SYDNEY (Reuters) – England Lioness Beth England once worked in a chip shop to help fund her soccer dreams, and says the contrast between then and now has made for some surreal moments during her Women’s World Cup debut.
The striker was first to score in the penalty shootout in the nerve-jangling last-16 win over Nigeria. England next take on Colombia in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Sydney.
“When I look back to working in the chippy, doing a shift until 5 a.m. and clearing up drunk people’s food or alcohol bottles, I’m now playing in a major tournament. That for me is very much a ‘pinch-me’ moment,” England told reporters on Thursday.”
England was playing for the Doncaster Blues at the time, in the early days of the WSL.
“Everyone has got their own way in which they got here,” she said. “I think it’s quite special because it’s really humbling as well that with things like that you are just a normal person, but then you come to a tournament like this and think ‘Wow, there are millions and millions of eyes watching me in these moments.’
“I have to make sure I’m at my best and ready . . . and it’s moments like that you can really treasure in your career.”
The 29-year-old was named to England’s World Cup squad after moving to Tottenham from Chelsea in January to try to get playing time.
The winner Saturday will face either Australia or France in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
England will be without forward Lauren James on Saturday after she received a red card for a stamp to the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie. James could receive a longer suspension, pending FIFA’s disciplinary review.
“Obviously I can imagine it’s a very difficult position for (James) to be in, but . . . it is not going to affect us in a way that we’re not defined by one player,” England said of the suspended Chelsea striker.
“It’s important everyone is there for her and as a team.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; editing by John Stonestreet)
