Walsh eyes World Cup to complete her collection as England face Ukraine play-off

Keira Walsh has identified the 2026 Women’s World Cup as the final piece missing from one of the most decorated careers in women’s football, admitting the tournament in Brazil could be her last opportunity to claim the prize.

The Chelsea and England midfielder has accumulated five league titles, two Champions Leagues and domestic cup medals throughout her club career, while also being central to England’s European Championship victories in 2022 and 2025. Yet the World Cup has so far eluded her — most painfully in 2023, when Spain defeated the Lionesses 1-0 in the final in Sydney.

“Yeah, literally! And that definitely gives me motivation,” Walsh told FourFourTwo when asked about completing her trophy collection. “I’m getting on a little bit as well so I’m aware that it could be my last World Cup. So it’s a big year.”

England’s path to Brazil runs through a two-legged play-off against Ukraine in November, a tie Walsh and her teammates are approaching with familiar focus. The Lionesses secured their place in that play-off with an 8-1 aggregate victory over Greece, though they were forced into the knockout route after Spain pipped them to top spot in their qualifying group on goal difference — a reminder of just how fine the margins are even before the tournament begins.

“It’s difficult to qualify now in the initial stages because there’s two or three top teams in each group, so it’s really, really difficult,” Walsh said.

Despite the near-miss in 2023, the former Barcelona midfielder is not dwelling on what might have been. “For us in the next stage, it’s the same as any game. We want to win, we want to go to the World Cup and we know what we need to do to get there. We know what we need to improve as a group and as individuals. So I’m excited to meet back up and hit the ground running.”

At 29, Walsh remains one of the most influential midfielders in the women’s game, and the prospect of a World Cup winner’s medal appears to be sharpening rather than dimming her hunger heading into what she acknowledges is a defining year.