That Lionesses Podcast - Leah & Beth: Flying Failures, Gravy & Gunners Glory 🏆 | That Lionesses Podcast Connected by EE

Episode Date: June 27, 2025

It’s the final episode before the squad heads to Switzerland, and Harriet’s joined by two legends of the game - 2022 EUROs stand-out Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson! With departure day just around the corner, they reflect on the journey so far, share what items they wouldn’t dare to forget to pack, and debate whether fondue is really off-limits during training. Plus, they put their friendship to the test in a laugh-out-loud game of ‘Who Said That?’ - will they nail it or fail it? Follow @lionesses on Instagram, WhatsApp and X, plus @england on TikTok, Facebook and YouTube so you don’t miss a thing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are you telling them that sort of thing? I have no idea what questions are asking. Guys, we need to know. This is the stuff we need to know. Beth, is that your dog? It is, yeah. Oh, hi. Hi, bye bye. Come on in. Come sit with mommy then. Come sit with mommy.

Sit down there. Sit. Good girl. And Naili's actually been press trained. That's why she's not making any comments. Yeah, no comments at this moment in time. If you got hold of a cat around the neck, I'm worse than that. Did Beth say that about her own singing abilities? I'm going to say no, and she shouldn't have if she did.

Oh, she's got a nice singing voice. I wouldn't go that far, but it's not bad. Hello, welcome back to another episode of That Lioness' podcast, connected by EE. I'm Harriet Rose, and today's episode is our last one recorded here at St. George's Park before we all set off to Switzerland for the 20, 25 euros. Coming up, we're getting hyped for the games to come, learning about final preparations

and getting the lowdown on how everyone is feeling with just days to go before the tournament kicks off. And who better to get us excited than two absolute Lioness icons, Captain Leah Williamson and player of the 2022 tournament, Beth Meade. Your first time on the show, welcome. It's lovely to have you, Beth. We're so close to the Euros kicking off now.

What is one word to encapsulate how you're feeling? Pumped. That's a great word. I didn't want to go excited because I feel like everyone's saying that. Thinking outside the box, I love it. Leah, you and Beth have had quite the year winning the Champions League with Arsenal. Congratulations. Thank you.

What can you bring from that achievement to England camp this summer? Is it just like a good vibe to start it off on? I think so and I think when you win like if I mean I presume everybody feels like this but like as an athlete you didn't just you get hungry for more. Yeah. Like as soon as you've won one you're like right I want the next one so maybe we have a bit of a kick about us. Yeah. A pet to your set. Pumped. Pump up the jam. Actually on that you touch on that, Leah. Is it difficult to, and this got go out to both of you,

to actually take those moments and be like, do you know what, I know I want the next thing, but I do actually just have to take stock of the fact, because you two have achieved a lot in your careers already. You have to sort of slap yourself a little bit and be like, hold on, this is big and I need to sit in it. I think that's why it's really good to, like they let us have an extra day off, like before we came into camp, and I actually, hold on, this is big and I need to sit in it. I think that's why it's really good to, like they let us have an extra day off,

like before we came into camp, and I actually really appreciate that, because I think you should give yourself time to enjoy it. Yeah, you need to sit on it and sink it in. Yeah, because people keep, even like people say, oh, yeah, well done for the Champions League, and I'm like, I almost forgot that that was like two weeks ago. You switched into England,

so quickly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's hard. Yeah, and it's like, that's the athlete's brain, isn't it? You're just constantly striving for more and more and more. There's always something around the corner. You can't sit still for too long. Yeah, what's next? And what is next is something very exciting.

Yeah, it's not small, is it? No. But I don't think anything you guys do is really small. No, true. Yeah. Does that make you take stock of more of the small wins when you're in your personal life? The little wins, do they kind of shine a bit brighter? Because in the big old world that you work in, it's like a lot of that is so intense.

Yeah, I think you appreciate the mundane. I think it's basic things, yeah. Like taking the bins out. No, not that, no. No. Sometimes, just sitting at home with a coffee in hand and appreciating a moment for a second. And it sounds really simple, but it's so nice sometimes. No, like sitting on my couch in my head is an activity.

