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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Sunny Badwal

Teenager Erica Meg Parkinson given surprise call-up to injury-hit Lionesses squad

Erica Meg Parkinson has been given a first England call-up - (Getty Images)

England have called up 17-year-old midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson for April's World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Iceland.

Singapore-born Parkinson, who plays her domestic football for Portuguese first division side Valadares Gaia, will be part of Sarina Wiegman's senior squad for the first time, having previously featured across the Lionesses pathway.

Parkinson was included in the under-23s squad for fixtures against Norway and the United States at the end of last year and has now made the step up.

Wiegman on Tuesday morning named a 23-player group which sees Arsenal forward Beth Mead return after she missed the last set of internationals with a hairline fracture in her shin.

Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood also sat out the recent wins over Ukraine and Iceland due to injury but has recovered and is back in the squad, while London City Lionesses forward Freya Godfrey, who earned a first call-up in November, is included as she looks to earn her first cap.

However, Aggie Beever-Jones, Grace Clinton and Ella Toone are absent due to injury.

The Lionesses face world champions Spain at Wembley on Tuesday 14 April, before travelling to Reykjavik to face Iceland four days later.

The meeting with Spain will be the first between the nations since the Euro 2025 final, which saw Wiegman's side become back-to-back European champions.

PA

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