Chelsea and England defender Jess Carter hopes the Lionesses' run to the Women’s World Cup final has made the country proud and praised the support the team have received throughout their journey Down Under.
England won Group D with victories over Haiti, Denmark and China to set up a last-16 meeting with Nigeria, who they edged past on penalties. A narrow quarter-final victory over Colombia preceded knocking out co-hosts Australia to book a date with Spain for a first-ever World Cup final.
Olga Carmona’s first-half strike saw the Spaniards crowned world champions and spelled heartbreak for the Lionesses who, once the dust has settled, should take pride in their achievements having reached back-to-back major tournament finals.
Carter was one of five Blues in the England squad for the World Cup and enjoyed a hugely impressive tournament on an individual level. The defender started all but one of the Lionesses matches and reflects fondly on the personal and collective progress that has been made.
‘I’m super proud of myself, proud of the team and what we’ve achieved. Every player has needed to be adaptable, some players have had more minutes than they’ve had previously and everyone has stepped up to the challenges they’ve faced.’
These performances from the Lionesses succeeded in capturing the hearts of supporters both at home and abroad. Carter expressed sincere gratitude for the backing they have received from the fans and emphasised the integral role they have played in the team’s progress.
‘I hope we’ve inspired a nation. It’s something we try to do and we want to make everyone proud of us. We’re super grateful for all their support, we could definitely feel that all the way over here.
'The support here has been incredible as well so thank you to them because without them, we wouldn’t have got this far.’
Our World Cup stars will return to domestic action when the Women’s Super League season begins in October. Click here to view our ticket bundles and find out how to secure your seats for 2023/24!