It’s well-known at this point that despite winning back-to-back European Championship titles and reaching a World Cup final in between, England’s Lionesses have a problem at left-back. There’s a real lack of options for Sarina Wiegman in the position and shoehorning players into it hasn’t helped much either – leaving many wondering just what Gabby George has to do to get her chance.
George was superb in that role for Manchester United last season, attracting Wiegman’s attention for England’s final camp of 2024, during which she started in a very experimental XI that beat Switzerland in Sheffield. However, that was her most recent appearance for the Lionesses, with her not making the cut for the squad that went on to retain their European title back in July.
Some players would be frustrated; some would use it as motivation. George, though, doesn’t see a reason to go down either avenue. After all, she’s not short of ambition and drive, and she was “over the moon” for her club-mates and close friends who enjoyed success this summer. “Everyone knows what it means,” she tells GOAL.
Instead, the goal for George is something much bigger. “I’ve lost a lot of time not playing football,” she explains. “My main focus is staying on the pitch, staying fit and enjoying my football. We’ll see where that takes me.”
Getty Images'I couldn't come to terms with it'
It was almost two years ago now that George was given the devastating news of her second ACL injury in less than four years. The first came in early 2020, while she was at Everton, robbing her of the chance to play in an FA Cup final later that year. The second, though, felt particularly cruel.
The defender was just three games into her first season back at Man Utd, the club she spent the majority of her youth with until having to leave for Merseyside as a 17-year-old because of United’s lack of a women’s first team. To get the chance to return in 2023, then, was a full circle moment for someone who is also a lifelong fan of the club. She started brilliantly, too, until being forced off just minutes into a game against Leicester.
When GOAL asks if it helped having been through the process before, or whether knowing the long road ahead of her made it worse, George grimaces. “It was definitely worse,” she replies. “I think the second one was probably one of the hardest times of my life so far, in terms of football. I couldn't come to terms with it.”
AdvertisementGetty ImagesComing through the other side
Eleven long months of recovery lay ahead for George, plus the lingering impact of being sidelined for so long. “Research states that it can take up to 18 months after you do the ACL to get back to how you used to feel,” she notes.
But as the 2024-25 season progressed, after her long-awaited return in United’s season opener, George looked more and more like herself, forming a key part of the second-best defence in England as the Red Devils secured a place in Champions League qualifying and reached a third successive FA Cup final. Now, she’s keen to build on that.
“It was a tough season for me, physically and mentally,” she says. “The club were amazing in helping me look after myself and making sure that I lasted the full season. That was my aim last season, to get through. This season is to go above and beyond. I feel like I've got renewed energy and I'm ready to go. I'm on the other side now. I'm over it and we just keep moving.”
Getty ImagesFresh new faces
It’s not been the start to the campaign that George would’ve wanted, with a small knock ruling her out of United’s first four games, the last of those a 1-0 defeat to Brann in the first leg of their final Champions League qualifier. But she made her return in the thumping 5-1 win over London City Lionesses at the weekend, a game which also brought about a club debut for Fridolina Rolfo, the Red Devils’ marquee summer signing.
Rolfo won two Champions League titles at Barcelona, and played another final at Wolfsburg, so the club will hope she can provide a boost in their quest to beat Brann in Thursday’s return leg and secure a place in the competition’s new league phase. “She’s an amazing player with loads of experience,” beams George, who is likely to play behind the Swede on that left flank as the season progresses.
Julia Zigiotti Olme, the midfielder from Bayern Munich who George describes as “a phenomenal footballer” and one she “admires watching”, has also joined the club, alongside England star Jess Park, whose deadline day switch concluded a transfer window with less activity than some might’ve expected from United.
George, though, believes there are positives to that limited change. “Hopefully we can pick up where we left off in terms of the league and stuff, and hopefully we can keep pushing together,” she says. “We know each other a bit more and bringing in the new faces will obviously freshen that up still. We just want to keep pushing.”
Getty ImagesTaking that next step
United have come on plenty since reforming in 2018, firmly establishing themselves among the Women’s Super League’s best teams before winning a first major trophy at the end of the 2023-24 season, beating Tottenham in the FA Cup final. But there is still another step for them to take in order to seriously challenge for that WSL title and become a regular in the Champions League.
“I think at a club like Manchester United, the ambition talks for itself,” George says. “We do want trophies and we're going to keep working hard together to try and bring them back to Manchester. Every year, we've got to keep pushing and pushing and hopefully we can get closer and closer every time.
“We've obviously made a few signings but we already have a great base as well, so I think it's just about us as individuals continuing to improve and progress, and hopefully we can take the club to where it should be. That's the aim.”
