Women’s World Cup: Kent duo Alessia Russo and Laura Coombs going for glory with England

The Women’s World Cup begins in Australia and New Zealand today.

The month-long festival of football is bigger than ever, expanded from 24 countries to 32.

Among them are England, who are hoping to win the tournament for the first time.

Manager Sarina Wiegman’s squad includes two Kent girls who will be doing all they can to help the Lionesses build on last summer’s European Championship success and bring home the trophy.

Striker Alessia Russo, from Maidstone, is one of the biggest stars in the women’s game after scoring four times, including a stunning semi-final backheel, during England’s run to Euro glory.

She’s joined in the squad by Gravesend-born midfielder Laura Coombs, who earned an international recall on the back of an impressive season for Manchester City.

Who is Alessia Russo?

Alessia Russo, 24, has rarely been out of the news since becoming a household name with her European Championship exploits last summer.

The striker was born and bred in Maidstone, attending East Farleigh Primary School and St Simon Stock Secondary School.

She played youth football for Bearsted - a club she remains in touch with to this day - followed by spells with Charlton, Chelsea and Brighton before studying in America, where she played for North Carolina Tar Heels.

Russo earned a dream move to Manchester United in 2021, the club she had supported since childhood, signing a two-year contract.

She made her mark internationally by scoring an 11-minute hat-trick in a 20-0 World Cup qualifying win over Latvia in November 2021.

But it was her brilliance as a super-sub at the Euros which saw her rise to fame.

She scored four times, all after coming off the bench, as the Lionesses won the tournament on home soil.

Entering the final six