Why World Cup 2023 could be the ultimate England fairytale for Jordan Nobbs

Boots? Check. Passport? Check. Unwavering belief from your nation that you can once again bring it home? Check.

England have arrived down under and are ready to challenge for the biggest trophy international football has to offer. Spurred on by their fairytale home run at the 2022 European Championships, the Lionesses will be hoping to continue their gold rush by getting their hands on the highest honour of them all — the World Cup.

In their history, England have never gone beyond the semi-finals of the tournament, having been trumped by the USA in the last edition, and Japan in 2015. Although they managed to secure bronze during the latter competition, a medal upgrade is high on the priority list this summer.

Serial Euro-winner Sarina Wiegman is the most exciting head coach the England national team has had in many years. There’s no doubt about her pedigree as a manager, and her carefully selected squad will know this is the tournament of their lifetimes so far - and that they need to produce performances to match.

Since the departure of Phil Neville and his hesistance to give young, up and coming players a shot at glory, the Lionesses have transformed. In her short reign at the hilt, Wiegman has handed rising stars a golden ticket and hoisted them up onto the shoulders of giants.

The likes of Alessia Russo and Ella Toone have rapidly become some of England’s most recognised faces, despite still being relatively new to the set-up. Their rise into the spotlight has been so seamless that it’s very easy to forget they both made their major tournament debut just last summer at the Euros. For two rookies, they certainly set the pitch alight and played crucial roles in England lifting the trophy.

More young stars are getting their chances at proving why they are the future of their country’s football scene but equally, Wiegman is resurrecting careers that once seemed to be left behind and forgotten about. Mary Earps is the perfect example. After being named England’s third choice at the 2019 World Cup, the goalkeeper was dropped completely. She admitted herself that this was likely the end of the road for her as a Lioness.

Now, she is a European champion, history-maker, role model, the FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, and vice-captain of England at the 2023 World Cup. The spine-tingling comeback story of a lifetime at 30 years of age, proving nothing is unachievable. Now, Wiegman could be moulding another fairytale as Jordan Nobbs prepares to represent her country once again.

The midfielder, who recently moved to Aston Villa after 12 years devoted to Arsenal, was regarded as one of the strongest and most reliable all-round midfielders in the English game, until injury hit. An ACL tear ended her hopes of travelling out to France for the 2019 World Cup and from there, things slowly started to unravel.

With less game time for the ever-expanding Arsenal, plus more torrid luck with injuries, Nobbs began to fade into the background. New fans who started their support of England at Euro 2022 did not know much about her, especially not her pedigree, her leadership, or her ability to smash a goal in from 25-yards out.

The celebration of Ellen White and Jill Scott’s respective retirements were celebrated by many who might not have realised that Nobbs had also played her part alongside these legends as a key figure in the recent history of English women’s football, or that a number of the young Lionesses they were applauding had watched and been influenced by the midfielder before their own call-ups. For the fans who have followed Nobbs’ career, it was a strange and devastating time to see her falling out of favour.

As well as her absence from the 2019 World Cup, Nobbs also missed out representing Team GB at the 2020 Olympics, and of course, the historic Euros last summer. She made a decision to leave her beloved Arsenal, knowing only regular time on the pitch to prove herself once again would give her a shot at pulling on the England jersey once more.

After joining Villa back in January, Nobbs has rolled back the years and redefined the meaning of grabbing an opportunity with both hands. Just one month after signing, she scored a hat-trick against Brighton and Hove Albion and earned the Women’s Super League Player of the Month award. There was so little time to stake her claim for the World Cup, but she did it.

When the final England squad was announced, fans were elated to see Nobbs was heading down under. She was named as part of the Arnold Clark Cup and Women’s Finalissima teams, but World Cup chances still remained uncertain. Now her place is secured, she poses a real creative threat, and her raw ability teamed up with her seniority could make her the Lionesses’ secret weapon this year.

Opposition sides may have studied England’s strategy from Euro 2022 and might have figured out how to contain Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly, and the other tricky players who caused headaches last summer, but very few will be ready for Jordan Nobbs.

Regardless of whether she should be ‘proving herself’ or not, Nobbs has been given a lifeline to resurrect her international career. Yes, her omissions were down to awful injury luck, but football waits for no one, and sometimes, the cruel reality is that you will get left behind through no fault of your own. This is not the end for Nobbs, though.

Just like Earps, she is on the path to re-establishing herself as a leading Lioness. This tournament is for the fans who missed out on watching Nobbs play for England. This is for the fans who have been praying for her comeback all these years. But mostly, this is for the player who picked herself up after blow upon devastating blow, and promised herself that her time was not up.