Maya Le Tissier has said she never expected to be captaining Manchester United at the age of 22 and that her team have a new culture, after reaching the first international break unbeaten. The England defender has overseen four wins and a draw after a summer of major changes to the squad, including the high-profile departures of the England trio Mary Earps, Nikita Parris and Katie Zelem, the previous captain. There were six signings, including the Norway winger Celin Bizet from Tottenham.
“It’s a really positive place to be,” Le Tissier said. “There’s a different culture within the team, a very young team.
“I never thought when I was playing back home that I’d be United captain at 22. It’s crazy. Even when some of our players left in the summer, I thought maybe I’d like to be in the mix but I’m still quite young so I didn’t know if [Marc Skinner] would give the captaincy to me. When he did, I was so excited.
“I’m quite a mature person. I moved away from home when I was 16. My journey has made me the leader and the player I am today. I’m very grateful for my upbringing back home in Guernsey. There’s a lot of challenges coming from an island but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Le Tissier was keen to praise her United and England teammate Grace Clinton, who has scored three goals in four league games from midfield since returning from last season’s loan at Tottenham. “Her loan moves have done her a world of good,” she said.
“She came in at United at exactly the same time as me. She’d say she probably wasn’t ready either. She’s gone to Bristol [City] and Spurs and done unbelievably well. She’s one of our best players. She’s taken that opportunity and grabbed it with both hands and come back to United smashing it. She’s going to be a very important player for United and England.”
Le Tissier is hoping to become a key player for her country. In 2023, she was on standby for the World Cup and travelled to Australia with the team but had to leave the camp before the matches began. That is something she recalls as “bittersweet and really hard” but also an important experience.
Le Tissier is part of the squad preparing to face Germany in a friendly at Wembley on Friday, in a repeat of the 2022 European Championship final. For that historic match, she was in the stands as a fan. Now she is dreaming of a place in next summer’s squad for the Euros in Switzerland. “It would mean everything,” she says.
“Playing in a major tournament with England, that’s what we all dream of. I’ve been so close, but still so far away, and I definitely need to improve my game. We can always improve on things but I will do everything I can this season to put myself there. It would be super special.”
