'I didn't think about England anymore' - Laura Coombs on 'unique' chance to win first Lionesses' cap in eight years

• Coombs in squad for first time since 2020
• Last appearance came in 2015
• Describes chance to play for England again as a "shock"

WHAT HAPPENED? Coombs was called up by Sarina Wiegman for the Lionesses’ upcoming Arnold Clark Cup campaign. The Manchester City midfielder’s last call-up was a training camp in late 2020, while her last appearance for her country was in 2015.

WHAT THEY SAID: “I was surprised. It's been so long. I didn't think about the international stage anymore,” she told reporters. “I was thinking I was going to get a break [in the international window]! I am really happy to be here. It was a shock but now I'm here, I'm ready to get to work.

“I hadn't given up. In my early years, it's all I wanted. But after so long, you have to park that and focus on club, otherwise you get disappointed and it starts to affect you negatively. It wasn't what I was working towards.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Coombs could win her first cap in eight years if she features in any of the three games England will play in February – and there’s an even bigger prospect on the horizon, too, with it being a World Cup year.

“It's incredible,” she added, looking ahead to the summer. “I just feel extremely lucky and privileged. Knowing that there's this camp and one more camp and then the squad is getting announced is a bit mind blowing for me, but it's an amazing opportunity.

“It would be incredible [to go to the World Cup], knowing that my last cap was eight years ago, that's a unique journey. Not many players have that time between call-ups. It's something I thought had passed, so it'd be even more special.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR COOMBS? The midfielder will hope to feature in England's first Arnold Clark Cup fixture, on Thursday against South Korea. If not, opportunities may come in the games against Italy and Belgium that follow.