Manchester United’s Nikita Parris has issued an emotional statement following her omission from Sarina Wiegman’s 23-player squad for the Women’s World Cup in July.
The 29-year-old was a part of the Lionesses triumphant Euro 2022 squad last summer, though the forward's minutes were sparse and ultimately uneventful as she fell down the attacking order. Nevertheless, barring the October international window in which England faced reigning world champions USA and Czech Republic, Parris was named in every Lionesses squad leading up to the summer’s showpiece event.
But Parris’ name was conspicuously absent from the list of forwards in Wiegman's final squad announcement earlier in the week.
And Parris took to social media to voice her disappointment at the decision while underlining her resolve to not let it hamper her trajectory in the season's to come.
She wrote: “In life, things will go against you but it’s how you react that makes you. After the Lionesses announcement yesterday, I am even more determined to reach new heights.
“I’ll still be wearing an England jersey all summer.”
Parris has scored 17 goals across 71 appearances for the Lionesses. The United player scored her first World Cup goal and England’s first in the 2019 World Cup in France during their group stage opener against Scotland, a penalty in the 2-1 victory. Yet, Parris missed two successive penalties for England afterwards as England reached the tournament’s semi-finals.
Parris struggled to immediately impart herself on Marc Skinner’s side following her move from Arsenal in the summer, with her first goal for the club not arriving until late October in a 1-0 victory over straggling Leicester as she was deployed most often as a substitute.
Nevertheless, Parris proved a vital asset for United as they pushed eventual champions Chelsea to the brink in one of the most competitive WSL seasons in recent history.
Also missing from Wiegman’s final World Cup squad was Parris’ United teammate Maya Le Tissier, despite her steadfast and impressive performances in United’s backline. The centreback has been put on standby and will train with the squad when the report to St Georges Park in June. She will also travel with the team to Australia on July 5th for final preparations.
Wiegman owed her absence to Le Tissier’s role for England being viewed more as a full-back, while she has been utilised mostly at centre-back by Skinner.
United teammates Ella Toone, Alessia Russo, Katie Zelem and Mary Earps were called into Wiegman's squad.
England kick start their World Cup campaign on 21 July when they face Haiti in the opening group stage match.
