Who has scored the Lionesses' first goal of previous calendar years?

Yesterday night saw the England women’s senior team take on Portugal in their first outing of 2025. Sarina Wiegman’s side played out a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Women’s Nations League as Alessia Russo opened the Lionesses’ account for the new year.

Here we take a look back at which players have got England off the mark in previous years, spanning the last decade.

Alessia Russo – Portugal (2025)

A Nations League clash with Portugal marked the first date in the diary for England as Russo got the Lionesses up and running in 2025. Just 15 minutes into the contest, the forward got on the end of Lucy Bronze’s cross to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

The points were shared in the end as Russo scored the Lionesses’ first goal of the calendar year for the second time running, notching goal number 21 for the senior side.

Beautiful stuff from our #Lionesses! 🎨 pic.twitter.com/i9VnPn30Dx

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) February 21, 2025

Alessia Russo – Austria (2024)

The Lionesses jetted off to Spain for a warm weather camp to kick off 2024, taking on Austria in their opening game, running out 7-2 winners at Estadio Nuevo Mirador.

And it was Russo who got England off the mark for the calendar year. It took the Arsenal forward – who bagged a brace on the night – just three minutes to make the breakthrough, on hand to tap in the rebound from Beth Mead’s saved effort.

Quick as a flash: @alessiarusso7! 🔦

Watch the #Lionesses live on @ITV. pic.twitter.com/JcNuNuWut7

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) February 23, 2024

Georgia Stanway – Korea Republic (2023)

England’s defence of the Arnold Clark Cup began at Stadium MK as the Lionesses hosted the Korean Republic. Sarina Wiegman’s side put in a dominant display in their first outing of 2023, registering a 4-0 victory in Buckinghamshire.

Georgia Stanway stepped up 40 minutes into the contest to convert from the penalty spot after Lauren James was brought down. It was a result which stretched Wiegman’s run to 27 games without defeat as the England head coach.

Stanway from the spot™️

👏 @StanwayGeorgia pic.twitter.com/83t2QokjnC

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) February 16, 2023

Millie Bright – Canada (2022)

Wiegman’s side had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Olympic gold medallists Canada at the Riverside Stadium in the Arnold Clark Cup as the new year got underway but it was Millie Bright who stole the headlines with a superb strike.

With 22 minutes on the clock, the defender rippled the net on the volley to fire England into the lead. And it marked the start of a huge year for the Lionesses with a home EUROs on the horizon.

Ellen White – Northern Ireland (2021)

In the Lionesses’ first competitive game in 354 days, Ellen White bagged a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Northern Ireland at St. George’s Park, which also marked interim boss Hege Riise's first fixture in charge.

England’s all-time top scorer capitalised on a defensive error in the 18th minute to slot home the first of her three goals before wrapping up her treble in the second period.

Ellen White – Japan (2020)

After slipping to defeat against the USA in their opening game of 2020, White’s late winner against Japan in a 1-0 triumph in the SheBelieves Cup got the Lionesses up and running.

The striker came off the bench to score the only goal of the game – which took place in New Jersey – in the 83rd minute before the signature celebration made an appearance.

Can we start every Monday like this?@ellsbells89 🥰 pic.twitter.com/HJ8F58bGrm

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) March 9, 2020

Ellen White – Brazil (2019)

Once again, it was White who notched the Lionesses’ first goal of the year as England came from behind to beat Brazil 2-1 in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup in Pennsylvania.

Having gone into the break 1-0 down, White scored the equaliser in the 49th minute, making a perfectly timed run and finding the bottom corner from a difficult angle to spark the comeback.

GET IN! Great finish, @ellsbells89 🤓

💻 https://t.co/d4YUDP8Tru
📺 @BBCFOUR pic.twitter.com/XYygVqNdei

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) February 27, 2019

Toni Duggan – France (2018)

The Lionesses cruised past France in a 4-1 win in the SheBelieves Cup to kick off 2018 in style and it was Toni Duggan – then of Barcelona – who opened England’s account for the year.

The forward found the back of the net with a smart finish in the seventh minute at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Ohio in the invitational tournament.

Great strike, @toniduggan! 👏

Watch the #Lionesses' #SheBelievesCup opener live right now: https://t.co/MZdcdMSfeb pic.twitter.com/aGpqUj7aNz

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) March 1, 2018

Jordan Nobbs – France (2017)

In the third game of the new year – after losing to Norway and playing out a stalemate with Sweden – Jordan Nobbs scored the first goal of 2017 against France, who England would go on to beat in the quarter-final of the EUROs that same year.

The midfielder took aim from 25 yards out to give the Lionesses an advantage in Philadelphia. The lead lasted until the 80th minute when France turned it around to win 2-1.

Toni Duggan – Germany (2016)

A glancing header from Duggan saw England open the scoring against Germany in their second game of 2016 – after losing to SheBelieves Cup hosts, the USA, in their opening game.

The forward met Alex Greenwood’s ball into the box to make it 1-0 before the Lionesses fell foul of two late goals as the game ended in a narrow defeat.

Lianne Sanderson – Finland (2015)

England’s first win of 2015 came in the Cyprus Cup as the Lionesses posted a 3-1 victory against Finland at the GSZ Stadium in Larnaca.

Arsenal’s Lianne Sanderson bagged the first goal of the game with 21 minutes played. The forward couldn’t miss from close range as she nodded in the opening goal at the back post.