Lauren Hemp: 'We did ourselves and our country proud'

England's Lauren Hemp celebrates scoring during the group stages of the FIFA Women's World Cup

Lionesses striker Lauren Hemp has revealed she chose her beloved Norfolk over Dubai for a post-World Cup holiday.

A month after defeat in the final in Australia, Hemp was back with the England team training this week, ahead of the Women's Nations League.

"I had about a week off after the World Cup and I went back to Norfolk, which was nice," she told the BBC.

"The next thing you know I was back training at Man City," she added.

The 23-year-old, from North Walsham, played in all of England's seven World Cup fixtures, scoring three times - including in the semi-final win over tournament hosts, Australia.

"I feel like we did ourselves and the country proud," she said.

"We came so far as a group, we didn't quite achieve the dream of winning it, but it gives us more hunger and desire to try and do it next time".

• Lioness hailed as Norfolk's 'greatest sports star'

England boss Sarina Wiegman has expressed her concern over the international football schedule, with two Women's Nations League matches this month before the start of the Women's Super League season at the beginning of October.

Hemp scored three goals during England's World Cup campaign

Hemp said she spent most of her brief time off "mentally processing" the impact of the World Cup on women's football.

"After a major tournament it takes quite a long time to process the whole thing, it's only now that you realise how much of a difference it's made to the country," she said.

"You see how much women's football has changed for the better, that's what we want to do as players, keep on improving the game and making it more accessible for girls and boys to take up."

Hemp played the full 90 minutes in England's defeat to Spain

Despite the short break and club football already on the horizon, she said the prospect of pulling on the Three Lions jersey again is always a welcome one.

"It's an incredible feeling every time I wear the shirt," she said.

"It's important for us to switch from being back at the club for a little while to now being in the international squad.

"I'm excited to see what's to come off the back of the World Cup, going into the Nations League."

The Lionesses play Scotland on Friday, before travelling to the Netherlands on 26 September.

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