Beth Mead admits England’s Euro qualifying group is “not the nicest” but hopes they can achieve “consistency” in their upcoming fixtures.

The Lionesses begin their European Championship title defence with qualifying games for next year’s tournament, starting with Sweden at Wembley on April 5 before facing the Republic of Ireland in Dublin four days later. Group A3 also includes France, who England will play in May.

April’s fixtures will be the first set of competitive games since their Nations League disappointment in December, where England’s hopes of securing a spot for Team GB in the Paris Olympics were ended and Mead believes they are in a “tough group” for the upcoming qualifiers.

Speaking about her reaction to the draw, the England forward told PA news agency: “We came in from training, saw the draw- it’s not the nicest group in the world!

“I think me and (Arsenal team-mate) Katie McCabe had a little joke about having to play against each other and winding each other up with her playing for Republic of Ireland.

“There’s no easy game in women’s football these days and I think we’ve ultimately got a very tough group and we’re going to have to be on top of our game to do very well in this group.

“I think the biggest thing for us as an England squad is consistency, we let ourselves down in some Nations League games and now we’ve just got to be consistent in the way we play, the way we’re building.

“Hopefully we can get two wins on the board this international break which puts us in really good stead for the rest of the games in the group.”

Mead is an ambassador for McDonald’s Fun Football and was celebrating the return of sessions, which will see 500,000 children across the UK provided with free football coaching this spring.

She is in action on Sunday as Arsenal hunt for silverware in the Continental Tyres League Cup Final against Chelsea at Molineux, but after the international break only five Women’s Super League games remain.

The title race is out of Arsenal’s control with the team sat six points away from joint-leaders Chelsea and Manchester City, and Mead admits the Champions League is the target now.

“I think looking forward to the rest of the season as a team we’ve got to, as cliche as it sounds, game by game, three points on the board,” Mead added.

“Our ultimate goal now is to get Champions League football and you never know what happens in football, but it’s out of our hands title-wise now and we’re very aware of that.

“Throughout the season itself I think consistency has been our biggest problem, we’ve been a little bit up and down with some games, lost some games that arguably we probably shouldn’t have.

“That’s something we need to rectify going to the end of the season, then we reset and start again fresh next year.”

Mead also has an eye on former club Sunderland, who are top of a tightly-contested Women’s Championship with three games to go.

Four other teams remain in the running to secure promotion to the WSL and Mead, who joined Arsenal from the Black Cats in 2017, highlighted the importance of keeping all the women’s leagues competitive.

“I’ve been to a few games in the Championship this season, I obviously follow Sunderland still and they’re top at the moment so hopefully they can keep themselves there,” she said.

“It’s amazing to see how much talent is coming through and the backing these clubs in the lower leagues are getting from the men’s side of things.

“That’s what we want to keep doing, we want to keep every league as competitive as possible and make England still one of the best leagues in the world.”

Beth Mead was celebrating the launch of this year’s McDonald’s Fun Football programme, available to all children aged 5-11 across the UK. Sign up now for your nearest FREE session at mcdonalds.co.uk/football.

England won the SheBelieves Cup for the first time with a 3-0 win over Japan on this day in 2019.

A 2-1 victory against Brazil and a 2-2 draw against hosts the United States saw the Lionesses set up a winner-takes-all final-match showdown with Japan at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Lucy Staniforth, Karen Carney and Beth Mead were all on the scoresheet in the first half as England were crowned champions of the invitational round-robin tournament.

Staniforth put the Lionesses ahead in the 12th minute, collecting a flicked pass from Jodie Taylor before finishing low in the bottom-right corner of the net.

Taylor recorded her second assist of the game shortly afterwards, hooking the ball to Carney in the six-yard box for the winger to nod home to make it 2-0, before Mead scored on the half-hour mark following a great pass from Keira Walsh.

Victory came as a boost ahead of the Women’s World Cup later that year in France, where the Lionesses would reach the semi-finals, and England manager Phil Neville hailed his side’s efforts in the SheBelieves Cup as “sensational”.

He said: “It was a sensational performance. I wasn’t that bothered before the tournament whether we won or lost, I just wanted to see an improvement and we go home knowing we are definitely in the right direction.

