Anna Moorhouse talks Orlando Pride victory and Lionesses call-ups | OneFootball

Anna Moorhouse arrived at the Lionesses’ November camp within a day of winning the NWSL Championship with Orlando Pride. While there, she reflected on her experiences with Orlando this season. She also discussed her call-up to the senior England squad.

Moorhouse explained how her year had been following her success with Orlando and first-time Lionesses selection. She explained ‘she hasn’t really had time to process it’ and has been ‘riding the wave of what it is and what it has been.’ She expects to look back after this week and realise the scope of the achievements she has experienced this season.

First call-up feelings

Moorhouse explained how her season and England call-up has impacted her on a personal level. Admitting she is naturally a shy person, she feels she has ‘come out of her shell with Orlando’ this season. She further elaborated on how it felt to receive her call-up to the Lionesses, saying she ‘cried when she got the phone call’ as it was ‘a dream come true.’

Having now been called up for multiple camps, she stated she is ‘beginning to feel more comfortable’ within the squad. She can ‘let her personality out a little bit more,’ explaining she was grateful the squad ‘was incredibly welcoming.’

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Describing her family’s reaction to the news, she explained they were all ‘really proud.’ Moorhouse joked that her mother ‘doesn’t honestly like football that much’ and watches it exclusively because of her.

When asked how it was to share the news with her Pride teammates, she recounted how special it felt to share the joy of a national team call-up with Emily Sams. The Orlando Pride defender received her first call-up for the USWNT in the same window as Moorhouse.

That championship feeling

Discussing her recent NWSL victory at Orlando Pride, Moorhouse recalled the key memory of Barbra Banda’s winning goal. She explained how ‘as a team’ they did not listen to outside pressure from the ‘media, opposing teams and fans’. Instead, the team focused inward on ‘getting the job done and bringing the trophy home.’

Moorhouse described how the feeling on the day of the final was one of ‘calmness and stillness’ and a belief that the team ‘were just going to do it.’ She then further elaborated on a key difference for Orlando this season. As opposed to previous campaigns, Orlando had ‘consistency’ in both ‘turnover of players’ and ‘coaching stuff’ that allowed them to claim their victory on November 24th.

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She also discussed how she felt about the possibility of receiving her first cap while training alongside longer-term England squad members Hannah Hampton and Mary Earps. Moorehouse explained how both are ‘very good goalkeepers in their own rights respectively’ and she hoped to add ‘a bit of something different.’ Citing her height, ability to come ‘out for crosses,’ her communication skills and ‘commanding of the 18-yard box,’ these are strengths she hopes to bring to the squad.

Between her success with Orlando Pride in the last season and her continued call-ups to England training camps over the last few months, it is clear Anna Moorhouse is a player with both a large volume of proven success and also potential. A player that could spell further success for her NWSL side and the Lionesses in the future.

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