Beth Mead is striving to make her mum proud as she prepares to make a long-awaited England return during their Nations League clash vs the Netherlands… but admits it was ‘tough’ to watch Lionesses’ World Cup final defeat

• Beth Mead is hoping to make a long-awaited England return on Friday 
• The forward had been sidelined with an ACL injury she picked up in 2022 
• Why it’s NEVER OK to cheer in the press box (even if England win the World Cup!) – Listen here to It’s All Kicking Off 

Beth Mead is striving to make her mum proud as she prepares to make her long awaited England return this week.

Mead’s mother, June, passed away from Ovarian cancer in January, while the forward was sidelined with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Mead, who last played for England in November 2022, could make an emotional return to the international stage when the Lionesses’ take on the Netherlands in Friday’s Nations League fixture.

‘I think last time I got a chance to play there [at Wembley], my mum was still here,’ Mead said.

‘So that’s difficult for me to think about sometimes but it also makes me very proud to try and make her proud as well.

‘Fingers crossed I can get on the pitch and make her proud again.’

Beth Mead is hoping to make her mum proud as she prepares to make her long-awaited England return on Friday

Sarina Wiegman’s side take on the Netherlands in the Nations League at Wembley

Mead was one of several Lionesses stars to miss the World Cup through injury, but has been named in the squad for Friday night’s fixture

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Mead was one of a number of players to miss the World Cup with an ACL injury, with her Arsenal team-mate Leah Williamson also forced to watch on from home. 

The forward admitted missing out on the tournament was tough but expressed her happiness at being recalled a year on from injury.

‘I’ve been smiling like a Cheshire Cat since I got here,’ Mead said. ‘It’s been a year since I was here. I’ve worked hard, I’ve had a lot of tough days in between that time and I’m just super proud of myself and being able to get back into the fold and hopefully help the team at some point.

‘The final [of the World Cup] was a pretty tough watch. Throughout the tournament me and Leah were sat watching games, we were still very emotionally and physically connected, watching every game.

‘I felt for the girls after the game. I was devastated for them when we fell short in the final. I know how that feels to fall just short in a competition such as a World Cup, being in the semi-finals in 2019.

‘I knew how much getting that little bit extra and just falling short, how hard it was. It was difficult, I know that me and Leah really struggled because we just want to help the team do the best that they can do. 

‘We got that taken away from us from not a nice injury. It was a tough watch but I was still so proud and proud to be English watching them in that tournament.’

Mead also gave her reaction to the news that Women’s Super League and Championship clubs have unanimously agreed to proceed with the formation of a new organisation (NewCo) to takeover both divisions.

The new agreement will result in WSL clubs earning 75 per cent of the divisions’ combined revenues, while they will also hold the voting power on broadcast and commercial matters.

She suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Arsenal’s Women’s Super League match against Manchester United in November, 2022

The Arsenal star helped the Lionesses win the 2020 UEFA Women’s European Championship 

But she added that it was ‘tough’ to watch Wiegman’s side suffer defeat in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final

Nikki Doucet – who has a background in investment banking and was a former Nike director – has been appointed as NewCo’s chief executive to head up the structure. 

‘We want the game to move to a new level, we want to keep pushing it forward,’ Mead said.

‘Although the FA have done an amazing job over so many years, I think it was time to let go of those stabilisers and let somebody else take over.

‘I think hopefully in the long run that can help us push the game and the leagues to the next level, and ultimately that’s what we want to keep doing. I think the sky’s the limit and we have to keep pushing it there.’

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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