Wiegman hands Mead first Lionesses call-up in 12 months

Sarina Wiegman has handed Beth Mead her first Lionesses call-up since November 2022 ahead of December's crunch Nations League fixtures.

England face the Netherlands at Wembley on Friday December 1, before travelling to Hampden Park to face Scotland on Tuesday December 5.

Mead, 28, earned her 50th cap in a 4-0 win over Japan on November 11 last year, but ruptured her ACL during the Gunners' 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates just over a week later.

Speaking in October, Wiegman revealed Mead was "in a good place, but not close to an England call", yet she has since returned for her club and made her first start in exactly 12 months during Sunday's 3-0 win at Brighton.

"She's played minutes, she's in a good place and still building, too. But that was a very nice phone call [to make]. She was very happy," Wiegman said in her press conference at St George's Park, shortly after the squad was announced.