8 Arsenal players selected for u17 Women World Cup | OneFootball

Arsenal’s youth academy continues to deliver as eight of its rising stars have been selected for England’s u-17 Women’s World Cup squad.

The tournament, held in the Dominican Republic from 16 October to 3 November, will showcase the brightest young talents in the game, and Arsenal’s contributions are central to England’s squad.

With experienced names like Laila Harbert and Omotara Junaid already gaining first-team experience, the future looks bright for the Gunners.

England’s head coach, Natalie Henderson, has named the 21 players who will represent the nation, including eight from the Arsenal Academy U16 and U21 teams.

This will be England’s third participation in the tournament, having finished in fourth place in the inaugural event in 2008 and reaching the quarter-finals in 2016.

England are one of 16 qualified teams, aiming to progress beyond the group stage.

Tournament groups:

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.

I will be attending the England v Korea DPR game as part of the four matches I will cover during the tournament, marking my first u-17 Women’s World Cup experience.

Arsenal’s Harbert will captain England, telling Arsenal.com, “Captaining my country is the greatest honour.

TALLINN, ESTONIA – MAY 23: Laila Harbert of England looks o during the UEFA Women’s European Under-17 Championship Semi-Final match between Spain and England at Lilleküla Stadium on May 23, 2023 in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo by Joosep Martinson/Getty Images )

“It comes with a lot of responsibility but I think as a team, we’re so united that it’s not just about being one individual. The whole team contributes in their own way, and we use each other’s strengths to our advantage.”

Experience in the squad:

Two Arsenal players, Laila Harbert and Omotara Junaid, have already made their first-team debuts in friendlies against Australia and Southampton, respectively.

Eva Spencer has been named on Liverpool’s WSL bench several times this season, while Zara Shaw earned her first start in the League Cup.

Denny Draper, who scored her first senior goal for Leicester against Bristol City, has already signed a professional contract.

England recently reached the u-17 Euros final, losing to Spain.

With a strong squad, the team will hope to make a deep run in this tournament as well.