Lionesses defender Maya Le Tissier is “extremely desperate” to be a mainstay in the England team in time for Euro 2025, and insisted the Lionesses can win the Nations League.
Le Tissier, 21, was on the standby list for the World Cup, so travelled out to Australia with the provisional squad in June but returned home before the tournament began.
The Manchester United player was born in Guernsey but has represented England at youth level since the Under-15s, and has made two appearances for the Lionesses’ senior team, including her debut last November.
“It was bittersweet”, she said of the training camp. “I loved Australia, I really enjoyed my experience out there. Just having been a small part of the preparation going into the tournament has definitely made me feel more hungry to be selected for the next tournaments to come. But obviously it was devastating when I got the call that I wasn’t selected.”
Speaking about her hopes of forcing her way into the squad in time for Euro 2025, Le Tissier said: “I’m extremely desperate, but it’s in two years. There’s a lot that can happen in two years. I’m still young, so I’ve got a lot of things to learn. We’re focusing on the present: doing well in these next two games with England and starting well in the WSL season.”
England host Scotland in Sunderland on Friday and face the Netherlands in Utrecht next Tuesday as they begin their first-ever UEFA Nations League campaign.
“It’s just another opportunity to showcase everyone’s abilities”, she said. “Of course, we want to win the Nations League. We don’t ever participate in a tournament just to get players minutes. That’s not what we’re here for. There’s obviously the qualification for the Olympics as well, so we’ll be doing our best to win these games coming up, and we’ll see where it leads to.
“I’m learning a lot from the senior players. They’re European champions and they just got to a World Cup final, so I’m very inspired by the rest of the team and I just have to be performing, day in, day out.”
