Beth Mead dropped from England squad for Women's World Cup

According to reliable sources from Telegraph Sport, it has been revealed that Beth Mead, the talented Arsenal forward, will unfortunately be unable to participate in the upcoming Women’s World Cup this summer. The official squad announcement by England head coach Sarina Wiegman is scheduled for 2pm today. Mead’s absence from the tournament is a result of her previous injury, specifically a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that occurred in November. Following the injury, she underwent knee surgery in December.

The decision for Mead to sit out the World Cup has been made after careful consideration and discussions between Mead and Wiegman. Both parties have agreed that Mead’s long-term recovery and well-being should take precedence over rushing her back into competitive play. It was clear to Wiegman as early as April that Mead would need a miraculous recovery to be fit in time for the tournament. Despite Mead’s unwavering efforts to regain her fitness, the limited time frame made it impossible for her to fully recover.

Mead has expressed her understanding and appreciation for Wiegman’s approach. She spoke highly of Wiegman’s honest and constructive communication with players, even in difficult situations such as being left out of squads. Wiegman has been praised for her transparency and support.

Although the official squad announcement is yet to be made, there are not expected to be many surprises. One of the key decisions facing Wiegman is whether to include Bethany England, who has been in remarkable form for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring an impressive 12 goals in 12 Women’s Super League appearances since joining in the January transfer window. However, England has not featured for the national team in 2023, with her last appearance for the Lionesses dating back to September 2022. Despite being selected for the Euros last summer, she did not play and remained an unused substitute throughout the tournament.

Additionally, wingers Katie Robinson from Brighton and Nikita Parris from Manchester United are eagerly awaiting news on their inclusion in the squad. It is also speculated that one of the center-backs, Maya Le Tissier, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Esme Morgan, or Lucy Parker, may unfortunately miss out on being selected for the final squad.