Page 6 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.19 2020-21

The British Olympic Association (BOA) has confirmed the selection of 18 football players who will
represent Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This is only the second time that Team GB have
entered a women’s football team since the introduction of the sport to the Olympic programme in 1996.
Olympic Champion Hege Riise will lead the squad at this summer’s Games. During her
illustrious playing career Riise won gold with Norway at the Sydney Games 2000 Olympic Games.
Among the squad are five Olympians who competed for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic
Games: England’s Karen Bardsley, Steph Houghton, Jill Scott and Ellen White and Scotland’s Kim Little.
Thirteen players will make their Olympic debuts in Tokyo. Welsh international Sophie Ingle and
Scotland midfielder Caroline Weir are joined by England’s Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly,
Lauren Hemp, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Ellie Roebuck, Georgia Stanway, Demi Stokes, Keira Walsh
and Leah Williamson.
Twenty-year-old England and Manchester City forward Lauren Hemp is the youngest player to
have been selected having broken into the England senior team in 2020.
Team GB have also named four reserve players who will travel with the team to Tokyo: Sandy
MacIver, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Niamh Charles and Ella Toone.
The squad boasts a wealth of exceptional talent. Sophie Ingle, Fran Kirby and Millie Bright were
instrumental in helping Chelsea claim the Women’s Super League title and reach the UEFA Champions
League final this season. Following a successful season for Chelsea, Fran was awarded Barclays FA
Women’s Super League Player of the Year, while Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze was awarded The FIFA
Best Women’s Player of the Year.
The squad boasts a wealth of exceptional talent. Sophie Ingle, Fran Kirby and Millie Bright were
instrumental in helping Chelsea claim the Women’s Super League title and reach the UEFA Champions
League final this season, while Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze was awarded The Best FIFA Women’s
Player of the Year.
Team GB fielded a football team for the first time in the London 2012 Olympic Games. The team
reached the quarter-finals, with the United States the eventual winners after beating this summer’s
hosts Japan 2-1 to win gold for a third consecutive time.
The inclusion of a Great Britain women’s football team for Tokyo could result in there being more
female athletes than male representing Team GB at a summer Olympic Games for the first time in
history.
Team GB, who have been drawn in Group E, will face Chile in the opening game of the Tokyo
2020 Olympic Games in Sapporo on 21 July, followed by hosts Japan on 24 July before travelling to
Kashima to take on Canada on 27 July.
Mark England, Team GB Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, commented: “Having an opportunity
to field a women’s football team in Tokyo, for only the second time in our Olympic history, is incredibly
exciting.
“I am delighted to welcome the players selected today to Team GB for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic
Games. It is fantastic to see five returning
Olympians named and I am sure they, along with
the 13 debutants, will relish the opportunity to TEAM GB SQUAD
represent Team GB this summer. Karen BARDSLEY Manchester City & England
“Team GB is on the cusp of making history Ellie ROEBUCK Manchester City & England
this summer as we are on track to qualify more Millie BRIGHT Chelsea & England
female than male athletes for the Games for the Lucy BRONZE Manchester City & England
very first time and I am sure that as we saw at Rachel DALY Houston Dash & England
London 2012 the team selected today will help to Steph HOUGHTON Manchester City & England
inspire a new generation of girls and young women
wanting to play the sport.” Demi STOKES Manchester City & England
Hege Riise, Head Coach of Team GB Leah WILLIAMSON Arsenal & England
Football for Tokyo, said: “I know first-hand as a Sophie INGLE Chelsea & Wales
former player just how proud my players will feel Kim LITTLE Arsenal & Scotland
today at having been selected to represent Great Jill SCOTT Manchester City & England
Britain. There is no greater sporting occasion in Keira WALSH Manchester City & England
the world and I am honoured to lead this hugely Caroline WEIR Manchester City & Scotland
talented team into the Games. We will go there Lauren HEMP Manchester City & England
aiming to win and we will give everything we have Fran KIRBY Chelsea & England
to achieve success. I hope that Great Britain’s
inclusion once more in the Olympic Football Nikita PARRIS Olympique Lyonnais & England
Tournament can inspire the next generation of Georgia STANWAY Manchester City & England
young girls to play the sport we love.” Ellen WHITE Manchester City & England
Issue no. 19 - 27 May 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk