Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier was included in Sarina Wiegman's latest England squad on Tuesday. But while there is a gaping long-term hole in the centre of the Lionesses' defence after Millie Bright's international retirement, Wiegman is still insistent on using Le Tissier in a different position, much to the annoyance of her club's social media team.
Wiegman: Le Tissier's first position is right-back
Bright's decision to end her international career, combined with Leah Williamson's current injury absence, means there is a void that need filling in England's defensive ranks. Left-sided Alex Greenwood is the most senior available centre-back in the squad ahead of upcoming 'homecoming' friendlies against Brazil and Australia, but the right-sided position is up for grabs. Yet, despite Le Tissier's outstanding club form for Manchester United, Wiegman is still reluctant to consider her, primarily viewing the Guernsey-born star as a right-back instead of a central defender.
The boss reiterated that stance when speaking to the press after the October squad was named.
"She plays centre-back every single game and has good performances, but for us her first position is still as a right full-back. But we also know she can play centre-back," Wiegman reasoned, a response that served to raise more than a few eyebrows.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWiegman's view on Le Tissier 'baffling'
Last season, the defence that Le Tissier led from the right-sided centre-back role kept 13 clean sheets in 22 WSL goals and conceded just 10 times through the first 20 league fixtures. Her efforts were rewarded with a place in 2024-25 PFA Team of the Year, next to Bright. So far in 2025-26, United have the joint meanest defence in the WSL (three goals conceded in six games) alongside Chelsea. It's also already been seven clean sheets from 11 games across all competitions.
Women's football reporter for Tom Garry expressed confusion on X with regard to Wiegman's comments: "Given that Maya Le Tissier has made 72 consecutive starts at centre-back for Manchester United, this idea that full-back is her 'first position' doesn't really make sense to me."
Kathryn Batte noted a prominent former player's similar struggles to convince Wiegman to use her in her favoured position: "Rachel Daly had a fine England career playing mostly in a position that was not her first choice and I admire Maya Le Tissier for just getting on with it. If she doesn't get a chance at CB in friendlies and when there's injuries I’m not sure if she ever will (under Wiegman)."
Influential fan podcaster Conner Roberts said: "Sarina is clearly an exceptional coach but this reasoning always baffles me…this notion that she's a right-back doesn't [hold] water to me either because Sarina doesn't use Maya as the back up right-back to Lucy Bronze, it's been Niamh Charles who comes on."
Man Utd hit back with tweet
Manchester United's social media team sought to remind everyone the position in which Le Tissier has thrived since joining the club in the summer of 2022. She had primarily played as a right-back for former side Brighton & Hove Albion, but was immediately utilised in the centre of defence by manager Marc Skinner, who has since made her Red Devils captain, upon moving to Manchester.
A pointed X post from the team's official account read: "Maya Le Tissier has started 104 games for United. 103 of them have been at centre-back."
The one outlier was a Women's League Cup group stage clash with Durham in October 2022, when Aissatou Tounkara lined up in the centre of defence next to Millie Turner, leaving Le Tissier to plug a gap caused by usual right-back Ona Batlle suffering a concussion earlier that month.
Getty Images SportA future England 'stalwart'
Skinner was responsible for permanently repurposing Le Tissier from right-back to centre-back. He was asked about her form after Manchester United won their Women's Champions League opener against Norway's Valerenga recently.
He noted that it wasn't his place to say whether she ought to be a starting centre-back for England, but his enormous admiration for the 23-year-old shone through regardless.
"She is [at the top of her game] and has been for a long time. I know the next question is going to be should she start for England, I'm not here to answer that question, but I start her for a reason – because she’s an incredible footballer and such a driven personality as well," Skinner said.
"When she gets an opportunity, should Sarina see fit for that, she'll be an incredible England stalwart and somebody that will give the country pride."