Ellen White elated after England World Cup call

Ellen White jumped for joy after discovering she had beaten the odds to earn a place in England's squad for next month's FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.

Months after joining Notts County from Arsenal Ladies in December 2013, White suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that sidelined her for the whole of last season.

But a goal and an assist in her first two competitive games for County saw the 26-year-old return to England's squad for April's friendly with China, 11 months after her last international appearance.

White won her 50th international cap in that game and has since gone on to score more goals in all competitions than any other top-flight striker this term.

It feels pretty awesome to be in the squad to be hones. It’s pretty cool to say it’s my second World Cup as well. I’m absolutely elated and I was jumping around when I found out. I feel like jumping around now.

“It feels pretty awesome to be in the squad to be honest,” White told Sky Sports. “It’s pretty cool to say it’s my second World Cup as well. I’m absolutely elated and I was jumping around when I found out. I feel like jumping around now.

“My main priority earlier in the year was to have a really great pre-season, to be fit and healthy, to get some form and to score some goals.

'Fantastic'

“I just focused on getting minutes under my belt, scoring and forcing my way into Mark's (Sampson, England manager) thinking with my form, and that’s what happened really.

“It was fantastic to have something like that to look forward to, to keep pushing me and keep me motivated. It's obviously very long coming back from an ACL injury but to have that (target of making the England squad) as somewhere where I could potentially be in a year's time was fantastic in pushing me during my rehab. It was a massive incentive.”

White, who got married while she was recovering from her recent knee injury, admits it was painful watching her team-mates play during her rehabilitation period.

“It's not nice plain and simply,” she said. “It's horrible to just be sat there watching your club team-mates and England team-mates playing.

“I was still supporting both teams and wanting them to do well, but in the back of my mind I wanted to be back and playing and that’s why I tried so hard to get as strong and as fit as I possibly could to be ready for that.

“But it’s definitely made it sweeter now that I’m in this squad and that Mark has put his faith in me which I really appreciate.”