of top-level footballers. In this section, we celebrate some of the best to have ever worn the three lions shirt. Ellen White is on the top of the tree of England’s best goal scorers. Debuting for the senior side in 2010, the Talismanic striker has gone on to score 52 goals in 113 appearances at nearly one goal every two games! The former Manchester City Women’s star recently announced her retirement from football in August 2022.⁶

The only player to appear on both of our lists is none other than top appearance-maker Fara Williams MBE. A stalwart in the England Lionesses team, Fara Williams debuted at just 17 years of age and accumulated 172 caps in a glittering career, contributing 40 goals in the process. For her contributions to the women’s game and charity work, she was awarded an MBE in 2016.⁷

Casey Stoney completes our list of appearance-makers having been capped 130 times. She is also one of many former England superstars to try her hand in management, with previous stints in charge of Chelsea and Man United Women.

Current Squad

As we approach the Women’s World Cup this year, many English stars will be vying to get a spot on the plane to New Zealand and Australia. Here we break down the current squad as it stands, but be cautious! The 2022-2023 domestic season is upon us, and it could be the ideal opportunity for others to stake their claim. You’ll find news and updates of the squad on the England women’s senior team official page.

Manager and Notable Players

As we are all aware, the England National Football Team is littered with exceptional players from ladies’ football clubs across the UK. You could argue after their Euros performance that they are the team to beat going into this year’s World Cup. But what makes this team so great? We highlight a few of the key players that we expect will make a huge difference to England’s chances of World Cup glory.

*Data taken as of 30.11.2022^2,3,4,5

Leah Williamson

• Position: Defender
• Caps: 39*
• Senior Goals: 2*
• Born: 27th March 1997
• Club: Arsenal W.F.C

🤍 @Lionesses pic.twitter.com/xtPyBVO1j3

— Leah Williamson (@leahcwilliamson) February 22, 2021

Liam Williamson is a commanding centre-back at the heart of England’s defence. The Arsenal ladies regular captained the Lionesses to victory in the 2022 Euros and is expected to continue in this role leading into the world cup. Her dominating presence on and off the pitch and her calmness when playing out from the back is an asset to the squad.

Fran Kirby

• Position: Midfielder
• Caps: 65*
• Senior Goals: 17*
• Born: 29th June 1993
• Club: Chelsea FC Women

👀🦁 @Lionesses pic.twitter.com/WCPnSfPxRM

— Fran Kirby (@frankirby) June 1, 2022

Another player on our list to watch out for is the highly-rated Fran Kirby. Starting all games for Wiegman’s side during the Euros, Kirby is an integral part of the three lions squad for her creative abilities in midfield. It is expected that the Chelsea phenomenon will be one of the first on the plane to New Zealand and Australia.

Beth Mead

• Position: Attacker
• Caps: 50*
• Senior Goals: 29*
• Born: 9th May 1995
• Club: Arsenal W.F.C

Focused & ready for it all to begin tomorrow, are you? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🦁 pic.twitter.com/MiK5iUbRT2

— Beth Mead (@bmeado9) July 5, 2022

An integral part of Sarina Wiegman’s team, Beth mead is a skilful attacker that contributes both goals and assists in abundance. With the recent retirement of record goal scorer Ellen White, it is expected that Mead, along with strike partners Alessia Russo and Nikita Parris, will carry on England’s goal scoring responsibilities going forward.

Sarina Wiegman – Manager

• Games Managed: 26*
• Games Won: 22*
• Born: 26th October 1969

The architect behind England’s recent Euros victory, Sarina Wiegman cemented her place in the history books as the first Female coach to win a major international title for the three lions. Since she arrived in 2021, England ladies football has become an unstoppable force under her stewardship. Many regard her as one of the best coaches of her generation.

Where do the Lionesses Play?

Another key aspect of the England ladies football team’s success on the pitch is the state-of-the-art facilities. Below we will break down where the England National Women’s team play their home matches and where they train to keep in tip-top condition.

Wembley Stadium

Opened in 2007, Wembley stadium in London is the home of English Football. With a capacity of 90,000 for sporting events, this remarkable stadium hosts international football matches for the England senior teams. Although historically, the Lionesses have played the majority of their games in stadiums across the country. In recent times, they have had the opportunity to play at Wembley more frequently, including their triumphant Euros title win in front of a capacity crowd.¹⁰

St George’s Park

Opened in 2012, St George’s Park is a multi-complex training facility in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. This state-of-the-art football centre is the headquarters for all football coaching and development run by the Football Association. Here is where the majority of England teams train, including senior men’s and women’s as well as various youth setups. The centre has an abundance of resources, such as 12 training pitches and a host of high-tech gyms and recovery facilities.¹¹

FAQs: All the Important Questions, Answered!

Do you still have questions on the Lionesses that we haven’t quite covered? Below, we have answered some commonly asked questions about the team and other relevant topics.

Sources

1. The Football Association. (n.d). England Women’s Senior Squad. Accessed on September 22, 2022 from https://www.englandfootball.com/womens-senior-team/squad
2. The Football Association (n.d). Leah Williamson. Accessed on November 30, 2022 from https://www.englandfootball.com/womens-senior-team/squad/leah-williamson
3. The Football Association (n.d). Frank Kirby. Accessed on November 30, 2022 from https://www.englandfootball.com/womens-senior-team/squad/Fran-Kirby
4. The Football Association (n.d). Beth Mead. Accessed on November 30, 2022 from https://www.englandfootball.com/womens-senior-team/squad/Beth-Mead
5. The Football Association (n.d). Sarina Weigman. Accessed on November 30, 2022 from https://www.englandfootball.com/womens-senior-team/squad/Sarina-Wiegman
6. Ellen White (footballer). (2022, September 18). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ellen_White_(footballer)&oldid=1110858699
7. Fara Williams. (2022, September 18). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fara_Williams&oldid=1110858705
8. England women’s national football team. (2022, September 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=England_women%27s_national_football_team&oldid=1109159215
9. Home Nations. (2022, August 17). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Home_Nations&oldid=1104908255
10. Wembley Stadium. (2022, September 24). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wembley_Stadium&oldid=1112042885
11. St George’s Park National Football Centre (2022, September 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_George%27s_Park_National_Football_Centre&oldid=1113309404