Fran proud as ‘special’ 50th cap beckons

FRAN KIRBY says she wouldn’t change her ‘rollercoaster’ journey as she closes in on a ‘special’ 50th England cap. The Chelsea forward will reach the milestone if she plays in tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Latvia, but there was a time when she thought her international career might have been over. In November 2019 Kirby was diagnosed with pericarditis, a rare heart condition which left her barely able to walk and kept her out of the game for eight months. The 28-year-old came close to an early retirement, but now she is in the best form of her career. ‘It’s been a rollercoaster but it’s a journey I’m proud of,’ Kirby said. ‘I wouldn’t change a lot. I’ve been through a lot but it’s made me who I am. ‘I’ve been a part of this team for a long time now so for me to get that 50th cap will be really special. It’s nice to be back and playing regularly. ‘When I look back at my first England cap, I didn’t know the experiences I was going to have. I think I’ve matured as a player and as a person.’ Latvia lost 4-1 on Saturday to North Macedonia, who England thrashed 8-0 last month, and boss Sarina Wiegman is expecting a straightforward victory. ‘They won’t be as good as Northern Ireland, we’ll definitely have the ball all the time,’ said Wiegman. ‘The pitch will not be as good as Wembley but we want to bring the same energy and quality, score lots of goals and concede none.’