The 24-year-old winger is one of the standout performers in the Spurs set-up
Naz was rewarded for her form with maiden call-up from Sarina Wiegman in May
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By TARA ANSON-WALSH
Published: 12:47 EST, 11 December 2024 | Updated: 12:47 EST, 11 December 2024
England’s rising football star, Jess Naz, has had a whirlwind year, and now she’s back home in north London with a well-deserved smile on her face.
The 24-year-old winger was pivotal in Tottenham’s historic journey to their first-ever major tournament final in the Women’s FA Cup in May. Despite a 4-0 defeat to Manchester United at Wembley, Naz’s outstanding performances on Spurs’ right flank throughout the season did not go unnoticed and the very next day Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman was on the phone, asking her to join the senior side.
A couple of months later Naz made her first senior England start, assisting Leah Williamson’s opener to earn herself yet another start when the Lionesses faced Emma Hayes’ United States team last weekend.
And Mail Sport manages to grab Naz for a chat once the dust has settled, albeit amidst the bustling atmosphere of Craig Park Youth Centre in Edmonton, where she has just spent her afternoon handing out Christmas presents to young people and families experiencing hardship.
‘I’m from Enfield which is literally next door,’ she says. ‘It’s nice to come down and to be back in the community giving back. Just to see the smiles on the kids’ faces was nice.’
A proud Londoner, Naz worked her way up through England and Tottenham’s youth academies, including a brief spell at Arsenal where she earned two senior appearances, before settling back in the white side of north London. She was the only Tottenham player to be included in Wiegman’s latest squad.
Jess Naz (right) has distinguished herself as one of Tottenham's standout performers
A strong spell on Spurs' right flank helped the winger earn her maiden England call-up in May
Naz went on to make her first senior start in the side in last month's friendly versus the USA
Reflecting on England’s most recent international break, Naz radiates determination. ‘It was a good camp,’ she says. ‘I’ve been building on my performances and relationships with the players because I don’t play with them at club level. Every opportunity, I’m there just trying to learn and build those connections.’
She credits experienced teammates like Lucy Bronze for helping her adapt. ‘Lucy Bronze helped me a lot in the USA game, guiding me on where to be and helping me out of possession.
‘That’s what you need – someone behind you who can see the bigger picture. Defensively, I think we did really well. We stayed compact and grew into the game in the second half with more possession. We could have created more chances, but overall defensively, it was really good.’
Following concerns raised by their chaotic 4-3 win against Germany, which at times felt like a basketball game, the Lionesses delivered back-to-back clean sheets in their last two matches. However, questions have since emerged about their attacking output taking a hit, with just one goal and four shots on target delivered across those games.
Responding to these concerns, Naz says: ‘In the forward unit, everyone has their own strengths. It’s about connecting and using those strengths when we need to. You’ve got structure from the build but when you get to the final third, there’s more freedom, which means more room for error. But the more we train together, the more we’ll understand each other’s movements.’
Sarina Wiegman has been forced to shuffle the pack this season after a number of key injuries
But Naz's strong form could yet see her unseat established starters like Lauren James and Lauren Hemp
Wiegman has relied on Lauren James and Lauren Hemp in the past, but with those two players currently out injured, this latest break presented opportunities for the likes of Naz to grow into her role and get some proper game-time experience.
And she highlights her strengthening relationship with Alessia Russo as one of the rewards. ‘Alessia (Russo) told me that if I’m out wide, she’ll always be between the centre-backs for a cross. Little things like that will help me because I won’t even need to look – I just know that if I put it between the centre-backs then she’ll be there. Building those connections will bring us confidence.’
As for the ultimate goal? A seat on the plane to Switzerland for the Euros in six months’ time.
‘That would definitely be a dream,’ she says. ‘I’ve had talks with Sarina [Wiegman] about the levels I want to get to and the things I need to work on. Right now, I’m going to get my head down and focus on translating what I’m learning with the Lionesses into my club performances – being more consistent and scoring more goals. Then we’ll just see what happens.’
Jessica Naz was speaking at Craig Park Youth Centre in Enfield where she donated toys to vulnerable children as part of Tottenham Hotspur's traditional community support around the Christmas period.
England FootballTottenham Hotspur