Chloe Kelly used to get the bus to Wembley on FA Cup final day, buy a programme and then get the bus home. She's just scored at Wembley in a Euros final. Drink it in.
Me as a 5-year-old: Dad, why do we have to support Hull?
Dad: Cause that's where we're from.
Me: Why can't we support a bigger club?
Dad: Because we're from Hull.
How every child should be raised.
Emma Hayes: 'My condolences are with Beth Mead. More importantly as a human being, what an extremely tough time that person is going through. I'm thinking about her today. Forget football. Today is about the football community being around her.'
More people watched the Lionesses’ victory over the Republic of Ireland on ITV1 than the combined audience for Arsenal and Manchester City’s Champions League games last night.
England’s game watched by an average of 1,479,000 viewers while Arsenal’s was 617,000 and City 685,000.
Young girls growing up in Spain watching this thinking why get involved in football if this is the future? Winning a World Cup should inspire a generation, but it’s being completely overshadowed and it’s shameful.
EXCL: Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea striker Beth England. Move believed to be worth £250k, surpassing the previous record between two WSL clubs. England said goodbyes to Chelsea team-mates on Friday. More here:
Emma Hayes: 'We need to develop the expertise, because as women we’re not small men. Anyone who starts working at Chelsea, we don’t let them have any interaction with the players until six weeks, until they have removed their own biases from coming from a male academy or team.'
🚨England vice-captain Mary Earps has hit out at Nike's 'hugely hurtful' decision not to sell her goalkeeper shirt for a second tournament running.
🔴Earps offered to fund the shirts herself
🔴Decision understood to be a commercial one
A lot of people not appreciating the sarcasm … point was the Spanish men’s team don’t have to put up with this, no chance their victory is tarnished, unlike the women…
A story from the England camp… Georgia Stanway’s suitcase got lost on the way to Marbella - her football boots were inside. She told this story at a press conference where Sarina Wiegman was also hearing it for the first time😅 this was the exchange..
Manchester United have had months to consult female players about Mason Greenwood. Idea that they have to wait until they’re back from the World Cup is ridiculous. Players should not be put in this position on the eve of a World Cup quarter-final.
Gianni Infantino said, to the women in the room: "Pick the right battles. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince us men what we have to do and what we don’t have to do. Just do it. With men, with Fifa, you'll find open doors. Just push the doors."
#fifawwc
🚨Mary Earps’ England goalkeeper shirt went on sale today and has already sold out.
🟢No announcement from Nike
🟢Three colours were available
🟢Some shirts re-selling for £200
🟢More set to be put on sale soon
Jim Ratcliffe choosing to be at Old Trafford for a game which, let’s be honest, has no bearing on the men’s season, rather than Wembley for an FA Cup final is a very poor decision imo. A big PR own goal too. Good luck messages is the bare minimum.
I’m not saying England win that game if Alex Greenwood starts, but for me she’s been the Lionesses’ best defender this season and her exclusion was puzzling.
Emma Hayes describes the officiating decisions tonight as 'painful'. Penalty was outside the box and believes Charles goal should have stood. 'I think we’ve been robbed of what should have been a 3-1 game.'
B*rton is a sad, pathetic excuse of a man. Not sharing that tweet because it shouldn’t have attention drawn to it. He’s the person that shouldn’t be anywhere near football - and he won’t be 👍🏻👍🏻
Several Manchester United first team players and manager Marc Skinner in attendance at Altrincham. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also here to watch daughter Karna. United have 3-1 lead from the first leg.
Think everyone who was at Molineux today will agree those nine minutes while Frida Maanum was on the floor was horrible to watch. Really glad she is doing ok and well done to all the medics who were quick on the scene. Some things are more important than football❤️
Hayes when asked whether she'll be sending a thank you to Jonas Eidevall, she jokingly says 'I've always loved Swedish players. I love Stina Blackstenius, I think she's a great striker.'
Emma Hayes on the disagreement with Jonas Eidevall: 'I’m not down for male aggression on the touchline. He got a yellow card and he should probably have been sent off. His behaviour on the touchline wasn’t acceptable.'
A word on Khiara Keating - 19 years of age, exceptional in goal for City today. Could do nothing about the equaliser. A future England No 1 you would think
Asked Emma Hayes yesterday whether the League needs to be better at scheduling games for teams in Europe. Chelsea got back at 4am on Thursday from Madrid & play today at 12.30.
‘You would think but maybe they want a different winner this year’ - said with a wry smile I must add
305 - Alex Greenwood has completed 305 passes at the 2023
#FIFAWWC
, the most of any player; this includes 56 line-breaking passes, which is also the most of any player. Incisive.
In FIFA’s findings into their case against Luis Rubiales, president of the FA Debbie Hewitt is quoted as saying that he ‘cupped and stroked’ the face of the Laura Coombs and then he ‘seemingly forcefully kissed’ Lucy Bronze.
🚨The entire management committee of the Women’s National League have resigned.
Comes after row over starting the season on the same day as the World Cup final. The FA will now take control of running the leagues.
Story with
@MattHughesDM
Emma Hayes says Mayra Ramirez only did half a training session yesterday... 'I looked at her, she looked at me, I said "you ready?" She said "I'm ready". She was sensational.'
