What’s at stake for United Women players on international duty?
Manchester United have 14 players on senior international duty across a number of friendly fixtures and the final round of Euro 2025 qualifying.
Here it is, the final international break of 2024.
England at Wembley
It doesn’t get much bigger in women’s international football than facing the United States, and Wembley Stadium looks as though it will be close to full for the glamour friendly – an estimated 80,000 tickets had been sold 10 days before the game against the reigning Olympic champions.
The return of Emma Hayes to England for the first time since leaving Chelsea in May has only brought added intrigue to the fixture.
United have three representatives in Sarina Wiegman’s squad. Grace Clinton is the most likely to get minutes, a contender to start in midfield – especially with Ella Toone absent through injury.
For Gabby George, being selected is a huge achievement in itself. She has only been back playing regularly since the start of October after recovering from a second career ACL injury but is already perhaps the best English left-back on current form. Whether that is enough to get her straight into the starting XI against the United States remains to be seen, but minutes against Switzerland in the follow-up friendly at Bramall Lane a few days later is on the cards.
Millie Turner may struggle to displace Leah Williamson, Millie Bright or Alex Greenwood in the Wembley fixture, but again will be more hopeful of a run-out against Switzerland.
Maya Le Tissier, diagnosed with concussion in the wake of United’s narrow defeat to Chelsea, initially returned to Carrington for assessment under the ‘return to play' protocol. She was never actually withdrawn from the squad, even with Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy called up as an apparent replacement after being ruled out of the US game. Le Tissier has since gone back to St George’s Park to link up with the England squad again. She remains under concussion protocol and still won’t play at Wembley, but could be involved against Switzerland. Obviously, no risks will be taken, but from a United perspective, fans might have preferred her to sit out this international break altogether.
USWNT debut? Not yet but soon…
Phallon Tullis-Joyce has been one of the stars of the WSL so far this season and her form has been deservedly rewarded with a place in the United States squad that will face England at Wembley, before onward travel to the Netherlands for another friendly there.
This international break has coincided with long-serving No.1 Alyssa Naeher announcing her retirement from US duty, so these games will double as a farewell to the 113-cap veteran. It limits the possibility that Tullis-Joyce will actually play, but there is a major opportunity to impress in training during this camp as there is no clear successor to Naeher already lined up.
Mandy Haught of Utah Royals is the other goalkeeper in the current squad but has been capped only once. Of those previously called up within the last year, Jane Campbell has eight caps and Aubrey Kingsbury has two. Casey Murphy has played 20 times since 2021 and was the one who had looked most likely to step into Naeher’s shoes but didn’t make the squad this month.
Euro 2025 qualifying
There are four countries with United representation involved in the final stage of qualifying for Euro 2025, with seven two-legged play-offs to determine the last seven teams in the tournament.
Two of those nations are up against each other as a Wales squad featuring Hayley Ladd and Safia Middleton-Patel take on Aoife Mannion’s Republic of Ireland. Wales are aiming to reach their first ever major international tournament, while Ireland are targeting a maiden European Championship after reaching the World Cup in 2023 – Mannion cruelly missed that tournament injured.
Emma Watson is part of the Scotland squad that must overcome Finland if they are to return to the Euros, having missed out in 2022. Only three places separate them in the FIFA rankings so it stands to be a tight affair.
Norway are also involved in the qualifying play-offs, heavy favourites against Northern Ireland. Only Celin Bizet is included in the squad, with United’s ‘Norway FC’ contingent depleted by injuries to both Lisa Naalsund and Elisabeth Terland.
Other friendlies
With more than half of Canada’s 23-player squad based at clubs in Europe, it feels like Spain has become an unofficial home. Having played two unofficial pre-Olympics warm-ups in Marbella in July and then against Spain in Almendralejo last month, Murcia will be the site for friendlies against Iceland and South Korea. Simi Awujo and Jayde Riviere are both in the squad.
Players will be hoping to let football do the talking after the recent confirmed removal of FIFA-suspended head coach Bev Priestman, as well as allegations of deeper-running systemic issues highlighting a “past pattern of unacceptable culture” following an independent review into the summer’s spying scandal.
With Netherlands already assured of their place at Euro 2025, Dominique Janssen is part of a squad geared up for home friendlies against China and the United States.
Meanwhile, Melvine Malard’s start to the season has seen her return to the France squad for the first time in a year, selected for their friendlies against Nigeria and Spain.
Anything else to report?
Having only just returned from injury, Anna Sandberg hasn’t yet been recalled by Sweden. Geyse is still not back in the Brazil fold for their friendly double header in Australia, which may be a blessing in disguise given the mammoth travel commitments that would be involved.
At junior international level, teenage defender Lucy Newell is part of the England Under-19 squad playing three European Championship qualifiers in the space of a week against Turkey, Italy Poland.