England captain Leah Williamson says she would “by no means rule out” strike motion to get gamers’ messaging throughout to governing our bodies about schedule issues.

Williamson, 28, missed 5 months with damage following England’s victory at Euro 2025 as she recovered from knee surgical procedure.

She returned to motion firstly of December, serving to Arsenal win the Girls’s Champions Cup in February, and was chosen for this month’s World Cup qualifiers.

Williamson is one in every of a number of big-name gamers who’re nonetheless returning to full health following England’s success in Switzerland, alongside Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze.

Talking earlier than England’s recreation in opposition to Ukraine on Tuesday, 3 March (17:00 GMT kick-off), Williamson was requested in regards to the potential causes of damage.

“We’ll by no means know for certain however I do not suppose folks argue in opposition to the scheduling for enjoyable. There’s causes behind it,” stated Williamson.

“When you take heed to the gamers’ group, after all we need to play on a regular basis, however the extra profitable you might be – and this workforce has been very profitable – then the much less relaxation you might have and the upper danger of damage there’s. It is an accumulation.

“The gamers, I am certain, would love to simply flip up and play soccer, however we use our voice and we attempt to get entangled in conversations with the hierarchy in order that they at the least have our perspective. Whether or not they take heed to it or not, is out of our management.”

Gamers’ union FifPro launched a report, exterior in November saying that final yr was the primary time because it began accumulating information in 2020 that the highest 15 gamers on the earth had all performed 50 video games or extra in a season.

England midfielder Keira Walsh beforehand urged governing our bodies to “take heed to the gamers” in regards to the congested fixture schedule.

Requested whether or not Williamson would contemplate extra drastic motion, corresponding to gamers hanging, she stated: “I’ve not had any conversations about this proper now, but when a bunch of individuals do not feel like they’re getting listened to, then historical past means that’s the one approach they are often heard.

“I might by no means take it off the desk. I do not suppose that is the place we are actually. I believe we’re nonetheless in a spot the place we are able to collaborate, hear and educate.”

Williamson additionally revealed gamers have been “forthcoming” with offering stakeholders with coaching load and feminine well being information.

“It is primarily round the remainder durations and attempting to get all governing our bodies to align. It all the time seems like we’re asking for a vacation, however that is not the case,” she added.

“I am an expert footballer and a part of my job can also be to relaxation, which I am inspired to take action by my managers and the environments we play in.

“So why is that not prioritised after we’re left to our personal units?”