On Tuesday afternoon, it was confirmed by Sarina Wiegman that Fran Kirby would return to the England national side for the first time since her serious knee injury.
The 30-year-old, who was a part of the England squad that won the 2021 UEFA European Championships in 2022, missed the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand due to the injury.
The Chelsea midfielder suffered an ‘impingement’ in her right knee and was forced undergo surgery in May, which eventually saw her fail to recover in time for the global event.
She has, though, been selected for England’s upcoming UEFA Women’s Nations League matches against Belgium at home and then Belgium away later this month.
“Of course it’s very nice Fran is back on the pitch and she’s fit and healthy,” Wiegman said. “I thought she played very well when she came back. She’s been building up to those moments in the summer.”
Kirby made her return to action with a strong performance in the Women’s Super League at the weekend as Chelsea comfortably defeated West Ham United by two goals to nil.
Kirby was one of a number of absentees for the Lionesses at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with the likes of Beth Mead also missing due to injury. Mead returned from an ACL injury with Arsenal facing Aston Villa at the weekend but Wiegman suggested her re-selection ‘was not close’ due to the length of time that she had missed.
Keira Walsh missed the last international break due to a calf injury but the Rochdale-born Barcelona midfielder has returned to the squad for this month.
England, after finishing as runners’ up to Spain in the World Cup a couple of months ago, began their 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Nations League campaign with a 2-1 win over Scotland and a loss to the Netherlands.
