England team profile: key players, full squad list, coach for 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

May 9, 2019 By Ali M.

Topics: FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP, ENGLAND, NIKITA PARRIS, FRAN KIRBY, BETH MEAD, STEPH HOUGHTON, TV SCHEDULES, TV LISTINGS

Here's everything you need to know about the Three Lionesses as they aim to lift the coveted title for the first time in history.

What is England's history in the FIFA Women's World Cup?

England has never won the FIFA Women's World Cup and has failed to qualify for three of the seven previous tournaments. However, the Three Lionesses have made a name for themselves in the later editions.

The European outfit has reached the quarter-final stage on three separate occasions, once in 1995 before making back-to-back appearances in the Last 8 in 2007 and 2011. At Canada 2015, England enjoyed their best run, going all the way to the semi-finals. They suffered a heartbreak against eventual runners-up Japan in the penultimate stage but ended up winning the third-place playoff in what was a proud attempt.

What is England's group at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup?

England are in a tough section, Group D. For more information and analysis on the Lionesses' Last 16 qualification chances, check out Group D: Argentina, England, Japan, Scotland - 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup teams.

What is England's full squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup?

It's a strong England squad that manager Phil Neville is sending to France and the roster was announced in top fashion with Men's Football stars David Beckham and Raheem Sterling among the celebrities who revealed the players' names on May 8.

Steph Houghton's participation was in doubt a few months ago, after the England captain declared taking care of her ill husband was her priority but the latter had been telling her to "Get out of the house!" and go to the Women's World Cup. Houghton will then assume her role as a skipper and lead a squad of which half -- minus herself -- will be making their first appearance at the tournament.

Goalkeepers: Karen Bardsley, Mary Earps, Carly Telford

Defenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Steph Houghton, Abbie McManus, Demi Stokes, Leah Williamson

Midfielders: Karen Carney, Jade Moore, Jill Scott, Lucy Staniforth, Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh

Strikers: Toni Duggan, Fran Kirby, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Jodie Taylor, Ellen White

Notable absentees are 35-year-old veteran Fara Williams whose omision Neville described as "unlucky", and injured attacking midfielder Izzy Christiansen who is "devastated" at failing to recover in time for the Women's World Cup following her setback at the glorious SheBelieves Cup campaign in March.

Who are the key players to watch for England at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup?

If England wants to go far, they will need a reliable goal scorer. Here's where Nikita Parris will likely enter the picture. The Man City attacker has been in stellar form, scoring 18 goals in the FA Women's Super League. Fran Kirby and Beth Mead should also be key figures in attack.

Parris is not afraid to score against world champions USA...

Steph Houghton will be another crucial figure. The fact that she wears the captain's armband and is at the heart of the Three Lionesses' defense makes her an important figure in Phil Neville's squad. Speaking of Phil Neville...

Who is England's coach?

The man in the dugout is Phil Neville. While he has enjoyed tremendous success as a player at Man United, his managerial career hasn't been all that impressive. However, his current reign with the England women's national team looks impressive, having won the 2019 SheBelieves Cup ahead of USWNT, Brazil, and Japan.

Phil seems to be in charge of the dressing room, and the main driving force gluing the ladies together for top results on the field.