England WU23s squad named for April internationals

England women's under-23s head coach Emma Coates has selected a 23-player squad to finish the 2024-25 campaign.

The Young Lionesses are heading to Spain to compete in the WU23 European competition finals, alongside the other nine nations who have taken part in the competition this season. After finishing outside of the top two in Group B, Coates’ side will play two fixtures as they look to secure the highest possible final ranking.

England will first play Spain on Thursday 3 April (6pm BST) and depending on the outcome of that match, the final fixture of the season will be against either Sweden or Belgium on Sunday 6 April with the kick-off time still to be confirmed.

The European competition was enhanced at the start of the 2024-25 season to implement a group stage and finals stage to provide more competitive playing opportunities for development players, with the aim of bridging the gap between pathway and senior international football.

Match One
WU23 European competition fixture
England v Spain
Murcia Stadium, Murcia, Spain
6pm, Thursday 3 April

Match Two
WU23 European competition fixture
England v Sweden or Belgium
Sunday 6 April
Location and kick-off time will be confirmed following the outcome of match one

“We’re really looking forward to taking part in the European ‘friendly’ Finals and joining the other nine nations for an exciting and competitive week of football," said Coates.

"The WU23s programme has grown a lot of the last few years, and these types of occasions are fantastic opportunities for our players. While it’s disappointing to not have a chance to compete for the title, it’s been another positive season with four WU23s players earning senior call ups.

"We have tough opponents ahead of us, we want to finish the season with two strong performances to secure the highest possible finish across the standings.”

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Eleanor Heeps (Tottenham Hotspur), Emily Orman (London City Lionesses), Kayla Rendell (Manchester United)

Defenders: Tara Bourne (Southampton), Anouk Denton (West Ham), Teyah Goldie (London City Lionesses, on loan from Arsenal), Naomi Layzell (Manchester City), Ella Morris (Tottenham Hotspur), Gracie Prior (Manchester City), Jessica Simpson (Bristol City, on loan from Manchester United)

Midfielders: Sarah Brasero (G.D. Estoril Praia), Ruby Grant (Bayer Leverkusen), Missy Bo Kearns (Aston Villa), Lexi Lloyd Smith (Bristol City), Olivia McLoughlin (Rangers), Malaika Meena (Bristol City)

Forwards: Mia Enderby (Liverpool), Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses, on loan from Arsenal), Missy Goodwin (Leicester City), Isobel Goodwin (London City Lionesses), Lenna Gunning-Williams (Tottenham Hotspur), Georgia Mullett (Southampton, on loan from Aston Villa), Katie Robinson (Aston Villa)