Wiegman praises Toone’s response after late England recall for Greece World Cup playoff

Sarina Wiegman praised Ella Toone after recalling the Manchester United midfielder to England’s squad for the first leg of the Women’s World Cup playoff against Greece in Heraklion, Crete on Friday; Toone had been left out of the initial selection.

Toone was omitted from the squad when Wiegman named it but was added after an injury to Lucy Bronze, which Wiegman described as “really small”, prompted Bronze to return to Chelsea. Wiegman said she had left out Toone and Chloe Kelly because “the levels weren’t what I expect from them on the pitch”. Toone travelled to Greece on Friday from Spain, where she had organised a training routine during the international window. She has 69 caps and has scored 24 goals, including in the Euro 2022 final and the 2023 World Cup semi-final.

After starting Manchester United’s victory over Liverpool on Saturday, Toone responded publicly to her omission, telling the BBC: “It’s about me now. I’ve got to keep working hard and use it as fuel to come back even better.”

Asked whether she had been impressed with Toone’s reaction, Wiegman said: “Yes, very much. I think when I gave her the call, of course that was a hard call. But she took that straight away. Of course [she was] very disappointed, but the first thing she did [was say]: ‘OK, I’m going to get back, I’m going to do that.’ She has the support around her too.”

Wiegman also referenced Toone’s post-match remarks and the way she prepared in Spain, saying: “That answer in the game, also the way she spoke about it, I thought that was really good. And then getting everything ready to go to Spain instead, but go for training there, I think that really impressed me. Well done, I would say.”

Toone’s experience was understood to have been a factor in Wiegman selecting her rather than calling up a replacement right-back; she could feature in the tie. Wiegman named an intended 4-2-3-1 formation with Hampton; Le Tissier, Morgan, Williamson, Greenwood; Stanway, Walsh; Mead, James, Hemp; Russo.

To qualify for next summer’s finals in Brazil, England must overcome Greece and then win another two-leg playoff against either Slovakia or Ukraine in December; the draw for the World Cup will follow on 11 December. Greece have never qualified for a major tournament and, described in the selection report as major underdogs against England, were expected to set up in a low, defensive shape.

Greece v England is scheduled for the Pankritio Stadium on Friday at 5.30pm BST, with the return leg set for Tuesday in Leicester.