North West Lionesses Roar: England Women Players from Up North

Sarina Wiegman’s incredible Lionesses made history in Switzerland recently when they won the Euros, defending the title they had claimed on home soil in 2022. They became the first senior England team to win a major tournament on foreign soil, the first to defend a title and indeed the first to have won more than one!

Wiegman herself has now led the winning side in each of the last three European Championships and has taken sides to the final in her last fie major tournaments. As incredible an achievement as that is, she will be the first to point out that it is the players who put the ball in the back of the net, who make the key tackles and the big saves and, therefore, deserve the bulk of the credit.

And indeed, England have had some brilliant footballers in recent times, with the 2025 squad featuring stars such as Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead, Lauren James, Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo. Wiegman’s group contained players who represent a number of the biggest sides around, with perennial WSL champions Chelsea very well represented. European champions Arsenal also had many players in the squad, but both big Manchester sides also had multiple players involved in Switzerland.

We will look at which players represented United and City in a moment. However, let us first look at where some of the Lionesses were from, in particular, the stars from the North West.

Lionesses from the North West of England

North West England is one of nine clearly defined, official regions of England. It includes Greater Manchester, as well as Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria. This region has proved a fruitful one in terms of producing brilliant female footballers in recent times. The following were all born in the North West.

Niamh Charles, Wirral

Charles was born in the Wirral and came through at Liverpool. She played for the Reds before joining Chelsea in 2020, and the left back has 29 senior caps for the Lionesses.

Keira Walsh, Rochdale

Walsh is one of a number of the squad who came through the productive Blackburn Rovers academy system. Born in Rochdale, the 28-year-old signed for Chelsea in 2025 but, before that, played for Barcelona and Man City, after a brief stint in Blackburn’s senior team. A defensive midfielder, she has pretty much won everything the game has to offer. That includes league titles with City, Barca and Chelsea, and two Champions League successes while in Spain. With 93 caps for England, she has been a stalwart of the side and would love to add a World Cup win to complete her amazing CV.

Alex Greenwood, Bootle

Greenwood is also primarily a left back, though she can play in the middle two. Now 31 years old, she was born in Bootle and spent nine years as a youth with Everton, before another four as a senior player there. She has a massive total of 105 England caps and has also played for Liverpool and both Manchester clubs (as well as Notts County and Lyon).

Georgia Stanway, Barrow

Yet another England stalwart, despite being just 26, the competitive, attacking midfielder Stanway was part of the youth set-up at Blackburn. She has also played for City and currently turns out for Bayern Munich. She has won 84 caps, scoring 24 goals thanks to her fine ball-striking abilities.

Ella Toone, Tyldesley

Ella Toone, who’s 25 years old, also developed as a youth with Blackburn and was born in Tyldesley, near Wigan. The attacking midfielder had a very brief stint at Man City but now plays for United. 65 caps have brought 23 goals, and she is one of many stars in this excellent England side.

Anna Moorhouse, Oldham

Goalie Moorhouse is 30 and, at over 6ft tall, is a commanding presence. Yet to earn a senior cap, she plays her club football in the US.

Grace Clinton, Liverpool

Clinton has 16 caps and three goals to her name, but, aged just 22, will surely add many more in the years ahead. She came through the ranks at Everton, and while she plays for Man United she is yet to fully establish herself with the Red Devils.

Khiara Keating, Ardwick

Keating is another back-up keeper who is yet to make her full senior debut. However, the Manchester-born Man City player is just 21 years old and has played for the U15, U19 and U23 sides.

Lionesses Who Play for Manchester Sides

In addition to the many brilliant footballers who were born in the footballing heartlands of the North West, there are others who now play for one of the two big Manchester clubs. As well as the many mentioned above, the following also represent either City or United.

Lauren Hemp, Man City

Hemp was brilliant at Euro 2025 and is one of England’s most determined, consistent performers. She will turn 25 on the 7th of August 2025 and yet already has 70 caps to her name. She has 19 senior goals too, whilst her scoring stats with her current club, Man City, are more impressive.

The Blues signed her from Bristol City, while she came through the academy at Norwich, having been born in Norfolk. She has won a couple of cups with City but will hope to add to that in the years ahead.

Maya Le Tissier, Man United

Interestingly, 23-year-old centre back Le Tissier is not related to Matt, though she is also from Guernsey. She has eight England caps and joined United from Brighton. She has established herself as a regular with the Red Devils and will hope to do the same with the Lionesses in time for the next World Cup.

Jess Park, Man City

Park crossed the Pennines to play for City, being a Yorkshire lass from Brough, near Hull. She began more as a winger but often plays centrally now in an attacking midfield role. She is 23 years old and will hope to establish herself as a regular in the years ahead, adding to her 20 caps.