Ex-England star details unseen Women's World Cup challenge facing 15 Lionesses
Anita Asante knows exactly how it feels to step up and make your first appearance at a World Cup.
It's something that 15 England players face experiencing at this summer's Women's World Cup. But with Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses among the favourites and only bringing home the crown good enough to satisfy the Dutch coach - 12 months on from European Championship glory - there might not be playing time for everyone.
“My first major tournament I was called up to was the 2005 Euros... I didn't play a single minute, ,” started the 38-year-old, who earned 71 caps during a 14-year international career, operating as a defender or in the middle of the park.
"I mean I was a kid then and I watched the whole tournament, but that was my first exposure to ‘this is what the big stage is - Oh my god.’” She laughed and continued.
“And then my first tournament of actually competing and playing was the 2007 World Cup in China. And I think of course you have some nerves and it's good to get those butterflies, you know, because it shows that this is important to you, you really want to perform.
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“I was just so excited. It was like being a kid in a candy shop, like, you just want to get out there - you have the buzz, you have the adrenaline and you’re a bit fearless. I suppose when you're younger, you don't really know what could possibly go wrong.”
Asante, who scored two goals for her country, also represented Team GB in the 2012 Olympics. She has seen women's football grow enormously in recent years, with this summer's tournament marking the biggest in history, with 32 teams included for the first time, double the 16 who took part in Asante’s inaugural World Cup.
Anita Asante of England gets away from Aya Sameshima of Japan during the FIFA Womens World Cup 2011 (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)It also bookmarks a sensational moment for 15 of England’s 23-player squad who are setting out for their first World Cup Campaign, including the likes of Jess Carter, Ella Toone, Katie Zelem, Lauren James and Alessia Russo.
Spoken with abundant enthusiasm for the moment these World Cup debutants will take to the pitch, Asante reckons they will enjoy the moment rather than fear it: “Yep, of course [they will feel the same as she did]. I mean, these girls now with the level of competition they're playing at domestically, the attendance figures that they had, they're getting more and more accustomed to playing in front of big audiences, having that pressure and expectation.
"So I actually think they thrive on these moments.
England's players in training - how far can they go in Australia?“But they just look very relaxed from what I can tell from the training camp and they seem to be enjoying the experience so far and embracing this journey.
"For me, it feels like a step up [from the Euros to the World Cup stage] because as a kid growing up when you watch the World Cup like this is the biggest competition in football.
“And with this being the first World Cup with 32 clubs is another big evolution again for the sport so there are newcomers in terms of nations to the competition. Now, there are a lot of teams that England would have never faced before, so they don't necessarily know exactly what to expect. But that's part of the excitement and as a fan. That's exciting because you don't know what new talents might turn up in this tournament.
“Like Zambia that played Germany in the friendly recently and won! So yeah, I mean, wouldn't it be amazing in their first tournament and an African nation like Zambia to just throw an upset? That would be incredible. That's what tournaments are all about!”
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