Beth Mead wants to spearhead research into why so many female footballers suffer serious knee injuries — claiming the authorities would do a lot more if it was a crisis in the men’s game.
The newly crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament last month and is a major doubt for next summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, when the Lionesses will try to repeat their success at Euro 2022.
Mead’s partner and Arsenal team-mate Vivianne Miedema also injured her ACL last week, meaning five of the top 16 players in October’s Ballon d’Or vote are out with the same problem.