“We just keep listening to USA, Japan and Brazil talk about how good we are. But we remain humble, have fun and enjoy moments like this.

“You don’t get many chances to get your hands on a trophy. It is my first as a manager so I am just going to enjoy it.”

England forward Beth Mead said the team were “absolutely devastated” after missing out on the Nations League finals and failing to qualify for the Olympics for Team GB.

A dramatic evening saw England thrash Scotland 6-0 at Hampden Park, with Lucy Bronze’s stoppage-time header looking like it would be the crucial goal for the Lionesses to finish top of Group A1.

However, a late added-time brace from Damaris Egurrola meant the Netherlands pipped Sarina Wiegman’s team to the summit on goal difference, ending Team GB’s hopes of qualifying for Paris 2024 and ensuring the Dutch reached the inaugural Nations League finals.

Making her first international start since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury more than 12 months ago, Mead bagged one of the six England goals, but acknowledged it was tough losing out by “small margins”.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t in our hands and the Netherlands got the four goals,” she told englandfootball.com. “Congratulations to them but we’re absolutely devastated to miss out by such small margins.

“We made sure we kept in communication and Sarina was telling us what was happening in the other game so we knew what we were meant to do.

“We got the late goal and we thought we’d maybe got over the line but, unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be and that’s football. It is small margins, there were injury-time goals in both games and it wasn’t meant to be.”

European champions England lost out narrowly to the Netherlands and Belgium in their group games, going down 2-1 to the Dutch in September before a late Tessa Wullaert penalty saw Belgium win 3-2 in October.

The Lionesses had kept their qualification hopes alive going into the Scotland game as Ella Toone’s stoppage-time strike secured a 3-2 comeback triumph over the Netherlands in the reverse fixture at Wembley on Friday.

“It’s a tough one,” Mead added. “I think the girls have worked really hard. I thought we were incredible this camp.

“We’ve done ourselves proud in both games that we’ve played. Unfortunately, it was out of our hands and maybe we let ourselves down earlier on in the competition.

“But we’ll keep working hard, we’ll keep coming back stronger, and I’m excited to see what this team is about.”

Sarina Wiegman was left almost speechless with disappointment after England’s 6-0 win over Scotland was still not enough to make the Nations League knockout stages as Team GB’s hopes of reaching next summer’s Olympic Games also ended.

Pedro Martinez Losa’s side, already relegated from League A1, were swept aside at Hampden Park but the Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Belgium saw them top the group.

Defender Alex Greenwood headed the opener after 12 minutes and two goals in a minute by Lauren James and another by Beth Mead just before the break had the game over by half-time.

Striker Fran Kirby added a fifth with Lucy Bronze heading in what looked a crucial final goal in the third minute of added time – but Damaris Egurrola’s late brace for the Netherlands meant they pipped Wiegman’s side on goal difference.

Wiegman, whose side was the nominated nation on behalf of Team GB for Paris next year and needed to win the group, was on the Hampden pitch with her players after the game when the Dutch, whom they beat 3-2 on Friday, scored their crucial fourth.

She said: “Of course I am very very disappointed. That’s the biggest emotion I have now.

“We delivered tonight and we delivered this December camp, the team showed lots of character, in this game too and we started the game really well, scored four goals in the first half.

“When Lucy scored I said to the players that we are going to get this.

“Netherlands scored in the late seconds and that’s how close it was.

“We were waiting, long minutes but we really thought we got it and then we didn’t make it I said I actually don’t know what to say.

“I am really proud of the performance and what we did this whole week but it was not enough and it is really disappointing and you don’t really have to say anything more.

“If you don’t get through in goal difference then it is just not enough, that’s the facts. But that’s football.”

Martinez Losa was similarly taken aback by what he had witnessed but for different reasons.

He said: “We have to apologise to the fans, this was not what they expected.

“We lost concentration in the first half after we conceded the first goal, we were out of the game at half-time.

“I will never be embarrassed about the team, about the players, but it was not the performance we were expecting for our fans.

“England were at a good level and took advantage of their good moments.

