Leah Williamson will make her first start for England in nearly a year when they face the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old has not featured for the Lionesses since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in April 2023, which forced her to miss last summer’s World Cup.
She was included in Sarina Wiegman’s squad for England’s European Championship 2025 qualifiers this month and was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw against Sweden last Friday.
Wiegman confirmed in her press conference on Monday that Williamson would start in their upcoming fixture.
Williamson said: “Who I am on the pitch, who you’ve always seen on the pitch is exactly what I was off the pitch. I don’t think I was a calming presence for anyone during the World Cup, especially.
“I’ve enjoyed watching the girls. I’ve enjoyed being a part of that journey in a different way. I’ve got people that play for the team that are very important to me. It has been a difficult journey. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t the thing that I’d had my focus on. This is where I wanted to get back to. I wanted to be good enough to get back into this squad. I had some of the best memories of my life as part of this team.
