The first coach of England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy has spoken about how she showed her leadership skills from an early age.
The Arsenal star, 24, has been waiting for her chance to shine in the World Cup, with England taking on China in Adelaide in their final group stage match after two 1–0 wins over Haiti and Denmark.
Paul Cox, the centre-half’s first coach at Olga primary school in Bow, the area in which she grew up in east London, has spoken of his “immense pride” at her being selected for the national side.
Wubben-Moy set up a girls’ side at Olga which became a force across London. She then attended Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form for her A-levels.
Mr Cox said she had always shown leadership skills beyond her age and backed her to wear the captain’s armband for the Lionesses.
He said: “She was the best. She would bark orders at the boys playing football, she was absolutely brilliant. She had a great shot, she played in midfield for us. She was a real leader.
“I was the coach but I listened to her, she was so unbelievably good from day one. She has all the skills you need to be captain and I would think one day she could lead her country. As a girl, she was good at all her lessons but never stopped talking about football.
“She lived and breathed it, she was just a joy to have at the school. She comes from such a nice, supportive family. She was good at all of this academic side as well and was very good at art.”
Wubben-Moy, whose mother Claire is English and her father Antonius a Dutchman who runs a furniture business, was called up to the England team for the first time in March last year.
But after making the Euros squad she contracted Covid, meaning she could not make an impact on the tournament – instead publishing a series of inspirational doodles on Twitter for the players and fans.
She has yet to feature for Sarina Wiegman’s side at the World Cup, but with defensive frailties still an issue for the Lionesses she will have been hoping to get an opportunity to break into the side.
Wubben-Moy is being supported by her boyfriend Tao Geoghegan Hart, a British cyclist for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers, who also went to Stoke Newington School.
England were needing only a draw against China to guarantee qualification for the last 16 as group winners.
