Arsenal and England forward Beth Mead has not been included in Sarina Wiegman's squad for the upcoming Women's World Cup.
The 28-year-old has been facing a race against time to be fit for the showpiece tournament, which will take place in Australia and New Zealand between July 20 and August 20. Mead ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] in Arsenal's defeat to Manchester United in November before undergoing surgery in December.
While Wiegman said in April it would require a "miracle" for Mead to be fit in time for the World Cup, Mead had refused to completely rule herself out of the tournament. Earlier this month, the forward revealed she was "ahead of schedule" in her recovery but conceded it was ultimately up to Wiegman to decide whether to include her in the Lionesses' 23-player squad.
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"The injury is okay. I’m a good five months in now. I’m back on the pitch and kicking a ball again," she told Sky Sports.
"I’m feeling good. I'm ahead of schedule so that’s all that’s in my control right now. I wouldn’t say [I'm] confident because that’s out of my control but I’m working hard to try and get as close to that as possible.
"At the end of the day it’s probably going to be Sarina’s decision."
Mead is one of a number of players ruled out of the tournament through injury, with England captain Leah Williamson and Chelsea midfielder Fran Kirby also among the absentees.
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