Arsenal’s Beth Mead has been named in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for the first time in 12 months after making her return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Mead’s last England appearance came in a 4-0 friendly win over Japan last November, with the Arsenal forward rupturing her ACL during a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in the Women’s Super League just over a week later.
She went on to miss the rest of the 2022-23 season, as well as England’s run to the 2023 Women’s World Cup final. Mead was joined on the sidelines by her partner and team-mate Vivianne Miedema, who suffered a similar injury just one month later.
Mead made her long-awaited return to action in Arsenal’s dramatic 2-1 win over Aston Villa last month, coming off the bench to assist Alessia Russo’s stoppage-time winner.
She has now been recalled to Wiegman’s England squad for December’s crucial games against the Netherlands and Scotland in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, with the Lionesses currently third in their four-team group.
Mead’s return represents a huge boost for Wiegman, with the 28-year-old having claimed the Golden Boot with six goals as the Lionesses won Euro 2022 on home soil last year.
???? Meado is back in the #Lionesses squad! pic.twitter.com/odKRjImfBG
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) November 21, 2023
She is part of a 23-player squad for next month’s games, with the likes of Ellie Roebuck, Jess Park and Lucy Parker missing out after featuring in Wiegman’s most recent squad.
Uncapped duo Grace Clinton and Khiara Keating are involved again after failing to make their debuts in the October international window.
England must win their Nations League group for Team GB to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, as the home nation nominated to secure qualification on behalf of Great Britain.
They currently sit three points adrift of the table-topping Netherlands ahead of the teams’ crucial meeting at Wembley Stadium on December 1, with Scotland already out of contention to qualify for the Nations League Finals before they host England at Hampden Park four days later.
Full England squad: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Grace Clinton (Tottenham, on loan from Manchester United), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United), Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal).
