Freelance football writer featured in the South London Press, Capital Football and Mail Sport

My First World Cup

A series of written and video work relating to players, managers, broadcasters and teams who were featuring at their first Women's World Cup at the 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand

Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Diane Caldwell on Ireland's journey to their maiden major tournament

As the snow continues to fall and temperatures remain close to freezing at Reading’s Bearwood Park training ground, the weather seems more late winter than early spring on this particular mid-March morning. Diane Caldwell is used to the cold. The versatile Republic of Ireland international spent five seasons playing across Iceland and Norway as part of a career that has taken her from the east coast of Ireland to the state of New York before eventually bringing her to Berkshire last summer.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Dani Etienne on her family's football heritage and bringing joy to Haiti

Dani Etienne has always been ready for the eyes of the world to be on her. “When my brother and I were growing up playing soccer, my dad and my mom always envisioned us being spokespeople for our teams so they would interview us at home,” she explains after a day of classes in her final year at Fordham University has come to an end. “We did mock interviews all of the time, so I feel like I’m kind of a pro at knowing what I need to say."
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Colin Bell on travelling the world to reach the pinnacle of football

Despite spending the majority of the last 40 years away from his native Leicester, there are some aspects of travelling that Colin Bell is still getting used to. “You never know how long it is going to take,” he says jovially rather than through frustration. He then offers an unnecessary apology for being a few minutes late for this interview after travelling back to his Ilsan home following a few days in Seoul.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Marina Izidro on being the eyes of Brazil in Australia and New Zealand

When it comes to the World Cup, few countries experience the same pressure to deliver as Brazil. Despite a global image of carefree, free-flowing football, Joga Bonito and a philosophy of beauty over brutal efficiency, winning still matters more than anything. “In Brazil, some people are always expecting that you’re going to win,” explains Brazilian multimedia journalist Marina Izidro.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Katie Shanahan Q and A on spending the summer in the Lionesses' camp Down Under

Having represented her country at the highest level in hockey before turning her attention to journalism and working for broadcasters as high-profile as Sky, the BBC and ITV, Katie Shanahan has already enjoyed several careers rolled in to one. The Sports Gazette caught up with Katie just weeks after she had returned from covering England at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: The forgotten story of the English teenagers at the Mexican Mundialito

Long before millions across the globe could watch, or football’s governing bodies would even put their names to the event, Women’s World Cups were a regular occurrence. Following the first unofficial World Cup in Italy in 1970, known as the Coppa del Mundo, a series of tournaments known as the Mundialito were staged over the next two decades before FIFA became involved and organised the first official Women’s World Cup in China in 1991.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Ireland edge past Zambia in pre-tournament warm up

Katie McCabe gives in. She was always going to. The first selfie-hunter of the evening has spotted her sat amongst the other Republic of Ireland players not selected for this friendly against Zambia and pounced. There is a mesh cordon between McCabe and the punters who have sold out Tallaght Stadium for the first of two matches before Ireland travel to Australia to take part in their first Women’s World Cup, but it is the sort of thing that excitement can overlook.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: O'Riordan level-headed about World Cup chances despite scoring first Ireland goal

Republic of Ireland defender Claire O’Riordan says she will remain level-headed ahead of Vera Pauw selecting her final 23-player squad for the upcoming Women’s World Cup. The Celtic defender scored in the 3-2 victory against Zambia in what was Ireland’s first warm-up match ahead of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. However, she did not believe it made her a certain pick for when Pauw streamlines her training squad of 31 players next week.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: What to expect from the Republic of Ireland and Portugal

With the Women’s World Cup expanding to 32 teams for the first time ever in 2023, it is little surprise that there will be as many as eight teams competing in the world’s premier international competition for the very first time in Australia and New Zealand. Here, the Sports Gazette assesses what can be expected from the Republic of Ireland and Portugal as they get set to compete at their first World Cup.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: What to expect from the Philippines and Vietnam

With the Women’s World Cup expanding to 32 teams for the first time ever in 2023, it is little surprise that there will be as many as eight teams taking part in the world’s premier international competition for the very first time in Australia and New Zealand. Here, The Sports Gazette assesses what can be expected from the Philippines and Vietnam as they get set to compete at their first World Cup.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Five World Cup debutants to look out for in Australia and New Zealand

With eight teams featuring at the Women’s World Cup for the first time at this year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand, there are a host of players set to make their debut on football’s grandest stage. However, it is not only the first-time qualifiers who possess talent that is yet to be tested at this level, with regulars like the USA, England and more boosted by players who have not yet graced a World Cup.
Sports Gazette •

My First World Cup: Nouhaila Benzina makes history without playing

In a purely footballing sense, Nouhaila Benzina’s first experience of a World Cup was uneventful. She warmed up with her fellow substitutes pre-match. She watched from the bench as her Moroccan team-mates started well before falling to a 6-0 defeat to international heavyweights Germany in their first-ever World Cup match. And she left the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium without featuring in the game.
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