Sarina Wiegman has handed Beth Mead her first Lionesses call-up since November 2022 ahead of December’s crunch Nations League fixtures.
The 28-year-old earned her 50th cap in a 4-0 win over Japan on November 11 last year, but ruptured her ACL during the Gunners’ 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates just over a week later.
Speaking in October, Wiegman said Mead was “in a good place, but not close to an England call”, yet she has since returned for her club since and made her first start in exactly 12 months during Sunday’s 3-0 win at Brighton.
Manchester City pair Ellie Roebuck and Jess Park, as well Aston Villa’s Lucy Parker were selected in October, but miss out on this occasion, with Tottenham’s Grace Clinton and Manchester City’s Khiara Keating retaining their places as they wait for their senior international debuts.
The Lionesses face the Netherlands at Wembley on Friday December 1, before travelling to Hampden Park to face Scotland on Tuesday December 5.
Wiegman’s side currently sit third in Group A1, but as the nominated nation who can secure Team GB’s qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics, to do so, they must top the group and reach the Nations League final.
More to follow…
England squad in full
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City).
Defenders: 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).
Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Tottenham), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United).
Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal).
What Lionesses need to do to progress
England’s destiny to get to the Nations League finals is out of their hands following a 3-2 defeat by Belgium last month.
They will need to top the group to go through to the Nations League semi-finals. To guarantee to make it through to next year’s Olympic Games, they wull have to go through to the final of the Nations League.
England need to win both of their remaining group games to stand any chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Follow Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses squad press conference across Sky Sports News and Sky Sports’ digital platforms from 11.30am Tuesday.
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