Leah Williamson, the captain of the England national team, marked her comeback from a nine-month absence due to an ACL injury by playing her first competitive match on Wednesday.

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The injury occurred in April, while she was playing for Arsenal. Following an extensive rehabilitation period, she made a second-half appearance as a substitute in Arsenal's 6-0 victory over Reading in the Conti Cup.

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Williamson, a versatile player for Arsenal, led the Lionesses to victory in Euro 2022.

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Unfortunately, the injury prevented her from participating in the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia. Her return is expected to provide a significant boost to both Arsenal and the England national team.

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In the match against Reading, Williamson entered the game in the 61st minute, replacing Jen Beattie. She contributed to Arsenal's victory by providing an assist for Beth Mead.

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Talking about her return to the pitch, Williamson told Sky Sports News: "It was lovely. You think a lot about how that moment's going to be and that was perfect.

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"I love playing football for Arsenal. Everyone knows how much I love the club; I'll get emotional about it if I talk about it too much. I'm just happy to be back and try and help my team."

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England will play two friendlies in February and then start their Euros qualification campaign in April and Williamson hopes to be back in the Lionesses mix. She said, "I've missed playing for England so hopefully I can get myself back in contention and see what happens."

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