Leah Williamson is the shy superstar who has eclipsed Bobby Moore

Telegraph

2 days ago

Leah Williamson has made history. By leading the Lionesses to glory, she has become the first England captain to lift two major trophies, eclipsing the achievements of the late Bobby Moore.
Williamson is a natural poster girl for this England team. She leads by performance and lets her talent do the talking. Away from football, she attracts the biggest brands and sponsors and the most media attention.
She is the face of Pepsi alongside Lionel Messi and modelled for Calvin Klein ahead of the tournament. There are shades of David Beckham in her leadership style and off-the-pitch popularity.
In many ways, Williamson is not a stereotypical captain. She is a self-professed introvert and more reserved than some of the other leaders around her.
Lucy Bronze is the Lionesses' most experienced player and probably the loudest on the pitch. She would have been an obvious pick to be captain when Sarina Wiegman took over as England manager in 2021.
Williamson was 25 at the time, had just 20 caps and was not captain of her club team, Arsenal. But there was a reason Wiegman decided she was the perfect fit.
She knew Williamson was going to be part of her long-term plans. She was the future, someone who could be moulded into a leader, with a little bit of guidance from the more experienced heads around her.
Williamson had captained England at youth level and had impressed coaches with her natural organisational instincts. Keira Walsh recalled Williamson having to get her to team meetings on time when they were in youth age-group teams, describing the defender as the 'serious' one in their friendship.
Williamson has also been guided by Arsenal captain Kim Little, who shares many of the same introverted traits and who learnt to embrace them from legendary Lioness Kelly Smith.
'I lead from within, that's my style,' Williamson said of her approach to captaincy. 'People like Kim, especially over the last couple of years, we've had quite a lot of conversations about that, because it's in our nature to be slightly more passive or let things play out and sometimes you have to be a bit more engaged and deal with things when they're happening.
'Maybe that development of just trying to recognise moments where it would be beneficial to act rather than trying to step back from the spotlight as much as possible.'
'She takes us all with her'
Williamson may be more introverted but that does not mean she is not vocal. When England conceded their second goal against France in their opening match at these Euros, Williamson gathered her team-mates into a huddle and barked instructions. She did the same when they were 3-0 down against Belgium in April. She can deliver passionate speeches when required.
'She rallies the team, gets everyone going, keeps everyone together, and leads by example in the way she plays,' team-mate Ella Toone said. 'You want your captain to really step up in games and she definitely does that. She takes us all with her as well.
'She's a great captain and one that you want to play under and one that you want to work hard for. Because you know that when she goes out on to that pitch, she'll give absolutely everything for everyone. She's a great person too.'
Williamson has made an effort to be more sociable with her team-mates during this tournament. She joked that during the last Euros she spent her free time sleeping but has consciously tried to be more present this time around.
'Beth Mead was laughing at me the other day because I did the day in the life of her which meant I didn't go back to my room, I was very sociable,' Williamson said earlier in the tournament.
'I said to her: 'I don't know how you do this every day,' and she said: 'This is my every day.' I said: 'Yes, it's crazy to me, I'm not that type of person'.'
Williamson was a key member of the Euro 2022 squad but missed the World Cup after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament three months before the tournament. She admitted on the eve of the Lionesses' first game in Switzerland that she had held some anxiety coming into this tournament.
It is perhaps fair to say Williamson has not enjoyed as good a tournament as she did in 2022. There have been difficult moments, her passing has not always been as crisp and accurate as we have come to expect. There had been high expectations given Williamson enjoyed one of her best games in recent memory when Arsenal beat Barcelona in the Champions League final. But she has not been helped by the fact her centre-back partner has changed three times at this tournament.
She started alongside Alex Greenwood, then played three games with Jess Carter next to her before Esme Morgan was brought in for the semi-final with Italy. Williamson may also have been playing with the added pressure of feeling she has to solve every issue in England's defence. It is a trait Bronze had in the earlier part of her England career.
What is clear is that her team-mates know they are a better team with her than without her. When there was a doubt over whether Williamson would be fit for the semi-final after rolling her ankle against Sweden, Morgan said before the game: 'I want what is best for the team and that is absolutely having our captain on the pitch.'
'She's just an incredible girl'
Many of this squad have known Williamson since childhood. They have seen her go from the quiet kid to the face of women's football.
'I remember stepping into Arsenal at 12 years old and saying to my parents, 'Leah's going to be England captain one day,'' Chloe Kelly said.
'She's just an incredible girl, shows great leadership qualities and is so approachable, someone that I get on so well with. To captain England at major tournaments, there is a lot of pressure, but it doesn't show in Leah's personality at all. She's just so consistent, highs, lows and everything in between. She's a great England captain.'