Ella Toone has received a late call into the England squad for this month’s Women’s World Cup play-off ties against Greece.
Manchester United midfielder Toone, and Arsenal winger Chloe Kelly, were omitted from the initial squad with manager Sarina Wiegman saying “they have not played to their potential in my opinion in the last couple of weeks”.
Toone has scored 24 goals in 69 senior England appearances, winning Euro 2022 and Euro 2025 as well as starting in England’s 2023 World Cup final defeat by Spain.
Toone said after being left out of the squad: “It’s been a really difficult week. It’s not the news that any footballer wants.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze has left the squad and will return to her club to manage a minor injury sustained in league action last weekend against West Ham.
The Lionesses arrived in Crete on Wednesday evening to prepare for Friday’s first leg against Greece at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion.
The second leg takes place at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium on Tuesday, 13 October.
The winners face either Slovakia or Ukraine on 26 November and 5 December in a two-legged play-off to decide which team progresses to next year’s Women’s World Cup, which is being held in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July.