Injured Bronze withdraws from England squad

Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze has withdrawn from the England squad.

Bronze sustained a minor injury in the Blues’ Women’s Super League win over West Ham on Sunday.

Chelsea have confirmed she will not be involved in either leg of England’s Women’s World Cup play-off against Greece.

The 148-cap right-back won back-to-back European Championships with England, in 2022 and 2025.

Sarina Wiegman’s side arrived in Crete on Wednesday evening to prepare for Friday’s first leg. The second leg takes place at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium on Tuesday, 13 October.

The winners will face either Slovakia or Ukraine in a two-legged play-off on 26 November and 5 December. The team that progresses will qualify for next year’s World Cup in Brazil, which runs from 24 June to 25 July.