Newman reflects on helping England win six-a-side World Cup bronze
Sussex star Ella Newman is buzzing after helping the England Women’s six-a-side team take bronze in their first appearance at their World Cup,
Newman was in the squad who travelled to Mali Losinj, Croatia to take their place in the England side.
The Eastbourne-based player, who plays for Saltdean United, and has turned out for Fulham, AFC Wimbledon, and Lewes, joined fellow Sussex player Beth Humphrey in the squad.
The competition – in its third instalment – featured teams from across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas alongside England – namely Costa Rica, Czechia; Lebanon; Serbia; Slovakia; and USA.
Group stage games saw the Lionesses face Serbia, Lebanon, Slovakia, and Czechia. Goals from Arabel Vilas Serin and captain Selin Buyukgiray (as well as an own goal for Slovakia under intense attacking pressure from Jessica Francis-Weir) saw the team come away with six points to secure their place in the semi-final.
In the first of two semi-finals, England faced a US team with two previous World Cup wins under their belt. The highly anticipated match saw the unranked Lionesses keep the world No1s (and 2026 champions) at bay for much of the match, conceding only one goal across the 40-minute game.
Progressing to the bronze medal match, England once again faced Slovakia. Despite trailing by one goal at half-time, the Lionesses took the lead with goals from Savana Fearon and Kendra Brown in the second half.
After conceding an equaliser, penalties decided the game (in a best of three shootout). Shots from Jessica Francis-Weir and Kendra Brown were coolly dispatched, while goalkeeper Anna Draper made sure nothing from Slovakia hit the back of the net.
Newman and Humphrey, who is from Crawley, made appearances including in the bronze medal match.
England Manager Jake Toyer said: “The Lionesses made history by being the first English six-a-side team to bring home a medal and silverware from a major tournament.
"It was a special tournament which started off challenging with the whole group playing their first international games in minifootball less than four days before competing for a bronze medal.
“The whole process has been seven months in the making – from the first trial in March to this history making moment in October. It’s an absolute honour and a pleasure to work with such dedicated staff, players and supporters who have supported each other so much and I’m so excited to go toe-to-toe with the great again in two years’ time.”
The President of the Great Britain Minifootball Union, Mark Staines, said: “In all my time in minifootball, which totals 30 years, witnessing first-hand the Lionesses win a medal will live long in the memory for me.
"These girls are a special bunch of players and the bravery and courage shown when the pressure was on, was immense, I couldn’t be any prouder of everyone involved, they did their country proud.”
The Lionesses were joined in Mali Losinj by the men’s U23 team competing in their own World Cup, securing a group stage win and draw.