From Missed Opportunities to World Cup Glory: Esme Morgan's Journey Revealed
Esme Morgan, England Women defender, opens up about her nerve-wracking journey to secure her spot in the World Cup squad, her disappointment following the loss against Australia, and her exhilaration witnessing Manchester City's Champions League triumph
Esme Morgan confesses that she missed out on being selected for the England World Cup because she was getting ready for her summer vacation. The defender from Manchester City was anxiously awaiting a call from head coach Sarina Wiegman, but an ordinary occurrence hindered her from discovering if she had made the cut.
"I had actually missed the initial phone call," Morgan informs We.
"At the time, I was about to embark on my vacation and was expecting a last-minute delivery from Zara. Therefore, I hurried to the door to retrieve it. When I returned and glanced at my phone, I noticed that I had received a missed call from Sarina and Arjen [Veurink - England Women assistant coach]."
Morgan was relieved when she received another call from Wiegman and Veurink after initially expressing disappointment. She apologized for missing their previous call, explaining that she was occupied with a delivery. Now, she is back at St George's Park for the second week of England's pre-World Cup camp.
Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this.
Access Privacy Settings
England's previous match, held in April, was one to be erased from memory for the Lionesses. Despite being steered by the 22-year old, they succumbed to a defeat by Australia, who were galvanized by the outstanding performance of Sam Kerr, terminating their remarkable streak of 30 games without a loss.
Morgan expresses his disappointment about his performance in the Australia game, stating that when given such opportunities, one strives to give their utmost. Despite giving his best effort, his output fell far short of his expectations. Consequently, this setback disheartened him and significantly dented his confidence. However, he managed to rebuild his confidence at his club.
Image:
Esme Morgan made her debut for England against Czech Republic last October
"But there was definitely a doubt about whether they'd keep their trust in me after a poor performance."
Morgan, along with her parents and friends, went out to celebrate after receiving the call-up by attending a concert of one of her favorite bands.
"Guess what!" she exclaims. "I was torn between crying to 'Fix You' or enthusiastically jumping to 'Viva la Vida'."
Content: I was enthusiastically dancing to the tune of 'Viva la Vida' and it's safe to say that I was really getting into it.
Beforehand, I was feeling a bit nervous because I had seen various predicted squads on social media. Some included me, while others did not. It made me think, 'I really hope that Sarina aligns with the groups that have included me'.
"I have a strong bond with her and believed that I performed exceptionally well towards the conclusion of the season, so all I could do was hope that it would suffice."
In addition to enjoying the sunny summer and participating in evening performances, Morgan's short break before camp also included a visit to Istanbul for the Champions League final.
Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this.
Open Privacy Options
The life-long City fan sat in the stands with team-mate Steph Houghton and club legends Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nedum Onuoha to watch their biggest victory to date.
"We were ecstatic," she exclaims. "I had to give my voice a break for about four to five days, as it was hoarse for quite some time, but the experience was absolutely incredible.
"When I witnessed them actually raising the trophy, tears welled up in my eyes. I have been a dedicated fan of City for as long as I can remember, and this has been the club's ultimate aspiration for numerous years."
The sight of the players' emotions triggered something in me. As a player, the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and the culmination of all the hard work put into it must evoke a tremendous wave of emotion when lifting that trophy. Having missed the Euros last year due to a broken leg, Morgan is hopeful for the opportunity to experience that same emotional high once again this summer in Australia with the England team, as they compete for the biggest trophy in the sport.
