The Women’s Super League will provide more players than any other league at this summer’s European Championship, including all but three of the England squad.
The 16 squads announced for the tournament include 64 players from English clubs, all but five from the top flight, to edge out Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga as the most represented league.
Last season’s top three of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City are among nine clubs worldwide to provide 10 or more players, Barcelona leading the way with 16, and here the PA news agency assesses the make-up of the squads.
England host the tournament and the overwhelming majority of Sarina Wiegman’s side will be on familiar ground.
According to UEFA’s official tournament squad lists, Manchester City provide eight of the 23 players, even after Steph Houghton’s exclusion and the departures of Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway for Barca and Bayern Munich respectively. Rachel Daly, playing in the United States with the Houston Dash, is the other overseas-based player.
There are also four each from champions Chelsea and runners-up Arsenal, three from Manchester United and Aston Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
The group stage will pit them against Norway, whose seven WSL players match the most for any nation other than England. Chelsea’s Maren Mjelde and Guro Reiten, Manchester United duo Maria Thorisdottir and Vilde Boe Rise, City defender Julie Blakstad, Arsenal’s Frida Maanum and Reading’s Amalie Vevle Eikeland will be up against familiar foes on July 11 in Brighton.
Italy and Spain each include 22 players based in their own league, the lone exceptions being the Azzurri’s Everton midfielder Aurora Galli and United and Spain defender Ona Batlle. Germany and Portugal have 21
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