With the FIFA Women’s World Cup fast approaching, it’s time to appreciate the gingerness of the women’s national teams in the UK! 

Keira Walsh

Up first is midfielder and natural redhead, Keira Walsh. 

She was born in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Her career started when she played for the youth team at Blackburn Rovers. 

Walsh had her heart set on playing for Manchester City from a young age. In 2014, she played for Manchester City in the Continental Cup Final – where she was on the pitch for the full 90 minutes. 

Soon after her impressive performance, in 2015 at only 18 years old, Keira Walsh signed her first senior contract with Manchester City. She has become a well-respected player, known for her formidable technical and tactical skills. 

In 2017, Walsh signed her senior contract to play for England’s national team – also known as the Lionesses. 

However, she had actually represented England in football since 2009, when she was a member of the under-15 squad, then the under-17 squad where she assisted England through the knockout stages in the UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship. 

In the summer of 2022, Keira Walsh was part of the Lionesses team who competed in the UEFA European Women’s Championship. the UEFA European Women’s Championship, also known as the Euros, is held every four years. The Lionesses, of course, were victorious.   

While competing at the Euro’s in France last summer, she joked: “The weather’s not been great for me, with my pale skin and ginger hair.”

In 2022, following her fellow teammate and defender Lucy Bronze, Walsh signed a contract with Barcelona. 

This year, Keira Walsh will be competing with the Lionesses in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. 

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Sandy McIver

Sandy McIver is a natural redhead and talented goalkeeper who currently plays for Manchester City. 

At 16 years old, McIver kickstarted her career after she appeared in the FA Girls’ Youth Cup Final in 2014.

In 2020, after graduating from Clemson University, she signed a contract with Everton. That same year, in 2020, she was named Player of the Match in 2020 Women’s FA Cup Final – in a match against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.

In July 2022, McIver signed a three-year contract with Manchester City. She made her senior debut for the Manchester City FC when the team won 6-0 at the Continental Cup against Blackburn Rovers. 

In the summer of 2022, Sarina Wiegman (the current Manager of the England Women’s national team) included McIver in the provisional team for the Euros. She was chosen to be a Lionesses goalkeeper in the tournament, alongside Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, and Ellie Roebuck. 

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Kathryn Hill

Kathryn Hill is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for the Rangers team in the Scottish Women’s Premier League. 

Of course, as a Scottish woman, you can guess that Kathryn Hill is a natural redhead.

Hill started her career in 2010 when she signed a contract with the Rangers. But five years later, she played for the Old Dominion University team for two seasons. And in her final year at the Old Dominion University club, she was promoted to team captain. 

In 2017, Hill moved to England, where she joined the Durham City team, who she represented in the FA Women’s Championship. 

Five years later in 2022, Hill returned to her roots and became team captain for the Rangers. 

In April 2023, she made another career milestone, when she was selected to be part of the national Scottish senior squad. This summer, she will represent Scotland at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

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Amber Barrett

Amber Barrett is a forward (also known as an attacker) who was born in Donegal, Ireland. She is a natural ginger, and has a freckled face. And, as luck would have it, she’s called ‘Amber’ too – how perfect!

Amber Barrett has jumped around a few football clubs in her career. Between 2015 and 2018, Barrett played for Peamount United. But in 2019, she made the move to Germany to play for FC Koln. In 2022, she signed a contract with her current club – Turbine Potsdam in Germany. 

However, born and bred in Ireland, Amber Barrett has represented her country by playing for the Republic of Ireland national team since 2017. While playing for Ireland, she has gained much attention and is considered one of the top football players in the country. 

In 2018, Barrett scored a winning goal in the 87^th minute. The match was against Slovakia and kept the Republic of Ireland in contention for a World Cup qualification. 

Then again in 2022, she scored a winning goal against Scotland, which secured Ireland’s place in the 2023 World Cup. This summer, Barrett will represent the Republic of Ireland in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off on Thursday 20 July. The tournament will begin with New Zealand vs Norway, and Australia VS the Republic of Ireland.