International roundup: 12 United Women players in senior action for their countries
England, Norway, Netherlands and Canada were just some of the national teams United players have represented over the past week.
United fans have been asking for some time why Maya Le Tissier is not a starting centre-back for England and that has only been fuelled further this month, with Sarina Wiegman under increasing scrutiny for what is difficult-to-justify faith in Leah Williamson and Millie Bright.
The Lionesses were described as “chaotic” in one newspaper report following a 4-3 friendly defeat against Germany at Wembley, while a narrow 2-1 victory over South Africa in Coventry was hardly much better and still featured costly errors.
Le Tissier next to former United skipper Alex Greenwood would be the in-form and most balanced pairing heading into the Euro 2025 next summer. But Maya, largely spared the Germany disaster, was handed just the final eight minutes plus stoppage time at right-back, a position she hasn’t played at club level for more than two years. It was, however, her first England appearance at Wembley.
With Wiegman persisting with Williamson but drafting in Greenwood against South Africa a few days later, Le Tissier then started that one on the right. She did, however, have a significant part to play in an attacking sense, crossing to United colleague Grace Clinton to score what proved to be the winner.
Clinton, undeniably one of the WSL’s standout players so far this season, didn’t feature at all against Germany, left an unused substitute. But she started in the number eight shirt against South Africa and generally impressed – by the end, Grace had topped the BBC’s player of the match ratings.
Ella Toone replaced her just over an hour into that game. Tooney had started against Germany at Wembley but was withdrawn at half-time on a tough night, although she did set up what proved to be a disallowed offside goal for close friend and ex-clubmate Alessia Russo.
At Under-19 level, Lucy Newell started both of England’s Algarve Cup wins over Netherlands and Norway. United’s newest professional captained the side in the first game, playing just over an hour of the 3-1 victory, returning to the lineup against Norway but with the armband passed on. Academy talent Holly Deering was a late addition to the squad and appeared off the bench in both games.
Hayley Ladd’s Wales are potentially just two games away from reaching their first ever major tournament after a two-legged victory over Slovakia in the first round of Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs. Ladd anchored a three-player defence in both games across 210 minutes, with Wales narrowly losing 2-1 in the scenic Slovak city of Poprad, but winning 2-0 in extra-time in front of 10,000 people in Cardiff. United goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel was an unused substitute.
For Wales to reach the Euros in Switzerland next summer, they will have to navigate a second two-legged play-off against the Republic of Ireland. They made lighter work of their first round tie, beating Georgia 9-0 on aggregate. Aoife Mannion started both games, the first at right-back and even marking it with her first ever international goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time in Tbilisi. There was a positional shift in Dublin, playing one half as part of a back three.
A hellish 2023/24 defined by an ACL injury stopped her blossoming career in its tracks, but Emma Watson was recalled to the Scotland squad for their Euro 2025 first round play-off against Hungary. The teenage midfielder is yet to play for United more than a year after joining from Rangers, having also suffered a training knock in the early weeks of this season, but she replaced Caroline Weir in the 76th minute of both games to play her first competitive football in well over a year. Finland next month stand between Scotland and a place at the Euros.
Supporters have dubbed United ‘Norway FC’ once again this season thanks to Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet swelling the Norwegian ranks alongside Lisa Naalsund. Only Bizet featured as Norway played their Euro 2025 qualifier first leg away from home against Albania, playing the final half hour of the 5-0 win. Naalsund and Terland both then started the return, which became a 9-0 victory to feed a 14-0 aggregate score-line. Teri was much deeper than the ‘number nine’ she has played so far in a United shirt, but Naalsund was on the scoresheet and Bizet got an assist from the bench after replacing Lyon superstar Ada Hegerberg at half-time. Former United fan favourite Vilde Boe Risa also picked up four assists and a goal over the two games. Next month comes Northern Ireland.
Like England, Netherlands secured their Euro 2025 place during the first phase of qualifying that concluded during the summer. That meant two friendlies this month, winning 15-0 in a hugely one-sided game against Indonesia and then taking a 2-1 victory in a more evenly matched contest against Denmark. Dominique Janssen played 90 minutes at centre-back in both games, a different role than she has played since moving to Manchester from Wolfsburg.
The injury that has ruled Jayde Riviere out of United’s last two games meant she was missing from Canada’s squad for their glamour friendly against reigning world champions Spain. Simi Awujo started in midfield and played until half-time – she is becoming an increasingly regular fixture of the starting XI which bodes well looking far ahead in the 2027 World Cup cycle. Canada took the lead early in the second half after she had gone off, while Ona Batlle assisted Spain’s 89th minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw. It was just the one game for the Canadians.
No international action
Melvine Malard is still out of the picture when it comes to France selection, not called up since December last year, while Millie Turner lost her place in the latest England squad following Lionesses involvement during the summer. Anna Sandberg would likely have added to her handful of Sweden caps but for the knee issue that has so far delayed her United debut, and Geyse was unable to link up with Brazil back home due to her own injury problem. Hinata Miyazawa was not part of a Japan squad with heavy WSL representation for their special exhibition ‘Blue Dream Match’ against South Korea in Tokyo.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Leah Galton, Gabby George, Rachel Williams, Jess Simpson and Keira Barry also had no international commitments this month.