Beth Mead says she is rediscovering the joy of football after a year shaped by loss and grief. The last time Mead played at Wembley, her mother, June, was still alive to see it. Wembley was the scene of Mead’s greatest triumph, when England won the Euros and she finished as the tournament’s top scorer and best player. What followed was the toughest year of her life, as she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament and then lost her mum after a long battle with ovarian cancer. But on Friday, Mead has the chance to return to Wembley and make her first appearance for the Lionesses in 385 days. It is another significant milestone, both in the resumption of her career as a footballer, and in her grieving process. While she has required emotional resilience, Mead is proud of her journey and believes her mum would be too. “Growing up I would say I was mentally quite weak,” Mead says. “I’d like to think the things I’ve dealt with have made me a stronger and better person.” Injury not only robbed the 28-year-old of a place at the World Cup, but it took away an outlet to process the loss of her mother as well. Instead of having that focus, Mead was limited to a repetitive cycle of rehabilitation, a routine she got through along with her Arsenal team-mate and partner Vivianne Miedema, who was sidelined along with Mead after rupturing her ACL a month after she did. There were dark moments during rehab but Mead says those bad days feel better now she is back on the pitch and doing what she loves. On Sunday, Mead scored her first goals since returning to the pitch in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over West Ham. She dedicated both to her mum, a moment she had waited 11 months for. If that finally provided some closure, returning to Wembley is set to as well, even though it is the place where they shared some of their happiest memories. As with scoring her first goals, it can be a reminder that her mum is not there to see them and that can make it difficult as well. But Mead is back and the Lionesses have been lifted by her presence ahead of a pair of must-win fixtures against the Netherlands and Scotland. England manager Sarina Wiegman didn’t want to rush her return and said the forward needed more time when she named her squad for last month’s double-header against Belgium: but as Mead got minutes off the bench, and then starts, the confidence returned. “I’ve been feeling more like myself again,” she says. Instead of being in Australia with the Lionesses this summer, she was at home watching the World Cup on TV with captain Leah Williamson, who suffered the same injury four months after Mead. If missing the World Cup was cruel, having to watch as England narrowly lost the final to Spain was just as hard. The final was a tough watch for them both. “We struggled,” Mead admits. “We just want to help the team do the best that they can do. We got that taken away from us.” How England are in need of the return of the Euros golden boot winner. Defeat last month to Belgium left the Lionesses in third place in their Nations League group, with top spot required to secure a place for Great Britain at the Paris Olympics next summer. England, who have lacked a spark in games since the World Cup, must now beat both the Netherlands at Wembley and Scotland at Hampden while hoping other results go their way. Mead, who missed out on the 2020 Olympics after she was controversially left out of Hege Riise’s Team GB squad, famously sparking the form that led into the Euros the following summer, is as motivated as anyone to get the job done. Now she returns to the Lionesses with a renewed perspective, taking to each training session with a sense of fresh enthusiasm. “I feel like a kid again,” she smiled. After all, the thought of returning to England was Mead’s motivation during rehab. Now Wembley also offers a meeting that perhaps Mead could not have dared for during the dark days, the chance to face Miedema on the pitch when the Lionesses host the Netherlands, now both players have recovered from their ACLs. Even thinking about those moments with the people who lived and breathed what Mead went through during rehabilitation is enough to make her emotional. “I think it’s a nice moment for both of us,” Mead says. “It’s a hard journey - who does their ACLs at the same time?” she laughs. “We’ve seen the good and bad days from each other. But I’m proud of my journey and I’m very proud and happy to have had the support around me that I’ve had during this time. I feel very lucky and blessed to have had that.” Read More Beth Mead ‘smiling like a Cheshire cat’ on England return WSL and Women’s Championship poised to break away from FA The sporting weekend in pictures

Birmingham chief executive Garry Cook has blamed “misalignment” for the circumstances that led to John Eustace’s sacking but vowed to make the club “a football powerhouse” amid reports Wayne Rooney is set to take charge as boss. Eustace’s departure from St Andrew’s on Monday morning further stoked rumours that former England captain Rooney is due to be appointed as manager following his DC United exit on Sunday. While an update on the new boss is expected in “the coming days”, Cook explained the timing of Eustace’s exit was driven by facilitating the best possible circumstances for his successor. It became clear that there was a misalignment with the leadership of the club. Birmingham City CEO Garry Cook In a statement posted to the club’s official website, Cook wrote: “John had clear ambitions and goals for the season. Unfortunately, following a series of meetings over a number of months, it became clear that there was a misalignment with the leadership of the club. When this happens, the best thing to do is to part company. “The timing of the decision allows the incoming manager sufficient time to evaluate the playing staff ahead of the January and summer transfer windows. “In a short period, the owners, board members and club leadership have overseen the start of a transformation that not even the most optimistic Blues fan would have considered possible. And this is just the beginning.” Birmingham, who sit sixth in the Championship, have made a solid start to the season with five wins, three draws and three losses, including a come-from-behind 3-1 derby win over West Brom on Friday. Eustace led Birmingham to safety last season, a feat Cook acknowledged in a meeting on Monday morning in which he “shared the reasons for the decision to part company”. Cook did not directly discuss the recruitment process for a new boss in his statement, but hinted at ambitions to attract top talent. He added: “The owners and board members are ambitious. They are driven to help make Birmingham City a football powerhouse. It will not happen overnight. It is a step-by-step approach. “We are well aware of what has happened at Blues over the past decade. We believe we have moved on from those dark days giving hope and aspiration to existing and new fans. Our intent is to be judged over what we do in the years to come and be ambitious with the new story that we are writing. “Creating a winning culture in an organisation that has been on its back foot for a number of years is not easy. My executive team are aware that we are aspiring to be world class, but it takes more than words. “Birmingham City Football Club needs world-class professionals across every department, to enhance our performance on and off the pitch. Experienced people who know how to be successful and are driven by winning. We are not going to stop identifying and adding such talent to help us realise our ambition.” Read More Catalans win in Grand Final would ‘make huge noise around the world’ – McNamara A closer look at the UK and Ireland’s host venues for Euro 2028 A closer look at the UK and Ireland’s host venues for Euro 2028 James Ryan and Mack Hansen injury doubts for Ireland against New Zealand Dawid Malan hits superb hundred as England post 364 for nine against Bangladesh Anna Shackley looks forward after ‘a really nice last couple of months’

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