Young Lioness Savana Fearon helped bring home a bronze medal after competing in the England Women’s six-a-side World Cup competition.

Footballing hero Savana, from Bedford, joined England squad team-mates for the competition in Croatia last week which also featured teams from across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. (October 13 to October 16)

It was the team’s first appearance in the competition with group stage matches pitting the Lionesses against Serbia, Lebanon, Slovakia, and Czechia. Goals from Arabel Vilas Serin, assisted by Tricia Gould, and captain Selin Buyukgiray, as well as an own goal for Slovakia saw the team come away with six points to secure a semi-final place.

England then faced a US team with two previous World Cup wins under their belt, In the first of two semi-finals, The highly anticipated match saw the unranked Lionesses keep the world number ones, and 2026 champions, at bay for much of the match, conceding only one goal across the 40 minute game.

Savana is pictured third from the right on the front row

placeholder image — Savana is pictured third from the right on the front row

England again faced Slovakia in the Bronze medal match, and despite trailing by one goal at half time, took the lead with goals from Savana and Kendra Brown in the second half. After conceding an equaliser, penalties decided the game in a best-of-three shootout with goals from Jessica Francis-Weir and Kendra Brown, with goalkeeper Anna Draper keeping a clean sheet.

England manager, Jake Toyer, said: “The Lionesses made history last week by being the first English six-a-side team to bring home a medal and silverware from a major tournament. It was a special tournament which started off challenging with the whole group playing their first international games in Minifootball less than four days before competing for a bronze medal.

“The whole process has been seven months in the making since the first trial was in March until this history-making moment in October. It’s an absolute honour and a pleasure to work with such dedicated staff, players, and supporters who have supported each other so much and I’m so excited to go toe-to-toe with the great again in two years’ time.”

Savana said: “An unforgettable experience made even better by lifelong friendships and incredible support from home.”

President of the Great Britain Minifootball Union, Mark Staines, added: “In all my time in Minifootball, which totals 30 years, witnessing first hand the Lionesses win a medal will live long in the memory for me. These girls are a special bunch of players and the bravery and courage shown when the pressure was on, was immense, I couldn’t be any prouder of everyone involved, they did their country proud.”

The Lionesses were joined by the Men’s Under 23s team competing in their own World Cup, securing a group stage win and draw.