Lionesses take on Portugal in Milton Keynes

It's their last game before the highly anticipated Women's World Cup!

Author: Jack GoodwinPublished 2nd Jul 2023

England Lionesses will end their World Cup preparations in Milton Keynes tomorrow, playing their final friendly before the tournament at Stadium MK next month.

Sarina Wiegman’s side will take on Portugal before heading Down Under for the finals in Australia and New Zealand.

England's fixture with Portugal will feature the squad that was announced by Sarina Wiegman last Wednesday to represent England at the tournament.

They will be without their skipper, MK’s Leah Williamson, after she was ruled out with cruciate ligament damage a few months ago.

It is expected to be a packed-out stadium with plenty of people hoping to get a look at the Euros winning squad.

Woburn and Wavendon FC are a girl's football team based in Milton Keynes and their player Carrie Mancini thinks the Lionesses have played a huge part in the progression of women's football.

"In terms of peoples opinions and stereotypes of girls football I think it's done us a world of god.

"Why can't we just kick a ball around just because we're female, it's given us a real backbone and to see the success and the way football has grown over the years, it is great for the next generation."

Woburn and Wavendon have 12 girl junior teams in their ranks and Mancini has said that they are really looking forward to the game.

"The girls are going to love it, they're almost mesmerised by older females as role models and they will be grateful to just see women in a stadium and to see them live.

"With it being so local, it gives a great opportunity for people to go and watch it and show their support.

"From when I was younger, the appreciation and recognition has just grown and grown and I'm so happy that girls can now play sport without being laughed at and told they're not good enough."

The Lionesses start their World Cup campaign against Haiti on the 22nd of July.

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