In Focus: Robinson winging her way to the World Cup with England

Despite only making her senior international debut last November, Katie Robinson is in England's World Cup squad.

The winger is one of the least experienced players that Sarina Wiegman has selected but has been rewarded for a fine breakout Women's Super League campaign with Brighton.

We take a look at her background and what she can offer the Lionesses ahead of their warm-up friendly against Portugal on Saturday.

New girl on the block

Of every player in Wiegman's World Cup squad, only third-choice goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has fewer caps than Robinson.

The 20-year-old's four England appearances have all come inside the last 12 months and her inexperience reflects a career that has seen a meteoric rise.

She was playing Women's Championship football in the 2021-22 season, making nine appearances on loan at Charlton in the second tier.

But impressive performances at England Under-23s level, combined with rapid development at Brighton last season, have seen her fast-tracked into the Lionesses squad.

ACL recovery

Robinson's breakthrough might have come sooner had it not been for an ACL injury suffered just two months after signing for Brighton in July 2020.

But the former Bristol City attacker believes that having to recover from that injury has benefitted her in the long run.

She said in an interview with Sky Sports earlier this year: "Looking back on it now, it's changed my perspective on a lot of things. Having no football for 12 months, that was tough.

"But I grew to love the gym and little things like that. It changes the way you think.

"I'm really glad I went on loan at Charlton. I needed that confidence to go and play and get regular minutes. A year later, I'm in this position."

Super speed

Fortunately for Robinson, that injury has not affected her biggest weapon — speed.

She is an old-school winger, combining trickery and pace to get the better of her full-back, and ranked ninth for assists across the last WSL campaign.

Upon selecting her for the first time last year, boss Wiegman said: "She has speed, she wants to go forward so she comes behind all the defence all the time.

"She's goal-orientated and that's what we want to see in the position where she could come to play."

Wiegman gave Robinson a couple of minutes of action in the Women's Finalissima victory against Brazil last April, proving the faith she now has in her.

Daunting prospect

Robinson is one of just three players to debut for the Lionesses since last summer's Euro 2022 success and be selected for the World Cup.

There are only seven new faces in total from last summer and the Brighton forward admits that coming into a squad riding the crest of a wave was initially nerve-wracking.

She said: "You're going into a camp with these big names, who I've grown up watching. To be with them in that environment was a little bit daunting at first."

Robinson has the opportunity to make history of her own this summer.