England at the 2023 Women's World Cup: Fixtures, results, squad, scorers
Sunday, August 20, 2023
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England had to settle for runners-up spot as they fell narrowly short of adding a first World Cup to their maiden EURO crown.
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England's World Cup Group D results (winners)
22 July: England 1-0 Haiti (Brisbane): Stanway 29pen
28 July: England 1-0 Denmark (Sydney, Sydney Football Stadium): James 6
1 August: China PR 1-6 England (Adelaide): Wang Shuang 57pen; Russo 4, Hemp 26, James 41 65, Kelly 77, Daly 84
England's World Cup knockout stage fixtures and results
Round of 16
7 August: England 0-0 Nigeria (aet, England win 4-2 on pens; Brisbane)
Quarter-finals
12 August: England 2-1 Colombia (Sydney, Stadium Australia): Hemp 45+7, Russo 63; Santos 44
Semi-finals
16 August: Australia 1-3 England (Sydney, Stadium Australia): Kerr 63; Toone 36, Hemp 71, Russo 86
Final
20 August: Spain 1-0 England (Sydney, Stadium Australia): Carmona 29
- England's final loss to Spain came a year after they beat Spain 2-1 following extra time in the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 quarter-finals. They therefore missed the chance to match Germany, who followed winning the Women's EURO in 2001 and 2005 with World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007. Norway also won the 1995 World Cup two years after a EURO success, but they lost their European title earlier in 1995 while it was still a biennial competition.
- Sarina Wiegman has led teams to four consecutive EURO/World Cup finals after winning Women's EURO 2017 and making the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands before switching to England for EURO 2022. Her record in major tournaments, including the 2021 Olympics, is P29 W24 D3 L2 F77 A24; that other defeat over 90 minutes came against the United States in the 2019 World Cup final. Two of the three draws, meanwhile, went to penalties (Netherlands losing to USA in the 2021 Olympic quarter-finals and England beating Nigeria in the 2023 World Cup last 16).
England's tournament winners
Women's EURO 2022
In all, seven of England's World Cup squad started the Wembley final win against Germany last July, and four came off the bench, with five unused substitutes.
England won 2-1 after extra time with goals from substitutes Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly.
Starters: Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Rachel Daly, Mary Earps, Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh (others: Fran Kirby, Beth Mead, Ellen White, Leah Williamson)
Used substitutes: Alex Greenwood, Chloe Kelly, Alessio Russo, Ella Toone (others: Nikita Parris, Jill Scott)
Unused substitutes: Jess Carter, Bethany England, Hannah Hampton, Ellie Roebuck, Lotte Wubben-Moy (others: Demi Stokes)
Not in 2022 squad: Niamh Charles, Laura Coombs, Lauren James, Esme Morgan, Jordan Nobbs, Katie Robinson, Katie Zelem
Women's Finalissima 2023
In the Women's Finalissima in April, England beat Brazil on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Wembley; ten of their starters and all three used substitutes were present in Australia.
Starters: Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Rachel Daly, Mary Earps, Lauren Hemp, Alessio Russo, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh (others: Leah Williamson)
Used substitutes: Rachel Daly, Chloe Kelly, Katie Robinson (from the World Cup 23, Niamh Charles, Laura Coombs, Bethany England, Hannah Hampton, Esme Morgan, Jordan Nobbs, Ellie Roebuck and Lotte Wubben-Moy were unused substitutes)
2009 Women's Under-19 EURO
Lucy Bronze, Laura Coombs and Jordan Nobbs were also part of England's only championship success at youth level, Nobbs adding to Toni Duggan's goal in a 2-0 final defeat of Sweden in Borisov.
England squad
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United)
Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Bethany England (Tottenham), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Source: The FA
How England qualified
Group D winners: W10 D0 L0 F80 A0
England 8-0 North Macedonia
Luxembourg 0-10 England
England 4-0 Northern Ireland
Latvia 0-10 England
England 1-0 Austria
England 20-0 Latvia
North Macedonia 0-10 England
Northern Ireland 0-5 England
Austria 0-2 England
England 10-0 Luxembourg
Top scorer: Beth Mead (13)
England coach: Sarina Wiegman
Wiegman, who won Women's EURO 2017 and reached the 2019 World Cup final with her native Netherlands, has achieved a formidable record since her England appointment in 2021. In addition to tasting victory at EURO 2022, Wiegman also led the team to Women's Finalissima victory against Brazil at Wembley in April.
England captain: Millie Bright
With Leah Williamson ruled out through injury, fellow central defender Bright helmed a reshaped back three, despite only just returning to fitness after a knee problem.
England's World Cup history
Previous best performance: Third place (2015)
2019 World Cup: Fourth place
The superb home Women's EURO triumph put the Lionesses in the spotlight and, despite the retirements of the likes of Ellen White and Jill Scott, and injuries to Mead, Williamson and Kirby, they came closer than ever to a first global honour.
England's other competition bests
Women's EURO: Winners (2022)
Olympics (as Great Britain): Quarter-finals (2012, 2021)
England's Women's Nations League fixtures (Group A1)
22/09/2023: England vs Scotland
26/09/2023: Netherlands vs England
27/10/2023: England vs Belgium
31/10/2023: Belgium vs England
01/12/2023: England vs Netherlands
05/12/2023: Scotland vs England