Sarina Wiegman: Lionesses’ Door Never Closed Despite Low Chances of Steph Houghton’s World Cup participation

Sarina Wiegman, the coach for England’s World Cup squad, has admitted that it is unlikely former captain Steph Houghton will feature in the team due to her injury-prone history, but she has not ruled out the possibility entirely. The 34-year-old’s provisional participation in the Euro 2022 tournament didn’t lead to her selection. While Houghton hasn’t given up hope, she wants closure and has done her best to increase her chances of inclusion. Wiegman acknowledges it’s hard, as there is strong competition for places within the England team, although never entirely shutting the door for players who may make a comeback. Nevertheless, Wiegman has demonstrated her respect for Houghton’s contributions to the women’s football community and Man City. In relation to the upcoming match against the Australian team, ranked tenth in the world, Wiegman plans on the same line-up as their previous match against Brazil and anticipates a challenging game.