Leah Williamson exclusive: England women’s captain prepares to lead the nation to Euro finals at home | Football news

Within minutes of sitting down and talking with Leah Williamson, you begin to understand why she got the job. Her mother, she said, describes her as “aggressive” – ​​on the profile, she likes to be “assertive” – ​​and her teammate Jill Scott calls her “cold and emotionless” “.

But today Williamson was friendly, warm and funny. It’s perhaps no coincidence that she uses the word “balanced” so much when we chat, because Williamson seems to be the epitome of it – sharp, superior, honest and – perhaps critical Most importantly – authenticity. She’ll need that and more as she prepares to lead the Lionesses in what could be a defining few months in the lives of her and her teammates.

In the absence of the injured Steph Houghton – who is now healthy and back in the team – manager Sarina Wiegman has handed over Williamson to the England captain. The Arsenal player has never played in a major tournament and is not captain of her club, but Wiegman has been impressed with Williamson’s progress over the years, both physically and mentally. God. The manager said of her captain: “She’s who she is and she’s not going to be someone else when she wears the captain’s armband.”

The memorable first meeting between Williamson and Wiegman may well have shaped the manager’s decision. Williamson described her relationship with Weigman as “very honest”. Recounting the first time they met, this defender said: “I did not hold back, I said how. I was shocked myself.”

Williamson talks about taking yourself too seriously. She wants to set the standard and harness the expertise of someone who has led their team to Euro glory at home, as Wiegman did with the Netherlands in 2017.

“She has an aura, she knows what she’s talking about,” Williamson said. “She makes me nervous and upset. I want to impress her, which makes me strive more.

“We talked about where we wanted to go and what we wanted to be.

The word ‘balanced’ again. Williamson and her team talk about how lucky they are to play in a home tournament given how far the women’s game has evolved. They know the pressure will bring but the captain is still determined to “balance” in the squad, while enjoying the experience.

Williamson’s containment has certainly helped achieve that equilibrium in the past. She loves football, she said, because she can pick it up where she dropped it the day before.

“I always see it as strength to get through it,” explains Williamson. “I’m lucky to have always played for a team close to my family, who I’m really close to. Some girls move around the world and you’re alone, so how do you stop playing?

“However, I wonder if there’s an advantage to being turned on. Am I missing something? I would never force it – I’ll just follow my gut. It feels right now. If you really think about it, in the time you’re off the pitch, you don’t get worse. I’ve seen more negative effects of consuming too much.”

Having a dense social diary with interests outside of football certainly helps to make Williamson’s life more harmonious. She used her break from the Women’s Super League season to rest in the US, then she went to Italy and sat in the front row at a Gucci fashion show.

“I never do anything I don’t want to do,” insists Williamson. “I have other interests, I have things that make me happy. If my grandmother calls me and says, ‘I have tickets to tonight’s concert’, then I will go. I will go see The Killers. with grandma We go to concerts all the time.

“When I look back on my life, I will be a footballer and I am aware that it is a short period of time to make an impact in my sport, but I also have a lifetime to spend. life and that time is just as important to me.” . “

The revelation that Williamson will be attending a rock concert with her grandmother requires clarity, but she confirms that, yes, they will indeed go see The Killers together. Williamson said of her grandmother: “I got a lot from her for who I am. “She just lives her life the way she wants. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t focus on her work.”

We talk about that focus and the difficulty of balancing as a fashion-loving female athlete. Wearing Gucci blue trousers doesn’t make her any less like a soccer player.

“I know I’m a role model and I care about how I come across,” she said. “I don’t want people to get me wrong but I’m seasoned enough to know that I’m taking care of my football and my performance. Sometimes I’m going to have a bad day but that doesn’t correlate directly. , and if I did, I wouldn’t.”

Over the next few weeks, that thick skin may need to grow an extra layer or two as the Lions take center stage, and with that, more scrutiny. Williamson can be relatively anonymous right now, and to prove the point she’s talking about running an errand on the way to the team while wearing England’s tracksuit, and no one glancing at her. the second time.

However, Williamson admits that she is wary of possible pressures ahead. “It’s part and parcel of it,” she said. “I’m not sure anyone would be ready for it, but if it means our game has flown sky high and future generations have something to look for, then it’s going to be great.” worthy.”

England men’s captain Harry Kane knows something underwhelming when he takes the lead at a Euro at home, having led the team to the Euro 2020 final against Italy at Wembley last year. Kane watched the women practice at St George’s Park last week, and Williamson said: “I’ve never met Harry but it’s great to talk to him about it. I’m lucky Steph is on the team and there are a lot of people around who have expertise that I don’t have.I want to learn and absorb it like a sponge.

“I can’t describe the feeling going on around the league and how big it is going to be. I don’t think anyone is really ready for growth. it jumps from strength to strength.”

If ticket sales for the tournament are an indicator – the final at Wembley sold out in less than an hour – this summer could prove epic for the women’s game. Williamson says she has been a huge football fan her whole life and hopes they can give the nation something to be proud of and excited about this summer.

“In 2018, see [men’s] The World Cup was the best summer of my life,” Williamson said. Then next year is our season [Women’s World Cup] And to play on a different front in the World Cup and to know what’s going on at home is amazing.

“To know that this is our chance to do what they [men’s team] did at Euro last year, to give people those memories, it’s a nice feeling. Nothing beats going down to a pub or anywhere and watching football together – that’s our British culture. “

Williamson said: Despite Scott describing her captain as “cold”, you can expect a tear or two at the opening match of the tournament when England face Austria at sold-out Old Trafford on the 6th. July.

“Everybody says I’m cold — Jill Scott always says that,” she admits. “I don’t show emotions often, but what I care about, I really care a lot. There have been a lot of tears throughout my career and I think that will be one of those moments. “

After nearly two decades of striving to reach the level she is now, who dares to blame her? When Williamson and her Lionesses set their sights on becoming history-makers, she said, “I’ve been thinking about doing that since I was 6 years old. I’ve always wanted to leave my mark and As a team, the legacy we’ve begun to create is just as strong.

“I’m so lucky. I started this journey with people who had to work two jobs and now I’m on a team where we’re both professionals. I’m grateful and proud of the way they are. I represent this team today We know where we are from, which is very important to me, but we all wanted to leave the game knowing we had a trophy in the closet. .

“We’re all talking about the men’s team that has all these players who have never won everything – the ‘golden generation’. You don’t want to be that team. You also know you can’t do it with just that. one finger click You don’t know what will happen – that’s the beauty of football and why we love it.

“It’s one of those things – dare you dream? But beyond that, you need to take care of each day.”

It’s another balancing act that the England captain seems to have mastered.