Toone's Greece snub boosts her World Cup hopes — SkimNews
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- Ella Toone was dropped from England's squad for the World Cup play-off games against Greece after struggling for form at the start of the season with Manchester United.
- Sarina Wiegman admitted Toone's performances had not met the expected standard and challenged the midfielder to respond both on and off the field.
- Toone traveled to Spain to train rather than rest, then received a recall call from Wiegman — grateful for the chance even if it means a bench role.
- Wiegman said big games "aren't the time for rotation," signaling that Toone's experience will count once she rediscovers her best club form.
- England's midfield competition has deepened with 20-year-old Lexi Potter at Chelsea, 18-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson starting in the NWSL, and Lucia Kendall, Laura Blinkilde Brown, and Grace Clinton (WSL winners with Manchester City) all pushing for places.
- Wiegman plans to take her trusted lieutenants to Brazil next summer for what would be her final major tournament before stepping down as England head coach.
Why it matters: Toone's recall preserves a trusted veteran option for Wiegman as England build toward next summer's World Cup in Brazil, where the coach wants her experienced core available before stepping down. A new generation — Potter, Parkinson, Kendall, Clinton, and Blinkilde Brown — is pressing the established trio of Toone, Keira Walsh, and Georgia Stanway, raising the bar for selection.
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