Jess Carter is loving life in England’s Euro 2022 camp after an ‘insane’ tournament opener at Old Trafford.
The Lionesses got their campaign off to a perfect start with a 1-0 over Austria in front of over 68,000 supporters.
Beth Mead’s first-half strike earned Sarina Wiegman’s side all three points as attention now turns to Norway in Brighton on Monday night.
And Chelsea defender Carter, 24, says she’s savouring every second of her first major tournament on home soil.
She said: “I’m really excited about the tournament - obviously that first game was incredible, the atmosphere was amazing, and I’m just excited to see what comes next.
“Old Trafford was insane - to experience that and to share that moment with the girls and the team, I think that’s just such a together group.
“It’s exciting to see what we’ve achieved by having so many people in that stadium, and to just be part of the opening game, I didn’t think that’s something I’d ever be doing, so it’s a real special moment.
“I didn’t really know what to expect coming into this tournament, and maybe I’m quite lucky that my first major tournament is in England so I’ve still been able to see familiar faces and things.”
England’s next opponents have 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg back among their ranks.
And a defender, Carter is all too aware of the threat the 26-year-old Lyon ace poses.
She added: “Obviously she’s a great player, but I think we’ve got some exceptional defenders in this team.
“Everyone has got a bit of a different quality and I’m sure that between us all, we’ll be able to come up with the best tactics to try and keep her as low key as possible.”
There will also be some inter club rivalries renewed on Monday night, with Carter’s Chelsea teammates Guro Reiten and Maren Mjelde both starring in Norway’s 4-1 win over Northern Ireland.
Carter said: “They’re both incredible players, Guro is tremendous on the ball, she’s got a wonderful left foot, and I think she’ll be a threat going forward - but in my opinion she’s nothing our England team can’t handle as well.
“We’ve shared our top tips on her and hopefully the girls will take that into the game and defend her as best they can.
“It’s the same with Maren, obviously she’s a phenomenal player.
“She’s not long come back from injury or had that many games, so maybe for us that’s a slight advantage that she’s maybe not as up to scratch as some of the others from an agility perspective, but she’s a top, top person and player.”
Tickets are on sale now for fans to experience a history-making tournament that aims to unite football and communities and amplify the growth of the women’s game. www.uefa.com/womenseuro/ticketi
