Morris on Lionesses call-up: “I never expected this”

Ella Morris has spoken of the ‘special’ feeling when she received the news from Sarina Wiegman about being handed her first senior England call-up.

The young defender’s impressive performances in her debut campaign in the Barclays Women’s Super League was rewarded with a place in the Lionesses’ 27-player squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Portugal and Spain.

Making the move to Hotspur Way last summer, the 22-year-old had to overcome a disrupted first half of the campaign with injuries before making her mark in England’s top flight, where she started our last eight games in the WSL.

Ella, who has been a regular for the England Under-23s, revealed it was a moment she ‘never expected’ so soon but was full of pride to be recognised.

“It's very special, but it also just feels really crazy… I never expected it to really happen,” Ella told us, reflecting on her maiden call-up to the senior squad.

“With the run of games I had, I felt I done quite well, but I could have never expected this so it’s quite an honour.

“I’m pretty overwhelmed at the minute, I don’t know what to feel, a lot of nerves, jitters and excitement,” she added.

Recalling the moment she received the news, she said: “It was in the evening yesterday. I was talking to my friend and I just had a missed call. I let it ring through to check the number afterwards and, as I clicked off from WhatsApp, I saw Sarina’s face pop up. I called her back, and she just told me that she wants to take me on this camp."

Watch | Ella's first Spurs and WSL goal

Stepping on the pitch at Kingsmeadow in October, 2024, to make her first WSL appearance, it was moment that she said that her younger self would cherish and, now having earned her first call-up to England squad, she is using ‘little Ella’ as motivation when she joins up with squad.

“She (little Ella) would have never believed this would have happened in her wildest dreams,” she said, smiling as she described the moment.

“So I just have to go there and play for little Ella, take the experience and do it for my younger self, using that as motivation.”