England U-23's Squad Announced

Head Coach Emma Coates has named her 24-player squad who will prepare for the two upcoming fixtures against the Netherlands and Portugal.

England’s WU23s will begin by traveling to the Netherlands for their first fixture. They will face the Netherlands WU23s on Thursday 24th October. The team will then host Portugal’s WU23s on Tuesday 29th October at Croud Meadow Stadium, the home of Shrewsbury Town. The home fixture will kick off at 17:30 BST and tickets are now on sale.

The Young Lionesses previously faced the Netherlands in Marbella in February where they were able to come away with a 1-1 draw in the friendly. The Young Lionesses previously faced Portugal in October 2023, where they were able to come away with a 2-0 victory at the Joie Stadium. 

Emma Coates has been working with other European Nations, over the summer, to give the Young Lionesses a more competitive experience and give them the opportunity to feel the added pressure whilst playing and wearing an England shirt. 

In the past year, four players from the WU23s have transitioned into the senior team, with three of them making their senior debuts. Coates finds it important that they continue to develop the WU23s players, to help them transition into the senior team in the future.

The Selected Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Emma Coates has selected her four talented young goalkeeper’s for the two upcoming friendlies in October, these are Fran Bentley (Bristol City),  Katie Cox (Chelsea) and Kayla Rendell (Southampton) and Fran Stenson (Southampton).   

Defenders:

Coates has selected her seven talented young defender’s for the two upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and Portugal in October, these are Brooke Aspin (On loan to Crystal Palace from Chelsea), Tara Bourne(Southampton), Anouk Denton (West Ham), Teyah Goldie(On loan to London City Lionesses from Arsenal), Freya Gregory (Southampton), Lucy Parry (Liverpool) and Hannah Silcock (Liverpool). 

Midfielders:

Coates has selected her seven talented young midfielders for the two upcoming friendlies in October. These are, Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Ruby Grant (Bk Hacken), Missy Bo Kearns (Aston Villa), Lucia Kendall (Southampton), Olivia McLoughlin (Rangers), Ruby Mace (Leicester City), Maisie Symonds (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Forwards: 

Coates has selected her six talented young forwards for the two upcoming friendlies in October. These are, Michelle Agyemang (On loan to Brighton & Hove Albion, from Arsenal), Mia Enderby (Liverpool), Isobel Goodwin (London City Lionesses), Lenna Gunning-Williams (Tottenham Hotspur), Katie Robinson (Aston Villa) and Missy Goodwin (Leicester City)

Further Information:

Kayla Rendell, Missy Bo Kearns, and Jess Naz were all on standby for the Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifiers. Both Jess Naz and Aggie Beever-Jones from the WU23s have since made their debut for the senior team. 

Lucy Thomas is missing from Coates squad selection. She represented the WU23s in their international fixture against Sweden in April. Thomas was first called into the senior squad by Sarina Wiegman as a standby player for the Euro 2025 qualifying fixtures, before an injury of Mary Earps saw her join the senior team for their game with France. Thomas is missing on both the senior and WU23s squads. 

Ella Morris,Poppy Pattinson, Mia Ross and Kiera Skeels are four defenders who played the international fixture against Sweden in April and are also missing within the squad, being replaced by Brooke Aspin, Teyah Goldie and Lucy Parry. Molly Pike is missing from the list of midfielders,for the two upcoming fixtures. Ebony Salmon is missing from the squad, with Isabelle Goodwin, Michelle Agyemang, Mia Enderby and Lenna Gunning-Williams.

Teyah Goldie has made her way back into the WU23 squad for the upcoming two friendlies, after tearing her ACL for the second time in August 2023. She has worked tirelessly for the past 14 months, training and completing recovery, to allow her to get back to her top form. The defender has gone out on loan to London City Lionesses, so she can start getting more minutes, to allow her to reach her top form and be part of squad selection for the WU23s. So far, Teyah Goldie has featured in all six of the games so far this season in the FA WSL 2, starting five of the games and starting on the bench in one game. 

Aston Villa midfielder,Miss Bo Kearns is the current captain of England WU23s. She featured in a behind-closed-doors training  fixture against the Netherlands in , alongside some of her former WU23s teammates and the senior England players.  Kearns was named in the stand-by squad for the England senior team for their UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying fixtures in summer 2024. She has captained the EnglandWU23s side since September 2023. With other young players such as Khiara Keating, Grace Clinton, Jess Naz and Aggie Beever-Jones receiving their senior call-ups, Kearns is the next player on many people’s lists to get the call-up from Sarina Wiegman. Coates is working with her young players on the WU23s team to ensure that they are given a more competitive experience which will be hugely important for their development. Coates aims to keep developing these young lionesses, to allow them to soon follow in the steps of their former WU23s teammates who have made the transition into the senior team. 

Chelsea’s Katie Cox joins the 24-player squad as a training player. The 18 year old goalkeeper has been representing England WU19s, but has been selected by Coates to train alongside the WU23s, to get more experience, which will enhance her goalkeeping skills, by working alongside the likes of Fran Bentley, Kayla Rendell and Fran Stenson.

Lenna Gunning-Williams has joined the England WU23s. For the 19 year old, this is the first time that she has been involved in any set-up for England. She stated “It’s really nice that people outside of Spurs are seeing the hard work I’m putting in. I have to use this as a confidence boost as well, knowing that I’ve got something about me and I just need to keep working and trying to move forward.”

For both Mia Enderby and Lucy Parry, the October squad selection gives the two young players the opportunity to show their talent, and impress Head Coach Emma Coates. 20 year old Lucy Parry has been representing England WU19s, and this is the first opportunity she has been given to represent England WU23s, after turning 20 in May. 19 year old Mia Enderby has been called up to represent England WU23s after representing England WU19s since 2022.