“One of the consequences of the result is because we wanted to win the game. We pressed England high as well as they did. Some moments we were doing things well.

“After the four goals it was difficult for our players to come back.

“I considered [making first-half subs] but didn’t do it because in the end, the responsibility of the team is with myself. I respect the team, I understand for the players that it is a big occasion and I wanted to wait until half-time.”

England blew Scotland away with a powerful 6-0 victory but on a night of high drama fell short of making the Nations League knockout stages as Team GB’s hopes of reaching next summer’s Olympic Games were ended.

A conflict of interest was widely discussed before the game as a victory for the Lionesses – the nominated nation on behalf of Team GB in qualification for Paris next year – was the only way any Scottish players would be able to feature at the Games.

Pedro Martinez Losa’s side, already relegated from League A1 ahead of their final game, were simply outclassed by a visiting side but the Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Belgium saw them top the group.

Defender Alex Greenwood headed the opener after 12 minutes, two goals in a minute by Lauren James and another by Beth Mead just before the break had the game done by the interval.

Striker Fran Kirby added a fifth with Lucy Bronze heading in what looked a crucial final goal in the third minute of added time – but Damaris Egurrola’s late brace for the Netherlands meant they pipped Sarina Wiegman’s side on goal difference.

With only pride left to play for in front of 15,320 fans, Martinez Losa made four changes from the side that drew with Belgium on Friday with goalkeeper Lee Gibson, Emma Mukandi, Rachel McLauchlan and Kirsty Hanson coming into the side.

The visitors, who had stormed back to beat Netherlands 3-2 in their last outing, showed two changes with attacker Mead starting for the first time since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury more than 12 months ago and Esme Morgan returning in defence.

The game quickly swung from end to end but the opening goal was poor from the Scots’ point of view. A Mead corner came over from the right and Greenwood jumped unopposed to lob a header over Mukandi at the far post with Gibson all too easily beaten as well.

England looked strong and confident and in the 27th minute Keira Walsh’s raking long ball was just missed by Mead at the edge of the Scotland box.

Three minutes later, James sped down the left on to a Greenwood pass and crossed for attacker Lauren Hemp but she struck the post from six yards.

England’s second came in the 38th minute when they were claiming a penalty for a handball in the box but James pounced on the loose ball and her strike from 20 yards took a big deflection off Docherty’s back and left Gibson stranded.

The Scots were still coming to terms with that blow when James brilliantly curled in England’s third from the edge of the box.

With Scottish heads spinning there was time for James to cross again to the back post for Mead to take a touch and fire past the helpless Gibson from 12 yards.

England’s thirst for goals continued after the break and within minutes Kirby tapped in a pass from Georgia Stanway, who overpowered Scotland captain Rachel Corsie on the byline.

Gibson did well to save a close-range drive from Hemp and a 25-yard free-kick from Greenwood and in between Kirby cracked the bar with a drive from 12 yards.

The classy visitors seemed to take a breather and in the 71st minute Hanson had a chance for the home side when she pounced on a short pass back and wriggled past England keeper Mary Earps but spun round and missed the target.

Scotland steadied themselves in the final stages and a last-minute header from substitute Martha Thomas came off the post but in the final moments Bronze sneaked in at the back post to head in a sixth – but Egurrola dramatically had the final say in Tilburg.

Beth Mead scored twice as Arsenal thumped struggling West Ham 3-0 at Meadow Park in the Women’s Super League.

It did not take long for Arsenal to open the scoring as Frida Maanum put the hosts 1-0 up just two minutes in and Mead got her first since returning from injury in the 18th minute before she tapped in from six yards to make it 3-0 just before the break.

Jonas Eidevall’s team sit in second position and continue to pile pressure on league leaders Chelsea.

Lauren James scored twice as the Blues stretched their winning run to six games in the league with a 5-2 win over Leicester.

Chelsea scored twice in the first five minutes through James and a Courtney Nevin own goal and added a third just before the break through Sam Kerr, just after Jutta Rantala had brought Leicester back into the game.

Sam Tierney netted in the 44th minute to make it 3-2 but Chelsea regained their two-goal cushion when James dinked over the keeper from close range and Aggie Beever-Jones sealed the points late on for Emma Hayes’ side.

