-
2 weeks ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
“What struck me the most was Sarina’s honesty and direct way of communicating.” That is what Mary Earps said about her first conversation with the England manager in Sarina Wiegman’s book What It Takes. Four years on, that directness feels far less of a positive. Wiegman’s announcement of her Euro 2025 squad from St George’s Park on Thursday came under the cloud of a string of high-profile exits from the team.
-
3 weeks ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
In 2015, England manager Mark Sampson took the unprecedented decision to call up a player from the second division for his World Cup squad. This tiny forward, 21 years old with close cropped hair that made her look even younger, had been bamboozling defences and scoring for fun at Reading in the WSL2. Fran Kirby went to Canada with England and announced herself on the international stage, scoring in the second group match against Mexico.
-
3 weeks ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
Chelsea forward’s 30-minute hat-trick gives head coach the missing ingredient she was looking for ahead of Euro title defence With just five weeks left before the European Championship begins in Switzerland, every minute on the pitch becomes an audition. Aggie Beever-Jones grasped her chance with both hands on Friday against Portugal, scoring a 33-minute hat-trick as England won 6-0 at Wembley.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
Multi-million prize money on offer at the World Sevens puts governing bodies to shame, but can it last? The oft repeated assertion in women’s football is that it should be brave enough to follow a different path from the men’s game. That is the rationale behind World Sevens Football, a new tournament that occupied the three days leading up to yesterday’s Champions League final.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
Hot favourites Barcelona denied by underdogs who claim their first Champions League title since 2007 It was on Rua do Arsenal in 1974 that Captain Salgueiro Maia dug in with his troops and forced the Portuguese dictatorship to surrender to the military, thus bringing back democracy to the country.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
Investor Alexis Ohanian, who pitched in with £20m for Chelsea, got the ball rolling. Now other stars are following suit When Chelsea women take on Manchester United in the FA Cup final today, the most famous athlete in Wembley stadium may not be on the pitch. The tennis superstar Serena Williams is expected to be in the crowd, enjoying the match with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, the founder of Reddit, after the announcement last week that he has invested £20m in the club.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
Pioneer investor Alexis Ohanian, who has pitched in with £20m for FA Cup hopefuls Chelsea, first got the ball rolling. Now fellow stars are following suit When Chelsea women take on Manchester United in the FA Cup final today, the most famous athlete in Wembley stadium may not be on the pitch.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
For a whole generation of women’s football fans, ten years of the cup final at Wembley has allowed them to build their own traditions When Chelsea and Manchester United walk out onto the Wembley pitch today, they will be marking the tenth anniversary of Women’s FA Cup finals being held there. For Chelsea, Wembley FA Cups are woven into the history of the women’s side. The inaugural 2015 final was their first major trophy, as they beat Notts County 1-0.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
Irish sport has been plunged into chaos as a growing revolt over what women wear has gathered pace. Camogie, the women’s version of hurling, is played by approximately 100,000 women in Ireland, with the amateur participants required to wear a ‘skort’, a short skirt with built-in shorts underneath. But on 3 May, all 60 players from Kilkenny and Dublin walked out for the Leinster Championship semi-final in shorts, in protest at the rule.
-
1 month ago | 
observer.co.uk | Jessy Parker Humphreys
The Chelsea head coach opens up on grief, pressure and parenting On Sunday, Sonia Bompastor has the opportunity to complete the greatest women’s domestic season in history. Her Chelsea side have already won the Women’s Super League without losing a single game, as well as the League Cup. Only Manchester United stand in their way of an unbeaten domestic treble. The 43-year-old French manager has exceeded expectations in her first season managing Chelsea.
