England women's captain Leah Williamson is to miss the Women's World Cup 2023.
The Lionesses skipper left on crutches after picking up an injury in Arsenal's trip to Manchester United midweek. It has now been confirmed by the official Gunners website that the defender ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.
"Leah will now begin a period of rehabilitation and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. She will undergo surgery in due course," Arsenal confirmed. "Everyone at Arsenal will be supporting Leah closely throughout the journey ahead and we would ask that her privacy is respected at this time."
The injury is a massive blow for the Lionesses who will already be likely to be missing Williamson's Arsenal team-mate and Women's Euro 2022 top scorer, Beth Mead, who also suffered ligament damage in the Women's Super League this season.
Completing a horrendous hat-trick for Arsenal, Dutch goal machine Vivianne Miedema has also suffered the exact same injury. Mead herself called for more research into ACL injuries in women's football after suffering the blow, with 25% of 2022 Ballon d'Or nominees in the last year having suffered with ACL injuries, including the winner of the award, Alexia Putellas, alongside Mead, Miedema, Catarina Macario and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
Williamson was expected to captain the Lionesses this summer Down Under, having assumed the role from Steph Houghton, ahead of the home Euros a year ago. Millie Bright, Steph Houghton, Alex Greenwood and the now-retired Ellen White have all worn the armband in his absence.
The World Cup kicks off on July 20, with England having Haiti, Denmark and China in their group.
