Defender Ella Morris has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in training with England and will miss Euro 2025.

The injury in her right knee comes five weeks before the Lionesses begin their European Championship defence in Switzerland and she will now have surgery.

Tottenham’s Morris, 22, had been called up from the Under-23s squad for the first time for the upcoming Nations League games against Portugal and Switzerland.

It is the second ACL injury Morris has sustained, after first doing so at the age of 17 when playing for Southampton.

“From the highest high to the lowest low,” Morris posted on Instagram., external

“Devastated doesn’t even come close. So grateful for the incredible people around me. ACL round 2 – let’s go.”

Manchester City midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown, 21, has received her third senior call-up and has joined the 26-player squad at St George’s Park as a replacement.

A statement said: “England’s support team will remain in close contact with her and the club. Everyone involved with the Lionesses wishes Ella the very best with her recovery.”

England are already without goalkeeper Mary Earps after her surprise retirement on Tuesday.

Fifa is funding research into whether hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycles could be contributing to the rise in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s football.

ACL injuries are two to six times more likely to occur in women than men and about two-thirds of them happen in women’s football when there is no physical contact.

The Lionesses will travel to London on Thursday to prepare to face Portugal at Wembley on Friday evening (19:45 BST), before a trip to face world champions Spain on Tuesday (18:00 BST).