Second half goals from Hinata Miyazawa and Nikita Parris ensured that Manchester United returned to winning ways after their derby loss to Manchester City with a 2-0 win over rock bottom Bristol City.

United were denied on several occasions in the first period by inspired City goalkeeper Olivia Clark, who kept out Parris, Leah Galton and Millie Turner.

Marc Skinner’s side broke the deadlock five minutes after the break through Japanese international Miyazawa before Parris added a second as United clinched an away win.

Liverpool picked up their first win in three league matches with a convincing 4-0 win over Brighton.

The Reds carried a 2-0 lead into the break thanks to strikes from Gemma Bonner and Shanice van de Sanden and Ceri Holland nodded in from close range in the second half before Sophie Roman Haug added the gloss on a good afternoon for the hosts.

England manager Sarina Wiegman believes Beth Mead has “shown enough” to earn her recall to the squad for the Lionesses’ final Nations League fixtures.

It is a welcome return to the international fold for the 28-year-old Arsenal forward, who resumed club action last month after suffering an ACL injury last November and has now earned an England call-up for the first time in over a year.

Tottenham midfielder Grace Clinton and Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating retain their places in the Lionesses’ 23-player squad, having received their first senior call-ups in October.

England play their final two games of the year, starting with the Netherlands at Wembley on December 1 before facing Scotland at Hampden Park four days later and Wiegman is delighted to have Mead’s experience for those games.

“It’s really nice, she’s played minutes, she’s in a good place and still building too, but that was a very nice phone call, she was very happy,” Wiegman told a press conference.

“We’ve had conversations all the time, we had conversations before September camp and during and in October too because she was already fully training and getting some minutes but I just wanted to see a little more and that’s what we’ve seen now.

“Her health is really good so she can just go and she’s showed of course in games that she’s in a good place and we want her to keep growing and improving.

“She’s shown enough to me and for my technical staff to bring her in.

“She is a character that brings positive energy off the pitch and on the pitch and it’s good to have her back. Her experience, the way she plays, she’s different than other players on the wing, she brings different things so that’s good we have different opportunities again. Off pitch gives us some extra energy.”

England are currently third in Group A1 of the Nations League following a disappointing 3-2 loss to Belgium last month, their second defeat in four group matches.

Plenty is at stake in the competition as the winners of League A will reach the finals, which act as Europe’s 2024 Olympic qualifiers, meaning that hopes of a qualification spot in Paris are in danger for Team GB.

With two games remaining to try and turn things around, Wiegman insists England’s preparations will remain the same and has called on her side to be “more ruthless” in the final third.

“I think the Belgium game, the difference of us to them was so big,” she said.

“That last result was not a reflection of how we were in camp. Yes we’re in a situation where we absolutely need wins, we know that, we’re aware of that.

“When we go into a camp we want to win games. We haven’t done that lately in all our games and that’s what we want to do.

“Our approach will not all of a sudden change, we just review our last game, we prepare for the Netherlands first and the process we do will not be a lot different because I think we still do good things, we have to do better in moments of the game.

“In the final third we create a lot of chances but have to be more ruthless and we have to be aware of the counter-attack, be better and tighter on the ball.”

Wiegman also took time to congratulate Chelsea manager Emma Hayes on her appointment as new head coach of the United States women’s team, a role she will take up at the end of the season.

“She’s done a tremendous job, incredible results she’s had over a decade,” Wiegman added.

“I think for her it’s good to move on and I congratulated her of course with the new job, it’s very exciting for her. For her it’s really good and overall in the bigger picture it’s good for the women’s game too.”

Beth Mead has been recalled to the England squad for the first time in over a year ahead of the Lionesses’ final Nations League fixtures.

It is a welcome return to the international fold for the 28-year-old Arsenal forward, who resumed club action last month after suffering an ACL injury last November.

England face the Netherlands at Wembley on December 1 before taking on Scotland at Hampden Park four days later.

Tottenham midfielder Grace Clinton and Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating also retain their places, having received their first senior call-ups in October.

