Gunning-Williams on maiden England Under-23s call-up: "It's the cherry on top"

Lenna Gunning-Williams shared her excitement upon receiving her maiden call-up to the England Under-23s squad ahead of the first international break of the 2024/25 campaign.

The young forward was named in Head Coach Emma Coates’ squad last Wednesday (16 October) ahead of their Under-23 Euro League fixtures against Netherlands and Portugal.

Following a hugely positive pre-season with the squad, Lenna has been rewarded with vital minutes in the Barclays Women’s Super League and Women’s League Cup in the opening weeks of the new campaign, leading to her first call-up to the England set-up.

Reflecting on the moment she received the news, she told us: “I was buzzing. I wasn’t expecting it at all if I’m being completely honest.”

“I had a meeting with Emma Coates a few weeks ago alongside Vicky [Jepson] and they were saying ‘we have been watching you, we have seen your pre-season clips and we are very happy with what you are doing’. I kind of saw it as a positive chat, but I didn’t dwell on it too much.

“I then got a phone call from an unknown number and I just had a feeling I should pick it up, so I answered the call and it was Emma, basically saying ‘you are going to get a good email coming your way’. I was so excited, I ran straight into my living room and began jumping around with my sister but, of course, it’s surreal.”

The 19-year-old, who has progressed through our academy system into the first team, made her first competitive start in our colours in the 2-1 victory over Charlton in the Women’s League Cup alongside featuring in three of our five WSL matches so far.

Lenna has been delighted with the opportunities she has received and feels the Young Lionesses’ call-up is the ‘cherry on top’ of a positive start to the campaign.

“I felt already rewarded with the minutes I have received in the first few games, so I feel I’m getting those opportunities and the England call-up was just a cherry on top, one I didn’t expect at all,” she added.

“I’m obviously buzzing about it and it’s really nice that people outside of Spurs are seeing the hard work I’m putting in.

“I have to use this as a confidence boost as well, knowing that I have got something about me and I just need to keep working on my flaws and try to move forward.”