Teenager Erica Meg Parkinson has been selected for England’s training squad ahead of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month.
Head coach Lydia Bedford has included the 18-year-old North Carolina Courage midfielder in a 24-member squad set to participate in a warm-weather training camp in Portugal next week.
They will have one last chance to showcase their skills when they play a friendly match against the hosts on Thursday, August 13. Three players will be dropped from the World Cup squad, which is expected to be announced on Thursday, August 20.
Parkinson has previously been part of Sarina Wiegman’s senior squad for matches against Spain and Iceland in April, and has also played for the under-23 team.
Joining her in the under-20 squad are Arsenal players Sophie Harwood and Jessie Gale, along with Eva Hendle, who recently joined Rangers on loan from Chelsea.
This marks the fourth training camp for Bedford’s squad this summer, during which they have secured victories over Canada and Colombia, drawn with the USA, and suffered a loss to Japan.
This will be England’s first Under-20 Women’s World Cup appearance since 2018, and they are placed in a group alongside Brazil, Tanzania, and Canada.
Their tournament campaign will kick off against Canada on Saturday, September 5.
“We’ve had a really positive summer with strong performances against top-quality teams,” Bedford said. “The players have embraced every challenge, and I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made.
“With the World Cup squad announcement approaching, this is a vital opportunity for the players to demonstrate their abilities.”
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