England internationals Ben Chilwell and Beth Mead are fronting a new player-led initiative to better deal with mental health issues within football.

The pair are among several top-level footballers to back ‘Create the Space’, a long-term movement working alongside Common Goal aimed at training individuals – either externally or within clubs – on how to help those with mental ill health.

The goal is to eventually have such volunteers available to players throughout the whole football pyramid, helping to provide a safe space for conversations around mental health and well-being.

Chelsea full-back Chilwell has openly spoken about his own battles in the past and wants ‘Create the Space’ to normalise conversations around the subject.

“I have had my own mental health journey and I felt unsure about where to turn to for support,” he said.

“It’s down to our generation to change this and ensure that throughout football, all the way from the elite level to young people in community organisations, we have each other’s backs and we’re equipped with the tools to help ourselves and those around us.

“We need to move from talking about mental health to taking action, and ‘Create the Space’ provides the platform for everyone wishing to take action to play a role in tackling mental health issues, whether they are playing in the Premier League, in the playground, or in the park.”

Mead won the Golden Boot and was named Player of the Tournament as she helped the Lionesses win the Women’s Euros last year but has since suffered setbacks on and off the pitch that have tested the 28-year-old.

“In January I lost my Mum and because of the injury I couldn’t play football, which was always my escape, my happy place,” the Arsenal forward said.

“Moments when people thought I was fine because of my outgoing personality, were very dark. It’s been a tough process to understand. Team-mates, people at the club, family and friends that supported me were so important, without them I could have been in a far darker place.

“I want to help create an environment in which it’s totally normal to address mental health. There’s not a perfect way of dealing with it, but if you feel you’re not alone it helps so much.

“We need to normalise mental health and in doing so that would go a long way.”

Other names to back the initiative include Mead’s Arsenal team-mate Vivianne Miedema as well as Tottenham captain Molly Bartrip and former England Under-21 international and mental health advocate Marvin Sordell.

Bartrip, in particular, recalled a moment in her own life where she needed help.

“Some years ago I was in a position where I wanted to commit suicide,” she said.

“You feel like you’re a burden, but it’s the strongest thing to ask for help. Mental health shouldn’t be a forbidden subject, it should be as open as having an injury.

“I want football to become a safe space and hope that from the top level down to grassroots that’s what we can achieve with ‘Create the Space’.”

Launched in 2017, Common Goal is a collective movement in global football and now 250 players and managers contribute a minimum of one per-cent of their football earnings to take action against challenges such as gender equity, racial justice, LGBT+ inclusion and mental health.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata was a trailblazer for the scheme, which is now also backed by household names across the men’s and women’s game.

Beth Mead looks likely to make her long-awaited return to Arsenal’s matchday squad when the Gunners host Aston Villa at the Emirates on Sunday, boss Jonas Eidevall confirmed.

The England forward, who won the Golden Boot in the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph, has not played for club or country since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) late last November.

Mead faces one final training session before her fitness for Arsenal’s third meeting of the new Women’s Super League season is confirmed, but the 28-year-old’s manager was feeling optimistic after seeing her put through her paces on Friday morning.

Eidevall said: “In order to, for squad selection, we have one more training to go. If she goes through that training she should be 100 per cent ready for squad selection.

“She has a lovely energy, she plays the game with both her right and left foot with really good attacking qualities too. We all know that Beth Mead is a quality football player, so of course we are really looking forward to having her back on the pitch again.”

Mead, whose injury ruled her out of this summer’s World Cup, was one of four of Eidevall’s players to sustain an ACL problem last season, drawing further attention to what many feel is a crisis facing women’s football, where the issue is alarmingly common.

Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema joined the ‘ACL club’ a month after her team-mate and partner Mead but is also edging close to a comeback, said Eidevall, while Leah Williamson, who captained England to the European trophy, will not feature until after Christmas at the earliest.

Defender Laura Wienroither ruptured her ACL in May, while fellow defender Teyah Goldie became the fifth victim when she suffered the same issue in August.

Eidevall said: “Viv has returned to team training, which is really nice, so obviously the next thing from team training is to start playing in games, if that’s friendly games or internal games behind closed doors and so on.

“That’s the next step, and from there on obviously you’re not miles away from being able to be selected to be in the squad, so she’s definitely getting close.”

While the unfortunate quintuplet of team-mates have been able to support each other through the long recovery process, Eidevall and his staff do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

He added: “Unfortunately we have a group of players that went through the same thing. I think, though, at the end of the day you need to deal with your things yourself, because even if it looks on paper that you have the same injury, it’s never exactly the same.

“There are always differences. There can be similarities and yes you can help, but at the end of the day everything is going to be unique to you as an individual. I try to be very mindful of treating people with similar injuries like a package.”

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor wants improved communication between players and officials following Sunday’s controversial draw with Chelsea in which he felt the referee handed out bookings “like confetti”.

City looked the brighter side and had taken a 1-0 lead via Chloe Kelly’s deflected seventh-minute strike, but late in the first half referee Emily Heaslip decided Alex Greenwood had been time-wasting after taking 26 seconds to take a free-kick and dismissed the bewildered captain with a second yellow.

It was an encounter with potential title implications that ultimately saw 10 yellows issued, including a second to Lauren Hemp 15 minutes before Guro Reiten’s stoppage-time equaliser, with the decision against Greenwood in particular lambasted on social media and criticised by big names including Ian Wright and Beth Mead.

Taylor, who himself was booked in the second half, said: “We submit a report which normally is fairly straightforward.

“I think this one will be quite an interesting one, just in terms of some of the feedback I’ve had from the players as well, in terms of the communication back and forth from the officials.

“Everyone makes mistakes. I think owning those mistakes at times is is much easier to handle, because we all do it, and I think it’s just a little bit easier if we get that communication between us, which is really important, so that we can create – not necessarily accountability – but we can create communication between us and go, we’re seeing it as this and you guys are seeing it slightly differently, who is right or wrong here? 

“It’s important we get the feedback. Let’s see what we hear back.”

City, who also unsuccessfully appealed a three-match ban for Leila Ouahabi, sent off in their season opener, next travel to Everton on Wednesday to kick off their FA Cup campaign, a competition Taylor insisted “is not something to be sniffed at”.

City are looking to qualify for Champions League football again after narrowly missing out with a fourth-place WSL finish last year, with success against top sides like Chelsea critical in the short 22-match season.

While Taylor suggested Sunday’s decisions “went against us, it always seems to be against us and not Chelsea”, he conceded the first yellow of the game, shown to Blues forward Lauren James, was “harsh, and the next thing you know, before you know it, they’re handing them out like confetti”.

He also brushed aside theories that his side were less disciplined than Hayes’, adding: “They always seem to talk around that their discipline is much higher, but I don’t think there was any ill discipline from us at all.

“It was a real anomaly of the game and it forced us into a really, really difficult situation which the players coped with so well.

“I’ve been so impressed with the players and the way they manage that.

“To put four points on the board in both of those games, when you lose players, has been amazing.”

Beth Mead pointed to early World Cup exits for Germany and Brazil as a reminder that results trump performances after England scrapped their way to Wednesday’s semi-final meeting with Australia.

The Lionesses were far from their best in the group stage but emerged with three wins, a pattern that has continued into the knockout rounds as they narrowly edged past Nigeria and Colombia despite starting as heavy favourites to set up the meeting with the co-hosts in Sydney.

Much-fancied Germany, who Sarina Wiegman’s side beat in the European Championship final at Wembley a year ago, were surprisingly dumped out of the tournament at the first hurdle after losing to Colombia and failing to beat South Korea.

South American champions Brazil went out at the same stage after they were held to a surprise goalless draw by Jamaica, making only their second World Cup appearance, in their final game.

And Mead called for England’s critics to put the team’s own performances, which have failed to convince at times despite seeing the side progress to a third straight semi-final, in the context of illustrious rivals who failed to overcome the emerging nations of women’s football.

“You’re never going to play a perfect game every game,” she told the PA news agency whilst attending a McDonald’s Fun Football session ahead of the semi-final. McDonald’s has given 50,000 children access to free football throughout the summer.

“In the Euros, we grew into the tournament and I think it’s the same at the moment.