Yes. Like I schedule that in. 100, yeah. Like I would schedule it in. Yeah. Because you're always on the go, you're always in a hotel room living, so to be in your own comforts and just appreciate them every now and again is also nice. Yeah, and you've got to take that with you to the tournament too, because you're always in a hotel room living, so to be in your own comforts and just appreciate them every now and again is also nice.

Yeah, and you've got to take that with you to the tournament too, because you're away from home, you're away from your loved ones, you've got to have that coffee in the corner moment. Oh yeah. Take a second for yourself. Don't worry, she does.

I do. You get up early in the morning for your little peace and quiet, I feel. Yeah, I feel like people always say, oh, I don't stop talking to something, but I get up early, have my moment in the morning, then I can be green light for everyone else. I can really relate to that, as an extroverted introvert.

I need to charge up on my own and I'm like, ah. Yeah, that's me, literally. How long does it take for you to pack for a tournament, Beth? Are you a quick, are you several bags in the hold or carry on queen? What is it for you? I am a bit of an overpacker. I just got cost a fortune on the way back from a holiday, actually.

Really? Yeah, so that was a nightmare. What were you bringing back? Had a stressful time to get home. I need to tell this story quick, because you guys. No, please, share with us. I was over on my baggage, so that was 48 euros I was paid for being over robbing.

Infuriating. Get to the counter, so they take my passport off me and they say, you have to go and pay at a different counter. So I got there, my card wasn't working, I thought, oh no, I was on my own. So they sent me to the ATM. I went to the ATM, got my money out, got back, it only accepts from card payments.

I was like, I do not know what to do right now. Luckily, the woman was English and she said, I'll pay on my card and I give her the money. That's very kind. It was lovely, but it was very stressful. Sorry, and you left your passport at the other side. I had to go back and get my passport. She won't give me it until it was said paid on my receipt thing. That is stressful.

Did she trust your vibe or did she know you were better-need? Because I'm like, is this celebrity or is this a kind face? I can't work it out. I think it was a kind face. Because I don't think that happens to everyone. I could have cried. I was about to cry. You turned the tears on. That's what I'd have done. No, I have done that. They couldn't give a single... I cried at the front of the queue and she was like,

I don't know. That's humbling. Yeah, I think that's humbling. She knew I was stressed. I got three cards later and I didn't know my other two pins. I only know the pin for one card. Oh God, it's all gone wrong for you, hasn't it? It's gone really wrong. That's me travelling on my own. I would just like to pitch to the FA, please make sure she's got extra bagging.

Please pay for it for me. Please. Just give her a couple of extra just in case. What is one item, both of you, people would be surprised to hear that you have as an essential item that you must pack when you go away for football? I have to have straighteners in my bag. Straighteners? Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, game day, like it sounds like such a... I think a pillow. As in, you don't use a hotel pillow, that is interesting. When I go for a tournament, because it's such a long period of time. Like, if you go away for 10 days, I can deal with a bad pillow, but a tournament. And I actually, I only had three pillows on my bed for like a year after the Euros last time, because I left it after the party. I was going to say, why three?

That's fair. Yeah, like I just, it was obviously not, it was not relevant to my life at that point, but I actually only had three pillows in my bed for like a year after that. That's iconic that you have like won so much, achieved so much, but you couldn't buy an extra pillow. Yeah, she has an odd number of pillows.

Couldn't fit it in a sketch. Every single day I'd get into bed and think, just buy a new pillow. No, I didn't. And then when I eventually did, they changed like the, you know, like the model. Yeah. So I now have one pillow that's not a bed.

So now you have a niche pillow that will haunt you for the rest of your life. Yeah, it's also not a bad memory. Yeah. Well, no, it's pretty good. True. Yeah, it's a pretty good reason to only have three pillows. Yeah.

Wonder who's got that pillow now. Could sell that on eBay for a lot of money. They're probably still using it. Yeah, they probably are. It's just on the wall, Leah Williams. Drill and everything on it. Yeah, they'll be dribbling on there. You two are obviously really good friends and having played together at club level and for England for quite some years now, but how well do you really know each other?

