Sarina Wiegman names Lionesses squad for crunch Spain clash as key player returns

FootballSports
19 May 2026 • 7:58 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Sarina Wiegman names Lionesses squad for crunch Spain clash as key player returns

  • England manager Sarina Wiegman has recalled midfielder Ella Toone to the Lionesses' squad for the upcoming Women's World Cup qualifiers, marking her first appearance since November after recovering from a hip injury.
  • Wiegman expressed optimism about Toone's return, noting she “looks good”, but indicated that decisions on her playing time and starting line-ups are yet to be made, acknowledging some players might be short on match fitness.
  • Defender Lucy Bronze is also included in the 25-player squad despite recent foot injury concerns, with Wiegman maintaining confidence in the quality of her selected players even if some have had limited recent game time.
  • The Lionesses will travel to Majorca to face current world champions Spain on 5 June, where a draw would be sufficient to secure their qualification for next year's World Cup, following their perfect record of four wins from four qualifiers.
  • Wiegman emphasised the team's proactive approach, stating their primary goal is to “play to win” against Spain and improve upon previous performances, with a subsequent match against Ukraine scheduled four days later.

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