“We didn’t play our best game in the first two matches and still came away with two victories, in comparison to Germany or Brazil who got knocked out in the group stage. You don’t need to be firing on all cylinders if you’re winning games and getting momentum.

“But fans have an expectation of us to be playing 10 out of 10 every time we get on the football pitch. Unfortunately that’s not football. The opposition make it hard for you.

“But the girls are in a good place. We’ve made it to a semi-final and haven’t actually played our best football. It’s exciting to know they can still get to another level against Australia.”

Mead, who won the Golden Boot as the Lionesses were victorious at Euro 2022 but was ruled out of the World Cup with an ACL injury, pointed to defender Alex Greenwood as England’s standout performer at the tournament so far.

The Manchester City player has made the most interceptions of any player involved across all teams competing in Australia and New Zealand as well as the most touches and the highest number of passes.

Against Australia she is set to start in a back three alongside Chelsea pair Jess Carter and captain Millie Bright, and Mead is hopeful that the club connection will help give them the edge over fellow Blue Sam Kerr.

Australia’s all-time top scorer made her first appearance of the tournament as a late substitute during the last-16 win against Denmark after missing the group stage with a calf injury, coming off the bench once more against France, and coach Tony Gustavasson has hinted she may be used as an impact substitute against the Lionesses.

“Whether Sam Kerr is fully fit or not, she only needs one chance to score a goal,” said Mead. “The England players know that, Millie Bright plays with her every week at Chelsea and knows the ability that she has.

“She’s a player that can stay concentrated and in the game for 90 minutes, we’ve learned that the hard way over the years.

“They’ll have her locked in their sights for the full game. We need to keep her under wraps, we can’t give her a sniff on goal.

“But Alex Greenwood has made more interceptions than any other player at the tournament. She’s got a wand of a left foot and is under-rated in this team.”

Of the continued growth and popularity of the women’s game in England she added: “You can see that by the fact that McDonalds Fun Football sessions are oversubscribed by 160 per cent, it’s great to see first-hand how the next generation have been galvanised by the team.”

Beth Mead admits not being included in England’s Women’s World Cup squad was “a tough pill to swallow” but is looking forward to cheering the Lionesses on throughout the tournament.

This year’s competition takes place in Australia and New Zealand, with Sarina Wiegman’s side kicking off their campaign against Haiti in Group D on July 22.

England will be without the injured Mead, who won the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament awards when they won the Euros last summer.

The Arsenal forward is continuing her recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last November and knew the turnaround to make the squad would be tight.

“When I did my knee I knew time was probably going a little bit against me,” Mead told the PA news agency.

“But it was my motivator through my rehab and I can honestly look myself in the mirror and go ‘I’ve done everything possible to get close to that’.

“Sarina was incredible, in fact she had a lot of conversations with me, kept me in the loop with everything and she said she would’ve loved to have me there, but it was meant to be a bit too soon.

“It was a tough pill to swallow, it’s a big tournament and you want to be there, I was in good form before my injury and you want to continue that into the big tournaments again.

“It wasn’t meant to be this time, I believe everything happens for a reason, but I’m looking forward to watching the girls and being number one cheerleader back home.

“It’s just a little bit of a different role for me this year.”

England’s preparations for the World Cup continued at the weekend as they were held to a 0-0 draw against Portugal, but Mead believes the game has offered more learning opportunities for the team.

“I think that’s why you play these kinds of teams, Portugal are a good team, they have the quality,” she said.

“In these games when it doesn’t go quite right they tampered the systems, tampered with individuals and where they’re playing.

“You learn more from these games than going out there and winning 6-0 or 7-0 so I think it’s good learning and a good pinpoint for them to build on ready to go to the World Cup.”

Mead is an ambassador for the McDonald’s Fun Football programme, the largest grassroots programme in the UK for five to 11-year-olds, where 250,000 children have had access to free football in the last 12 months.

She will be cheering England on from home as she continues to work her way back to fitness in time for the new Women’s Super League season.

The Lionesses star admits there have been “pros and cons” to recovering alongside her partner and Arsenal team-mate Vivianne Miedema, who also sustained an ACL injury just weeks after Mead.

