Ellen White becomes Lionesses' top goal scorer

The team also recorded their biggest ever competitive victory

Author: Lettie BuxtonPublished 1st Dec 2021

Ellen White, who is from Buckinghamshire, has become England Women's all-time record goal scorer.

She scored a hat-trick during England's World Cup qualifier match against Latvia last night, taking her past Kelly Smith’s mark of 46 goals.

It came as the team also recorded their biggest ever competitive victory.

They thrashed Latvia 20-0 at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium.

Ellen was one of four hat-trick-scorers on the night – Lauren Hemp netted four times, while Beth Mead and substitute Alessia Russo also registered trebles.

Beth England notched a brace, and there were also goals from Ella Toone, Georgia Stanway, with a penalty, Jess Carter, Jill Scott and Jordan Nobbs.

The 32-year-old forward, who was making her 101st England appearance, told a press conference after the match: “It feels very nice. I don’t know if you could see it, but it was very emotional on the pitch. I feel very proud to represent my country, to score goals.

“I think for me, it was all about the team tonight. But I feel very proud.

“I just feel really lucky to be honest, to be in this England team. The support I have from my family is amazing, I owe a lot to them, and the goals are all for them really because I just want to make them proud.

“It (the record) has been spoken about so much and I didn’t want to talk about it for a while. I feel really lucky that I can now just concentrate on the team and enjoy playing for England.”

It was a sixth win from six Group D games for England, their first six fixtures under Sarina Wiegman – a sequence in which they have registered 53 goals and conceded none.

The result smashed their previous record competitive win of 13-0 against Hungary in 2005.

Latvia are 94 places below England at 102nd in the world rankings.

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