Grace Clinton: Next in a long line of English breakout stars under Sarina Wiegman
The midfielder is a potential superstar, one that Wiegman could build her team around for years to come.
Football
In recent years, England have not been shy of breakout stars under Sarina Wiegman.
Home to one of the best women’s football leagues in the world, the pool of talent is only continuing to grow – one which the national team head coach looks to make full use of.
Lauren James is perhaps the most promising player to have been handed her debut for the Lionesses by Wiegman, who opted to take the 23-year-old to the World Cup last year.
Similarly, you can look to their Euro 2022 continental triumph and the way both Ella Toone and Alessia Russo became established members of the squad through their ‘super-sub’ role.
But, as the years pass, new talent comes knocking – and it looks as though Grace Clinton is next in line to stake her claim as a starter under the Dutch coach.
England’s most recent squad indicates that an opportunity to make her mark in the middle of the park will be afforded to the Manchester United star, with just three senior midfielders named.
With Wiegman’s usual midfield three becoming a recipe opponents are now getting used to, the 21-year-old could be the biggest beneficiary of a much-needed fresh approach.
Clinton with national teammate Beth Mead.
Grace Clinton: Thriving under pressure
To play for both England and Manchester United requires a player to be comfortable under pressure, something Clinton prides herself on.
By her own measure, she is a midfielder who thrives in that aspect of the game.
“Most of the time it [the pressure] doesn’t bother me that much,” she told England Football.
“I just love to play football and I’m quite a confident player, so every game is the same for me.
“As long as I get the basics right I’m fine – I can get in my head a bit because my standards are high so maybe pressure can do that, but [it can also] help me.”
In a more recent interview, Clinton even expressed that ‘pressure is a privilege.’
Particularly when it comes to playing for a club with the stature of United, for whom she has scored three times this term so far, saying: “Comments from fans, they just want to see good football… that pressure is a privilege.”
But even for someone who lives for meeting expectations, there are some occasions in which it is no ordinary game.
Take her England debut, for example, with family watching on from the stands. It may have taken her just 19 minutes into her debut to score in a 7-2 win against Austria, but there was still a sigh of relief in the aftermath.
“[Scoring] was such an amazing feeling and there was a bit of relief as well,” she said.
“There’s obviously a big build-up to your first game for your country, and some nerves as well, so to get that goal so quickly, you feel like you’ve done your job.
“My parents tell me all the time how proud they are and that means so much.”
Grace Clinton celebrates scoring for United.
Grace Clinton: Tipped to be England’s next big star
Clinton signed for United in 2022 but enjoyed fruitful spells at Bristol City and Tottenham Hotspur.
It was at the latter that she really came into her own under the guidance of head coach Robert Viahamn.
Four goals and four assists was a pleasant return in her first full season for a English Women’s Super League side, the kind of form she credits the Spurs boss for due to the freedom she was afforded to play with.
The Swedish coach strongly believes in the 21-year-old, telling BBC Sport: “She will be the next superstar in this country if you ask me.
“I think she’s brilliant and has the potential to be so good.”
While he utilised her on the left for Spurs on occasion, Vilahamn is of the impression that, in the future, she will be the starting no.10 for the Lionesses.
His belief is echoed by Clinton’s club and country teammate Maya Le Tessier, who described her as a magician with the ball.
“Whenever I look up, I try to give it to her because I know she’s magic on the ball,” her club captain said.
“There’s a lot that can come from Grace. If she keeps her head down she’ll be a fantastic player for both England and United.”