by Maisie Symonds’ journey from a England fan who observes the lionesses who gain the Euro in 2022 from the stands to their own first international call was anything but uncomplicated.
The 22-year-old Brighton midfielder, who was named in Sarina Wiegman’s 24-member squad for the upcoming Nations League double header against Belgium, was a regular sub-19 level in Wembley for the greatest moment three years ago three years ago.
When Symonds traveled to the final, she thought she suffered from a cold. After registering in Brighton’s training camp before the season, she was hospitalized with glandular fever and hepatitis, a combination that then led to a broken spleen.
It took a few months before Symonds recovered enough to be able to return to training, but when she did, she broke a ankle band, another setback that delayed her return until April 2023.
“I think it was literally my trip to Wembley, that was rough,” Symonds recalled her illness. “I had glandular fever at the time, but I didn’t know. I just thought I had a cold, but obviously I would go to the game.
“I started this summer before the season and then it got worse and worse, I really got, very sick. That was a long thing, I think I was traveling for six months and injured most of the season again.
“At that moment I would probably not have predicted that I would be in the squad within a few years, but I am very happy that the people I have killed with myself to help back from something like that, and I’m really proud to be here.”
The attacking midfielder, who was signed by the former Lionesses boss Hope Powell for Brighton, arrived at the camp on Monday and came from Brighton teammate Fran Kirby and Nikita Parris.
When England first competes against Belgium on Friday at Ashton Gate, Wiegman will be back in Leuven next Tuesday, without midfielder Georgia Stanway, Ruby Mace and Laura Blindkilde Brown. This opened the door for Symonds, but the call was still a surprise.
“The day before (the call) we had lost a game and I was a bit in a bad mood,” said Symonds. “I was about to check the game and had an unknown caller through. I would not answer … if it was spam or so.
“Then Sarina only said:” Hello Maisie, it is Sarina “. I couldn’t get the words out to answer her. I kept saying:” Thank you, thank you, thank you “. I almost said:” Fortunately, I didn’t say that. “
