{
  "id": 13326521,
  "title": "Is the fight to be England’s No 10 at the World Cup a problem or a positive for Sarina Wiegman?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/is-the-fight-to-be-englands-no-10-at-the-world-cup-a-problem-or-a",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-10T04:31:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/fight-england-no-10-world-043105240.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "England's head coach Sarina Wiegman faces a dilemma in deciding who will play as the team's No. 10 for their upcoming World Cup play-off semi-final against Greece. After Lucy Bronze withdrew due to injury, Wiegman did not replace her with a direct equivalent but instead recalled Ella Toone, who had initially been left out as her performances had not met expectations. This decision highlights that no player has been officially confirmed as England's No. 10, and Wiegman is still evaluating options. Toone, the Manchester United midfielder, has been considered a potential starter in this role, having impressed Wiegman with her attitude during training in Marbella. However, Lauren James, who started centrally against France in the 2025 European Championship, is also a strong contender, as she can drift across the wings and find space effectively. Laura Blindkilde Brown, a Manchester City midfielder, has also played in the No. 10 position and is comfortable between a deep midfielder and a creative No. 10, though she is not an out-and-out winger. Wiegman's uncertainty about the No. 10 position shows she has many options, but the team's overall performance has been inconsistent, and they may need to strike a balance between individual player development and team success to reach trophy-winning levels by the 2027 World Cup.",
  "summary": "When right-back Lucy Bronze withdrew from the England squad on Thursday because of injury, head coach Sarina Wiegman did not summon a like-for-like replacement. Instead, she recalled Ella Toone, who had initially been left out because, according to Wiegman, her performances had not been up to standard. The Dutchwoman, impressed by Toone’s attitude — the Manchester United midfielder spent the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "England gain edge over Greece in Women's World Cup play-offs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/england-gain-edge-over-greece-in-womens-world-cup-play-offs",
        "published": "2026-10-10T03:07:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}