Lionesses captain Leah Williamson has spoken out on the controversy surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the tournament gets underway in Qatar.
In an exclusive interview with SPORTbible, England Women’s skipper, 25, also opened up on wider issues of equality within the game – and what she really thinks of the celebrities cashing in on the event.
The Lionesses are a diverse group of women including openly LGBQ+ players, so what are Williamson’s thoughts on the world’s highest profile football competition being held in a country where same sex relationships are forbidden by law?
“All I seem to be hearing is that people are being excluded, which is a shame,” Leah says.
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“It feels like there are barriers to get involved with [the World Cup] already. We all want to just watch football and enjoy it. When I go out on the pitch, I don’t think about anything else for a couple of hours and when I watch football it’s the same thing, you get consumed by it, you just want to dive into it.”
Wider human rights issues, including corruption and the death of migrant construction workers brought in to build the stadiums, have marred the build up-to what should have been a global celebration of the beautiful game.
“It’s outrageous, shocking stuff,” she says. “I don’t know how we got to this point.”
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The England and Arsenal centre-back may have strong opinions when it comes to equality and inclusion but, when asked what she thinks of celebrities such as David Beckham and Gary Neville profiting from their involvement in the competition, she insists she would “never ever judge anybody for what they choose to be paid for.”
However, in stark comparison to the negativity surrounding the World Cup, the magic of the Women’s Euros – which saw the Lionesses storm their way to victory at Wembley in July – has been hugely positive for women’s football in the UK.
“It was such a great event,” Williamson says. “Everyone loved it and four months later I’m still getting people say, ‘Thank you for giving us a summer that we loved and a moment in life that we are always going to remember.’”
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Crowds at games in the Women’s Super League are climbing, with Williamson’s club team Arsenal selling out of season tickets for their 5,000-seater home stadium; but Williamson recognises the need for longevity and sustainability as clubs attempt to fill their main stadiums for WSL fixtures. “Hopefully I’ll be around to see that,” she adds.
READ MORE: Alex Scott wears the 'One Love' armband during BBC coverage ahead of England World Cup opener
Since winning the Euros final, the Lionesses have become household names, with Williamson starring in the latest Nike advert alongside iconic players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, and teammate Jill Scott swapping on-pitch competition for bushtucker trials in I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.
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But beyond endorsements and gameshow appearances, the Euros success has enabled the victorious squad to give back to their communities.
“We play and I love my job and get so much out of it,” says Williamson, who holds the Freedom of her home city of Milton Keynes. “The reach that we have is what’s surprised me and [the Lionesses want to] add a little positivity in any way we can. That’s the most important thing for me. We all want to change the world but sometimes you have to start with where you come from.”
On Wednesday (23rd November), Williamson did just that as she unveiled an art installation at Wembley Stadium in celebration of National Lottery funded hero Helen Hardy, founder of Manchester Laces – the first ever inclusive women’s and non-binary team in Manchester.
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Williamson says this is a perfect example of the way the game should move forward: “[Following the Euros] we called for this, for people to get involved. Manchester Laces is a great example of somebody that has watched in the summer and felt they can be a part of that community. We don’t want anybody to be excluded.”
My final question for Williamson, who famously rallied the Lionesses, is what advice she’d give the England Men’s team as they set their sights on victory in Qatar. “Enjoy it. They’re a good group of lads and after so much work to get to a tournament, it would be a shame to get there and not enjoy it. It brings out the best in you.”
Katey Lovell