Mead said: “Some days I want to absolutely rip her head off because she’s a pain in the bum and other days we understand what each other’s going through and we can help push each other through.

“I’m a month ahead of Viv, I’ve kind of been there and wore the t-shirt of what she’s doing now.

“I know when there’s days where things become difficult I can help her with or when I know how happy she is.

“She ran for the first time this week and she’s had a few complications so I know how amazing that day felt for her because a month earlier I’d just done it.”

The England forward is now relishing a long-awaited return to football and getting back to work with the Gunners next season.

“It’ll be very exciting to get on a pitch again but I’m excited to play alongside the girls again, getting involved,” she added.

“You find a new appreciation for football when you’ve been kept out of it for nine months.”

::Beth Mead was speaking at the largest ever McDonald’s Fun Football session to celebrate the landmark of over 250,000 children across the UK benefiting from access to free football this season. Sign up to a free session near you at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/football

England boss Sarina Wiegman says she was not prepared to take the risks with Beth Mead’s fitness after leaving her out of her squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Mead, who claimed the Golden Boot and player of the tournament award when the Lionesses won the Euros last summer, misses out after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November.

Asked if there was ever a chance the Arsenal winger could have been in the squad, Wiegman told a press conference: “No, I don’t think so.

“Beth is so positive and she’s going really well, but we said the time schedule she had, we would have taken so many risks to try to get her to the World Cup.

“Very early we said we’re not going to take that risk, I’m not willing to take that risk, to push her too much and then she gets injured again. We have to take care of players and do what’s smart, and not do what’s a little bit naive.”

There is a recall for in-form Bethany England, back involved for the first time since last September.

The forward has scored 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham after joining from Chelsea in January, and Wiegman said: “She was at Chelsea, she didn’t get the minutes.

“Then she made a move and started playing. Tottenham was having a hard time, but how she performed and how much resilience she showed – I think that’s what made us make the decision to get her in the squad.”

Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze, also sidelined of late, do feature in a 23-player list from which skipper Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby had already been ruled out due to injury.

Wiegman confirmed Bright is set to captain the side, and regarding her and Bronze’s recoveries from knee surgery, she said: “Lucy is fit and fully in training, and Millie is in a good place, so we’re positive.

“She’s still building but we have some time. We need to build a little more but it looks good.”

On Williamson’s absence after suffering an ACL injury of her own in April, Wiegman said: “Of course, most of all for her it’s very disappointing and sad, and that’s the same for Fran and for Beth Mead.

“But you have to move on too. This is unfortunately part of top sports, that you can get injured. You hope to make that risk as small as possible but it can happen and someone else steps up and it gives an opportunity.”

Jordan Nobbs is included despite sustaining an injury in Aston Villa’s penultimate game of the season, Katie Zelem has been brought back after not making the last squad in April, and there is no recall for Williamson’s predecessor as captain Steph Houghton.

Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier – who Wiegman said was “really close” to making the 23 – and Emily Ramsey have been named on standby.

Wiegman said there had been “hard decisions” and that while some players were missing through injury, she still feels “we have a very good squad, very good depth in the squad.”

England get their campaign at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand under way by facing Haiti in Brisbane on July 22, and will also take on Denmark and China in Group D.

Wiegman was also asked about the diversity of the squad in terms of there being 22 white players out of 23, and said: “Of course I understand that people look at it like that, and I really hope that will change, but that won’t change overnight.

“I know the FA is doing lots of things, with ‘Discover My Talent’, ‘Let Girls Play’, to get everyone who wants to play football, whatever background you have, or wherever you come from, that you have access to it.

“I think what our players did after the Euros, (asking to) have access in schools, which now had a big result, hopefully that brings more girls with different backgrounds into the game, so in the future we have more players from different backgrounds in the national team too. But for now I think that takes a little more time.”

Bethany England has been included in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup, while Beth Mead misses out.

Striker England, who has not been involved for her country since last September, is recalled after scoring 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham since joining them from Chelsea in January.

But there is no return for Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner and player of the tournament Mead, having lost her battle against time after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November.