For context, you've got the 3rd, 4th and 5th FIFA ranked teams in the world in the same group. Only two qualify automatically, with the other two facing play-offs.
Stanway: 'Leah rounded us all up this week. We weren’t satisfied with the way it’s been. We need to up our level. We know it will take an even better, faster, more physically stronger and more technical team to win the Euros next year. Today is a massive step in right direction.'
EXCL: England’s Lionesses set to be given a fly-on-the-wall documentary ahead of the Women’s World Cup this summer. BBC, ITV, Amazon and Disney+ all believed to be interested in securing the rights.
So Stoke City have effectively been shamed into paying for the treatment costs of one of their women’s team players. It shouldn’t have to take this, lessons have not been learned.
An aside to last night's game, it was madness that England could not use a concussion substitue when Alex Greenwood went off with a head injury because UEFA do not permit them. Sarina Wiegman said rules should be the same across all competitions and that consistency is needed.
Wow. Alex Greenwood shown a second yellow card for 'time-wasting'. She took 22 seconds to take a free-kick. Whole stadium in disbelief. Chloe Kelly then shown a yellow card for dissent. City have to see out this game with 10.
Chelsea board member Barbara Charone is here in Barcelona. Will be only the third time she’s missed a men’s Chelsea game at Wembley in 40 years, but she made the decision to come and watch the women’s Champions League semi-final instead.
Emma Hayes on the crowd of 14,776 being smaller than last time Chelsea played Spurs at the Bridge: 'I think £12 is reasonable. We want to play here more so we have to be able to pay the bills to turn the lights on because it costs about £300,000 to open this stadium.'
The moment Bayer Leverkusen were crowned German champions for the first time ever.
Fans had invaded the pitch at 4-0 … when the fifth went in the referee decided to call full-time. Scenessss
Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead are two of several stars fronting a new player-led mental health movement with Common Goal.
🗣️Miedema opened up on how she suffered from panic attacks and why getting help at Arsenal is the proudest moment of her career.
There is absolutely no way you can say Alex Greenwood was time-wasting there. She’s gone to take a free-kick long and a Chelsea player has blocked the run, so she’s stopped and gone short. Officials need to apply common sense.
If ever there was a sign that Arsenal may be out-growing Borehamwood’s Meadow Park, there are children in the press box because there’s no seats left …
Arsenal crash out of the Champions League on penalties. You can talk about how tough having these qualifiers so soon after a WC is, about the lack of preparation etc - but the three goals Arsenal conceded were so, so poor.
You have to wonder how this may affect Arsenal’s pursuit of Mary Earps. The goalkeeper has made it clear she wants to play Champions League football. Manchester United still have to qualify for the groups, of course.
For the first time since arriving in Qatar I feared for my safety. I was doing my job by filming a dangerous unfolding situation outside Ghana v Uruguay when I was told by security to delete all footage or face arrest.
If you ever needed convincing about how mental the women’s football calendar is…
Georgia Stanway won’t travel to the Netherlands for the friendly because she’s already started pre-season preparations with Bayern Munich. She’ll join up with England next Monday 🤯
Australian fans have been buying up tickets in the official England supporters' end for Wednesday's World Cup semi-final after the access code was leaked on social media. Fans bragging they will be 'proudly wearing Matildas shirts'.
Barcelona's Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze could be involved in the Champions League final on May 25, then England internationals between May 29 and June 4, then club fixtures until June 14 and then more internationals from July 8-16. It's madness.
Still think Alex Greenwood is incredibly unlucky not to be starting. A lot of competition of course but has had a consistent season and I do think England miss her passing - and also having a natural left-footer in the back four.
The family of Maddy Cusack have tonight released a heart-breaking tribute which says her spirit was 'allowed to be broken by football.'
They have also confirmed that Sheffield United are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
Story:
🚨 Manchester United are trying to sign Barcelona forward Geyse. Understand the talented Brazilian is one of their top targets to replace Alessia Russo.
Both Emma Hayes and Vivianne Miedema calling for undersoil heating. Both Chelsea and Arsenal have the money to instal it if they want or play games in winter at men’s stadium if no clash. AFC Wimbledon Women game went ahead at 2pm at the men’s stadium🤷🏼♀️
Emma Hayes on Chelsea's defeat at Arsenal: 'That’s as bad as I’ve seen us for a long time. If we want to compete we have to be better than that. The better team won by a country mile. They bullied us. I thought all phases of our play was poor.'
Arsenal have confirmed their squad for their post-season trip to Australia.
🏴From an England perspective:
Alessia Russo ✅
Leah Williamson❌
Beth Mead ❌
Lotte Wubben-Moy❌
Not ideal for Lionesses to have Russo making that long trip before two big games v France.
‘For my own family, friends and loved ones not to be able to buy my shirt, they’re just going to come out and wear normal clothes.'
Some fans have bought outfield shirts with 'Earps 1' on the back but this does not sit will with her either.
Same situation for US and Australia.
🚨England vice-captain Mary Earps has hit out at Nike's 'hugely hurtful' decision not to sell her goalkeeper shirt for a second tournament running.
🔴Earps offered to fund the shirts herself
🔴Decision understood to be a commercial one
🚨Newcastle United women will be full-time and professional from next season. The first time a club in the third tier will do so. A huge statement of intent.