England's Morgan relieved at first World Cup call-up

Esme Morgan was relieved when England manager Sarina Wiegman rang with news of her Women's World Cup call-up after the defender came back last year from a season-ending injury.

The 22-year-old, who has been capped five times for the Lionesses since her October 2022 debut, had missed most of the previous season's campaign for her club Manchester City and England's triumphant European Championship campaign.

"I had an underlying confidence that I had done enough (to be called-up)," Morgan told The Guardian, while acknowledging some doubts. "There was a little part of me that just felt complete relief eventually when I did get the call.

"There's so many ups and downs because at the start of my rehab, I wanted to make the Euros, which in hindsight was never realistic at all.

"But as soon as I was back from that and I felt good in myself, I had my eyes set on the World Cup. I thought, 'I just want to get a good consistent season of football with City, try and stay fit and hopefully break into the England squad'.

Morgan said the time off had refreshed her mentally.

"It was maybe a blessing in disguise in changing my perspective a little bit," she added of the time taken to recover from a lower leg fracture.

The Lionesses, who won bronze in Canada in 2015 and came fourth four years ago in France, begin their World Cup campaign on July 22 against Haiti in Brisbane. They will also face Denmark and China in Group D.