- Voting is now open for the World 11 – the only global player award decided exclusively by footballers
- Many England players impressed at the Women’s World Cup as Lionesses reached first final
- We take a look at five English stars who may have caught the eyes of their fellow professionals
Many England players impressed on the global stage as the Lionesses broke new ground by reaching their first Women’s World Cup final.
With voting now open for the 2023 FIFA FIFPRO World 11, it’s fair to say that England internationals – along with their Spanish counterparts – could feature heavily in the team of the year.
The decision of who makes the World 11 ultimately rests with the players, with professionals voting for their peers based on performances for the period 1 August 2022 to 20 August 2023. FIFPRO looks at five Lionesses who could potentially reach the World 11.
Mary Earps
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Age: 30
- Previous World 11 appearances: 0
Mary Earps was awarded the Golden Glove at Australia & New Zealand 2023 in recognition of being the tournament’s best goalkeeper. The stopper kept three clean sheets and made a number of fine saves throughout the tournament, including saving a penalty in the final.
Only four goalkeepers have ever been named in the Women’s World 11: Hope Solo (USA), Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden), Sari van Veenendaal (Netherlands) and Christiane Endler (Chile). Will Earps be the fifth name on the list? Players around the globe will decide.
Alex Greenwood
- Position: Defender
- Age: 30
- Previous World 11 appearances: 0
Though she spent much of EURO 2022 on the bench, Alex Greenwood was a pivotal member of England’s defence during the Women’s World Cup and one of her country’s leading players. A former left-back who has transitioned into a left-sided centre-back, Greenwood is a calming influence for her team-mates – yet her imposing presence on the pitch serves as a headache for opposing forwards.
Greenwood was ever-present at centre-back during England’s Australia & New Zealand 2023 campaign and helped her side to three clean sheets.
Lucy Bronze
- Position: Defender
- Age: 32
- Previous World 11 appearances: 5
Only France's Wendie Renard has more FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11 appearances than Lucy Bronze. The England defender has been voted into the last five World 11 teams by her fellow professionals.
Bronze’s consistency competing at the very top showed once again at Australia & New Zealand 2023, as the attack-minded right-back was one of her country’s key players throughout the tournament.
Alessia Russo
- Position: Forward
- Age: 24
- Previous World 11 appearances: 0
Australia & New Zealand 2023 was a debut Women’s World Cup to remember for Alessia Russo. England's No23 demonstrated why she is among the world’s leading centre-forwards with particularly impressive performances in the knockout stage.
Russo’s winner against Colombia in the quarter-finals ensured England’s passage to the final four, where she once again found the net against co-hosts Australia as England reached the showpiece decider.
Lauren James
- Position: Forward
- Age: 22
- Previous World 11 appearances: 0
Though she missed the quarter-finals and semi-finals through suspension, Lauren James still made quite the impression at her debut World Cup. The England forward, who made her senior international debut less than a year ago, picked up two Player of the Match awards during the group stage, bagged three goals, and finished joint-top of the tournament’s assist chart (three).
A red card against Nigeria in the Round of 16 ruled out James for most of the knockouts, but will her stellar group stage showing be enough to see her into the World 11? The players will decide.
