Lionesses star Alex Greenwood has picked up what looks like a nasty injury in training.
Luckily, the England women's defender managed to stand up and walk off the training pitch to receive further treatment in which physios applied ice to her ankle. With 23 days until the tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, however, the injury is a worry for the Lionesses, who are heading into the competition seriously depleted as it is.
In November of last year, England's Women's Euro 2022 top scorer Beth Mead was ruled out of the World Cup with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which derailed both hers and Arsenal women's season. A few months later, captain Leah Williamson joined her on the treatment table with the same injury.
Last month, Fran Kirby was ruled out of the World Cup, too, with the Chelsea star requiring surgery on a knee injury that was sustained three months prior. The Blues announced that the midfielder would be absent for a "significant period", potentially ruling her out of the start of the Women's Super League season.
England are not the only country to have been dealt horrible luck with serious knee injuries over the past 12 months. Dutch Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema suffered an ACL within the same fortnight as Mead – and 25% of the 2022 Ballon d'Or nominees have picked up the same injury in the last year. The winner of the gong, Spain star Alexia Putellas was ruled out of the Euros, with Mead, Miedema, Catarina Macario and Marie-Antoinette Katoto completing the stricken list of stars.
Alex Greenwood has 74 caps for England and was expected to start at the World Cup for Sarina Wiegman's side.
