Leah Williamson looks back on five of her most memorable games

With 66 caps and counting for her country, Lionesses skipper Leah Williamson has enjoyed plenty of highs during her international career.

From winning back-to-back European titles to her very-first senior appearance, the captain relives five of her most memorable fixtures in an England shirt.

Russia 1-3 England, 8 June 2018

Some eight years ago, Williamson – who progressed through the youth ranks with England – stepped out on to the pitch for the first time as a senior player. The 29 year old’s debut came in a World Cup Qualifying win in Moscow, introduced as a second-half substitute for Keira Walsh.

“I think things like that, you just want to get it out of the way,” she reflected. “I’d been involved a long time – what felt like a long time. I came on for my best mate, so that was nice as well to share a moment.

“I felt like I'd worked really hard, so it was a nice moment to just be really proud without the worry of the performance. I think they were 3-1 up – I don't think they scored when I came on, so that was nice!”

Czech Republic 2-3 England, 12 November 2019

She followed up with her first goal for the Lionesses, scoring a late winner against Czech Republic. Williamson rippled the net with 86 minutes gone as Phil Neville’s side signed off the calendar year to open her account.

“It was really, really cold,” she remembered. “It was snowing. It was literally like a blizzard. Again, my parents weren't there for that and my parents weren’t there in Russia and they come to all the games.

“I think playing for England is just such an honour, and at the time, any time the opportunity was presented to me, I tried to take it with both hands.

“It took a deflection but if you don't shoot, don't score and Keira gave me some stick because she was telling me to leave it on the pitch, so when I hit it, I thought ‘you're going to have to hit it hard at least to make it worth it’.”

England 2-1 Germany, 31 July 2022

With just six minutes of tournament football under her belt heading into EURO 2022, Williamson – having been handed the armband – captained Sarina Wiegman’s team to glory as the stars aligned.

“I think after Spain, I just believed that we could do anything,” she said. “In 120 minutes of football, there was only one moment as when they scored where I just had to take a second to reset. It's the only time I'd ever questioned if we were going to win. I don't mean that in a cocky way, that's just how the team made me feel.

“I was tired from playing 120 minutes of football and it did not matter. It was like I could play another one.

“I'm a very emotional person and it was a really big, emotional game. There was so much that happened and so much to consider and then you're on the brink of history. That makes you more tired than anything else. My legs could have gone forever but my heart couldn't have.”

And life changed for Williamson and her teammates from thereon out, after beating Germany in the final under the famous Wembley arch.

“We had some had some boats where we stayed at The Lensbury,” she continued. “They had boats that you could rent and take them out on the Thames – just a really normal task to do, to just.completely switch off from football. I loved that about it. Our profiles have grown substantially since that tournament, so we could still get away with just going and getting an ice cream which was really nice. “

England 2-1 South Africa, 28 October 2024

Williamson ticked off a milestone as the Lionesses hosted South Africa in Coventry. She marked her 50th appearance for her country with a goal, opening the scoring with 12 minutes played.

But she insisted it was still important to ‘do business’ on a landmark night for the Arsenal defender.

“Obviously very proud to get to 50 because you just don’t imagine you’re going to reach any milestones and I've obviously been quite unlucky with injuries,” she explained. “To have made it to 50, to play for England once would have been enough.”

England 1-1 Spain, 27 July 2025

Wiegman’s side came up against a familiar foe in Spain in the EURO 2025 Final in Basel last summer – the same team England edged out in the EURO 2022 quarter-finals and who beat the Lionesses in the final of the 2023 World Cup in Australia.

It took penalties to separate the two teams as England retained their crown and made further history out in Switzerland with Williamson leading out the teams once again.

“I really enjoyed that game in terms of my job as a defender,” she said. “When you play really nice football, obviously it's a nice feeling but sometimes, especially as a defender, when you just have to stand up and just be counted over and over and over again, it makes me feel very proud. It was a weird game – it didn’t feel like a final to me.

“On an individual and team basis, I don't think I've ever felt like anything was more apart, in terms of the application and what we had to put in to get out on an individual basis; people with their bodies; decision making to then get the reward.”

Honourable mentions

The first-ever Women’s Finalissima saw England overcome Brazil in a shootout triumph to add yet another piece of silverware to the trophy cabinet in front of a sold-out Wembley Stadium.

“The Finalissima had a fun vibe to it because it was kind of a weird fixture,” noted Williamson. “But to win another tournament after 2022, I really enjoyed that.”

Two-time Arnold Clark Cup winners England were warming up for EURO 2022 when they played the first edition of the round-robin tournament, beating Germany on home turf for the first time in their history.

“Also, the Germany game in the Arnold Clark Cup,” she added. “We won with a late winner. I think Millie's [Bright] gone up top and Fran [Kirby] scored. Again, that was another time where you just sort of look around and you think: ‘I'm happy with my team and I'm happy to be part of this team.’”