As we head into the season's first international break, England's Euro-winning side has some new faces. Due to the injuries of Sarina Wiegman, England's manager's first-choice player, this is the perfect time for new stars to shine.
Being international friendly, Wiegman said these are the perfect games to trial new formations and styles, bring in new faces to the senior side, and see how they gel and work in the England environment and set-up.
England’s homecoming tour starts in Manchester and wraps in Derby, with tests against Brazil and Australia. It’s the perfect stage for a new wave of players making their senior debut, the next generation ready to write their story.
Katie Reid was given her first senior call-up after an impressive start to the season, coming in for Leah Williamson at Centre-back for Arsenal. However, she has a tight groin injury (reported from Arsenal before the game last Thursday) that left her out of Arsenal's midweek game against Benfica in the Champions League, and she has since withdrawn from the England squad.
She will remain with her club for rehab. She will have to wait till the next international break to fulfil her first senior call-up and possibly get her first senior cap. The next women's international break is at the end of November.
Taylor Hinds' battle of dual nationality.
Hinds has represented England throughout the youth levels (U17, U19, U20, U23) and won bronze at the 2018 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. However, since then, she has not been given a senior call-up. Back in 2024, with England not knocking, she decided to present Jamaica at a senior level.
This is due to her dual heritage; she made her debut against France in a friendly a year before her England call-up. She has only played one game for Jamaica, which was a friendly.
Under FIFA’s Nationality Switch rules, friendlies do not count as caps. This means Hinds can still play for both countries as long as they are friendlies.
With the World Cup qualifier for the 2027 tournament approaching, she may have to decide which side she wants to represent.
Players can switch nations if they have played a maximum of three senior matches before age 21, and those matches were not in major tournaments. Hinds’ case fits this criteria, making her re-entry into England selection straightforward.
Wiegman highlighted, “We have been following Taylor for a long time. Of course, she has gone through the pathway. She has a dual heritage, so she’s eligible for us. I had the conversation with her, and she wanted to come in. She feels close to England, which she also feels with Jamaica.”
“We are in a new situation – we’re going into a new cycle, qualifying for the World Cup, hopefully then going to the World Cup. I want to see talented players in some positions, and she’s a left-footer.
Lucia Kendall from unknown to the biggest stages
This Summer, Kendall made the big move from Southampton, where she played over 100 games for them and contributed significantly to their promotion to the WSL, winning both the national league title and league cup in 2022. She has been described as a playmaker with advanced game intelligence and recently moved to Aston Villa.
She scored 22 goals in 27 appearances during the 2021/22 season.
At Southampton, she regularly dedicated midfield tempo and became known for her late runs into the box and leadership qualities.
She featured heavily in the FA Cup and Championship campaigns and celebrated her 100th senior club appearance in November 2024. Her move to Aston Villa marked a step into top-flight regular football, where she has continued to perform in a competitive midfield unit.
Kendall represented England at every youth level, from U15 to U23, earning her first senior call-up in October 2025. She made her WU23 debut in 2023 against Italy and scored her first U23 international goal against Sweden in December 2024.
Wiegman explained, “At the moment, I see her as a midfielder. I think she has performed well for Aston Villa, and I want to see her there.”
“I think her positioning and game understanding are excellent. Her game understanding, reading the game really well, being tough in duels, but also in possession doing well.”
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