Women’s World Cup 2023: Who are the Most Influential Lionesses?
After their impressive EURO 2022 win last summer, the England women's football team (aka the Lionesses) will return to the world stage in a bid to add even more silverware to their trophy collection.
As anticipation builds for the major tournament, the team at Betway have crunched the numbers to discover which members of the Lioness team are the most influential, determined by their number of Instagram followers:
1 Lucy Bronze - 552k followers
Coming in at number one with 552k followers is ultimate role model, Lucy Bronze. Dubbed one of the best right-backs in women’s football, it’s no surprise she tops the list as the most followed Lioness appearing at this year’s Women’s World Cup.
Bronze has made history on and off the pitch, and has been named FIFA's World Player of the Year, two-time BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, and 2019 UEFA Women's Player of the Year. It’s safe to say her trophy cabinet is bursting at the seams.
2 Chloe Kelly - 552k followers
Next on the list is Lioness superstar Chloe Kelly with 552k followers. Kelly made history with her winning extra-time goal during the Women’s Euro 2022 final, which sealed a 2-1 victory and secured the team’s first major trophy.
Kelly currently plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team, playing previously for Arsenal and Everton.
3 Ella Toone - 485k followers
Coming in at number three with 485k followers is Ella Toone, who also had a part to play in England’s victory at the Women’s Euro 2022 final, by scoring the first goal in England's 2–1 defeat against Germany.
Following ambitions of becoming professional at the age of 15, Toone’s career has seen her play for the likes of Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City, before her current role as an attacking midfielder for Women's Super League club Manchester United and the England national team.
4 Lauren James - 476k followers
With 476k followers, Lauren James takes the fourth spot on the list. James currently plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the England women's national team.
Lauren is an attacking player who has great technical ability, the strength to hold off the opposition, and can beat defenders when one-on-one before delivering magnificent finishes, qualities that make her a key asset to the team for the Women’s World Cup.
5 Alessia Russo - 465k followers
Next up on the list with 465k Instagram followers is Alessia Russo. After making her mark on last year’s Women’s Euro championships with a stellar backheel goal against Sweden, Russo is more than ready to take the world stage for the first time for the Women’s World Cup 2023.
Russo currently plays as a forward for the England national team and has previously played club football for Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Manchester United.
6 Alex Greenwood - 413k followers
Alex Greenwood is next on the list with 413k Instagram followers. Greenwood is not only an impressive role model for young football fans, but she’s also played a major role in the advancement of women's and girls' football throughout the years.
A long-standing member of the Lioness squad, and named FA’s Young Player of the Year in 2012, it’s no surprise that Greenwood is considered one of the most influential players of the England women's national team.
7 Mary Earps - 366k followers
Next up with a respectable 366k Instagram followers is Mary Earps. Earps plays as a goalkeeper for Manchester United in the Women's Super League and the England national team.
Earps was part of the winning England team during the 2022 Euros and was crowned as ‘The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper’ in 2022. Earps is confirmed to be the England goalkeeper for the Women’s World Cup, where she is sure to assist her team to victory.
8 Rachel Daly - 332k followers
Rachel Daly claims eighth place with 332k followers. Daly was a key member of the team who won the EURO 2022 title last year and has become an established member of the England women’s national team.
Daly also currently plays for Aston Villa in the FA Women's Super League and is able to operate effectively as a full-back, a wing-back, and in the frontline - and will be a major asset during the Women’s World Cup.
9 Georgia Stanway - 312k followers
Next up with 312k Instagram followers is Georgia Stanway. A hugely influential player on and off the pitch, Stanway was another key member of England's winning EURO 2022 team.
Not only that, the attacking midfielder has previously been nominated for BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year, PFA Women's Young Player of the Year in 2017, and was awarded PFA Women's Young Player of the Year in 2019.
10 Millie Bright - 293k followers
Coming in at number 10 is Millie Bright with 293k Instagram followers. Bright has been a part of the history-making Lionesses senior squad since 2016.
Bright also currently plays as a defender for Chelsea where she has won three league titles in 2015, 2017-18, and 2019-20 - and in 2016 was named ‘Vauxhall England Young Player of the Year’.