I think fairly well. I think we would know each other if I were that bad. Well, I'll be the judge of that. Because rather than quiz you about one another, I want to test you with a game called Who Said That? I'm going to read some lines and you're going to guess whether you think the other person said it or whether it's a lie. Not a good guess.

OK? Beth, kicking off with you, did Leah say the following? I still struggle to ring the hairdresser to book in because I don't like having conversations on the phone. You could have said this, but you're always getting me a hairdresser. You're always getting your hair done. It seems to be you're in a conundrum. How you awkward on phones.

Beth, I'm going to have to push you for time here. Don't you push me. Don't tell me what to do. I'm going to say it's true because all she does is talk about hairdressers. So you think they did say that? You probably just messaged them normally. So what's your answer? You think she did say that?

You are correct. She did say that in an interview with The Guardian in 2023. The Guardian, not sure why they needed that information. Hey, we all needed that info. I really struggle on the phone. Please, please let us know. Do you text your hairdresser or do you... I text my hairdresser. I knew you did.

There we go. I don't ring. Thank goodness we got round that line. I mean, I'm a phone girly. If you text me too much, I'm overwhelmed. You're either one or you're other. Yeah, I'm my textor, I think. Leah, did Beth say the following? I don't trust anyone who doesn't like gravy.

That's a red flag. I agree with that statement, whether she said it or not. Oh, I'd say yes, because she's a Northern girl. She didn't, I'm afraid it is fake. Wow, I would say that though. I would say gravy, but I didn't say it. Okay, you're wrong, but it was so accurate. I haven't said it out loud, I'm afraid it is fake. Wow. I would say gravy. Do you like that though? Yeah. I didn't say it. Okay, you're wrong, but it was so... I haven't said it out loud, but I believe it.

Yeah, I think you've said that to me before. Why don't you say it now? Right then. And then it's a done deal. If you don't like gravy, it's a red flag. There we go, she said it. Do you know who doesn't like gravy? Who?

What's worse is if you didn't like Yorkshire puddings, that would kill me ma. No, I like Yorkshire's, but I don't like gravy. What do you have on that dry Yorkshire thing? No, sometimes it's dry. Sometimes it's really dry. No, so I prefer gammon. Gammon? It's my last choice made.

It's got a bit more to it. We're learning so much today, guys. This is fantastic stuff. You're hurting my soul. Beth, did Leah say this? When I was younger, I used to have recurring nightmares about you know who from Harry Potter. It's true. She did say that.

Everyone knows about it. Because I don't let them say it now. Boldy boy, did you say? Boldy boy, that's a nice way around it. Well, I didn't say his name, technically. If I said it now, what would happen for you mentally? I just think it's unnecessary to put that energy into the world. Right, well we'll move on then.

We do do a lot of Harry Potter impressions, to be fair. Every single night was awful. The morning of the month! Don't mention that. The morning of the month! Don't mention that in front of Leah. She is triggered. That was a great impression though.

Thank you. Yeah, it was good actually. Thank you. It was actually nice. So warm. Shall we do live action roleplay later? Yeah. Leah, did Beth say this, I'm a sucker for films with a sad ending.

Marley and me is the biggest one, that makes me cry. Did Beth Mead cry over Marley and me? I'm going to say true again, but whether or not she did or not, I know that to be true. Well, you are absolutely correct. You said it in an interview with England Football in 2023. Again, why are you telling them that sort of information?

I have no idea what questions are asking. Guys, we need to know, this is the stuff we need to know. It gets me every time. Yeah, that's sad. Now I've got my Elia as well. Kills me off. I will genuinely say people are going to be enthralled by the fact that you only had three pillows for six months. I'm telling you, thrive from this side. Okay, Beth, did Leah say this?

I'm banned from family game night. Monopoly once turned ugly. In your family, that's a possibility but I feel like you always play games I'm gonna say false. Correct. She didn't say that but are you a sort of tyrant in the game of Monopoly? No we don't play Monopoly that much. I'm more sophisticated in the Williamson family. Yeah I yeah, yeah. I'd like to hear it. I don't know if I'd believe that. Oh, fight, fight, fight. Fight them all. Yeah. Leah, did Beth say the following

about her singing abilities? If you got hold of a cat around the neck, I'm worse than that. Did Beth say that about her own singing abilities? I'm going to say no, and she shouldn't have if she did. Oh, she's got a nice singing voice. Oh, I wouldn't go that far, but it's not bad. It depends on the day.

Sometimes you can really hear, Sometimes she can, oh, that was good. Yeah, I will turn around and give her credit. But I'm not consistent. Oh, well, she did in fact say it in an interview with The Guardian. As well, The Guardian getting all the good stuff in 2023. Oh, The Guardian and getting it all. No more interviews for them.

No, you got to, hey. You were showing off, you must have been showing off. Showing off, I don't again. Oh, no more interviews for them. No, you got to, hey. You were showing off. You must have been showing off. Showing off. I don't think that, I think that's the option. Waiting for somebody to be like, no, Beth, you're not that bad. You normally do that. That's so true. That's something that we, I mean, as humans, we all do it. Yeah. Oh my God, I'm rubbish at singing, right?

No one wants to hear me sing. Yeah. Don't make me sing. Okay, right. That's the game over. Well done, guys. You did very, very well. I feel like you did better than me, but well done. Thank you. You don't but hey, guys, this isn't about winning or losing. You're already doing a big competition. I'm not trying to bring that up. There's only one winner in that scenario and it was the Guardian. Yeah, true. Unfortunately, true. Only one winner. I'm dreadfully well staying

out. Yeah, they know everything. And they're going to get more from this. Leah, how does it feel going into this tournament knowing the impact the last Euros had on the growth of the game? Yeah, it's exciting. I'm very, very excited knowing what we know now and having lived through that slightly different and I'd say selfishly for us in a way. A home tournament is the best thing in the world, but going away for a tournament and traveling somewhere, even from like family perspective and everybody traveling, I'm very excited. Oh, so you get more excited to be away from home and just have that fresh new environment

to like soak into. Yeah, like for us selfishly, like you go and you basically live somewhere else for however many you hope, like six weeks. And it's really, and I loved my first, I love France. Yeah, 2019 yeah. But the home is yours, nothing will ever come close. No of course, that's great for us to hear. But yeah, no I am, I'm very excited to go away and be somewhere else. It's a bad country to go and have a look around. No, no, no. It seems very, I mean the chocolate, the fondue, it's going to be great. It's my first ever tournament. So I'm, and I'm coming along.

Oh, so you're very excited. I am. I'm going to be eating raclette every day. Pumped, pumped. TM, Bethany. I'm glad you're getting an, an uh, way experience. Cause I think if you, if your first was the Euros England, it would been a, like not true.

It's like you can, I know, I know exactly what you mean. It's like you can, I know exactly what you mean. It's like you almost can immerse within it. If you're somewhere else, because you're like, well, I'm here and this is why. My sole purpose. Whereas in England, I was, we were just at home, but just staying somewhere else. No, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Both of you obviously sadly couldn't make the last tournament, which was devastating

the world cup in Australia, because you both suffer with ACL injuries. How does it feel to be back fighting together for this tournament? We were fighting against the world together when they were at the World Cup, weren't we? Yeah, that is so tough. We obviously were rehabbing and we were watching the games and it was tough, but.

It's like you're doing rep 487 of a knee, like a wall sit, and they've just won a penalty shootout. And it was very, yeah, it was like, it's very contrasting. How do you describe that? Just like really discombobulating? Yeah, it was just like really, like we kept saying to each other, like, I want them to win so badly, but I just feel like very numb. Yeah, weird.

Yeah. So we'd not been there in a part of being there. Yeah, like very like dissociating from the situation. We still felt like a part of the team. It was very weird not being there. Do you think that in part might be down to the training and the community spirit and the group spirit that you've had in your careers? 100%. You spend more time with them people than you do with your family. Yeah. Yeah. But we're excited for this time.

It's going to be amazing. Fondue every day. I don't think we're not sure Serena will be happy to do that. I'll be there doing it for you on your behalf. Beth, there's obviously a lot of anticipation with the Lionesses being reigning champions, but for you personally, the 2022 Euros was phenomenal. You got Golden Boot, you were named player of the tournament. How does your previous personal success motivate you for this Euros? I think it's the same as what Leah said earlier.

