England are set to play in the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday and can call on the services of Lauren James, who is said to be “ready” to play against Spain.
The Chelsea attacker had been one of England’s creative forces in their wins over Denmark and China but had missed the quarter- and semi-final after stepping on Nigerian opponent Michelle Alozie, which earned her a red card.
After beating the Super Falcons on penalties, England then beat Colombia and Australia, with Ella Toone playing instead. Toone scored in the 3-1 win over the Matildas on Wednesday, meaning Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman now has a tough decision to make over who to start in the final.
Emma Hayes, who manages James at club level, told the BBC: “The players are prepared for whatever team Sarina picks.
“Lauren is an outstanding player and will go on to contribute many more moments for both club and country. As always, she will be reflective and move forward.”
Lauren James has impressed with her performances off and on the field in her career so far — and is looking forward to the final, whether she plays or not.
Here are the key details for Sunday’s match.
When will England next play?
England have made it to the 64th and final game of the World Cup — which will be played from 11am on Sunday, August 20.
The game will be held at Stadium Australia in Sydney, a 75,784-seater venue, which is the largest at the World Cup.
The game will be shown live on TV on BBC One and ITV1, and online on BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
Who will England play next?
England will play Spain in the final. Olga Carmona struck an 89th-minute winner as her team dramatically beat Sweden 2-1 to reach the Women’s World Cup final for the first time.
It has not been a perfect campaign for Spain — having lost against Japan to finish second in their group.
But La Roja have been on fire since then, putting Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden to the sword to make the final.
Aitana Bonmatí, Jennifer Hermoso, and Alba Redondo have all hit three goals for Jorge Vilda’s side, which is ranked six in the world by Fifa.
Their most influential player is considered to be Alexia Putellas, who is also their record holder for their number of caps.
