Williams: Women's World Cup will be the best yet

England legend Fara Williams reckons this summer's Women's World Cup will be the best yet.

Williams, capped a record 172 times by the Lionesses between 2001 and 2019, will be LiveScore's exclusive columnist throughout the tournament.

And she is excited to give her take on what promises to be an unforgettable spectacle.

Williams, 39, said: "I think it will be the best global tournament yet.

"Readers of my column can expect honesty and fairness in my assessment of individuals and teams.

"We don't go into enough detail in terms of critiquing players and teams, positive or negative, in women's football punditry.

"I'll go in-depth. I want to break the game down and open up opinion."

'Huge part of my life'

Analysing the game helps Williams fill the void left by her retirement in 2021. 

She said: "There's a lot about playing that I miss. Being part of a team, having that structure, training every day.

"I miss kicking a ball every day more than anything. I'm too old to be kicking one in my back garden — or I feel as if I am.

"Punditry has massively helped. I think without punditry and coaching I'd have massively struggled. Football was a huge part of my life from a very young age, it helped me escape.

"I'm really fortunate to be a pundit for the BBC this summer."

A deal between the Beeb and ITV to broadcast the World Cup in the UK was struck with little time to spare after FIFA threatened a blackout. 

And Williams admits the delay was a major concern.

She said: "I was nervous, even more nervous because I really wanted to be part of another huge tournament.

"The way Euro 2022 was broadcast certainly helped grow the women's game. It would have been devastating if we missed out on a major tournament."

Super Sarina

Williams' final international appearance came less than a year before Sarina Wiegman's appointment as head coach and she openly admits there is a feeling of missing out. 

The former Everton, Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder played under three different England bosses but never landed major silverware at international level.

She added: "To have played one minute of the Euros final would have been nice!

"Sarina looks like an unbelievable coach to play under. I liked a straight-talking manager and I've heard she's that.

"In previous tournaments, managers haven't been direct enough to communicate with players and tell them where they sit among the squad.

"I would definitely have liked to play under her. She's a successful manager, one of the best out there of men and women."

Yet Williams is not convinced Wiegman's side can recreate last summer's European Championship heroics.

She said: "Injuries to Fran Kirby, Leah Williamson and Beth Mead take them out of being favourites.

"It's going to be difficult. I'm predicting a last-16 or quarter-final exit."

Stick with LiveScore throughout the tournament to read Fara Williams' exclusive columns