When you win things, you're more hungry to do it again. I would wish for more than anything for myself, for the team, to be able to play like I did the last Euros. So, I mean, I'll do my very best to be able to get like I did the last year, Rose. So I mean, I'll do my very best to be able to get to that level again. It makes me more hungry and motivated to be able to try and do that. And that would be great

if that was a possibility for any of us. Oh, I'm sure it will be. Leah, can you kind of get into how your role as captain has evolved since you were given the armband permanently in 2022? Yeah, I think just... Like, back then I just really saw it as, like, somebody has to do that role and...

I don't know, there was no pressure on me. Everyone kept trying to put pressure on me, I was like... We don't know, I've never played at a... I've never even played at a tournament, let alone been like a captain. Great attitude to have, by the way, like, the best attitude to have. I didn't know, but you kept asking me how I was going to do the best attitude to have. I didn't know, but you were asking me how I was going to do, I was like, I don't know, like we'll see, hopefully good. TBC. Yeah, like hopefully it'll be okay. Lee was the exact same from

the moment she got captaincy to before or after. Like nothing changed. If anything, I'm just more well behaved now. Yeah, true. Slightly, you know, like just slightly. Yeah, it's like being head girl. Yeah, like you just can't like swear at just slightly. Yeah, it's like being head girl. Yeah. You just can't like swear at the teacher. Yeah, a tiny bit more. But I'm just older now. Yeah. We're all older. Yeah.

Stop talking about it. Sorry. But I do, I do notice that like my position in the team has, I went from being one of the least, well, probably the most inexperienced. Yeah, to one of the most, very quickly. To then now being relative. that's changed a little bit. Yeah. So, yes.

But I think it's, you both have that energy of two extremely experienced, but also with many accolades players, who can bring that energy of calm, but also that energy of knowing what this is like and being able to help the other girls, whilst also bringing your skill to the game, which is just so cool for the other players, right, for the young ones? Yeah, and our challenge is making sure that we focus on ourselves enough to get the best out of ourselves whilst also then just

helping others. Well, yeah, people help me at my first tournaments and I would want to do the same for the younger ones. Yeah, I think you learn from what you get. Yeah, like Jill Scott and Ellen White and stuff and now where are them guys? Maybe not as... Bit more disappointed. Yeah, we're a bit more disappointed than them. But that's okay. No! They're going to have to take what they've got.

What Lucy Bronze was saying is one of her favourite things was like seeing the energy of the young players and that's kind of energises her. Oh, 100%. Fresh energy. They're so fresh. And they don't have like, this's a bit deep this, but like emotional fatigue, good or bad. Like they weren't there in 2022. They also weren't there in times like bad times and then they just come in fresh face. And I think God,

they must be so lovely. Beth, is that your dog? It is, yeah. Oh my God. Miley, come on in. Miley. Miley, can we bring, oh come on in. Hi.

Hi, bye bye. Come on in. Come sit with mommy then. Thank you. Come sit with mommy. Miley. Miley, can we bring, oh, come on in. Hi. Hi, bye bye, come on in. Come sit with mommy then. Thank you. Come sit with mommy. Sit down there, sit. Good girl. And Miley, how are you feeling ahead of the Euros in Switzerland?

What words do you have to say to everyone? Miley, what's, what are you telling everyone? Bark, Miley, bark. Come on. Okay. Very drooly. Apparently she's got a lot to say. Oh my God, sorry.

This is the, are you taking, are you taking Miley with you? I wish. No. She's only allowed to come for this week, isn't she? Yeah, we've got her this week. Are you out of breath? What's happened? I'm glad she's not coming because Kiera, every time she walks past the door, bangs on my door to make sure. Yeah, she bangs on my door to try and make Miley back. Just to annoy me. And Miley's actually been press trained, that's why she's not making any comments. No comments at this moment in time. Leah, Beth, thank you so much. Thanks for having us.

Good luck ahead of the Euros. Well, I'll see you there. I cannot wait to be there. Can't wait to see you eat in Fondue. I, every day. Every single day. Have a drink for us as well. Oh, I will have plenty.

Thank you so much, guys. Go Miley! Go Mie!