Who is Erica Meg Parkinson, the attacking midfielder who got called up to the senior Lionesses squad at 17?
When manager Sarina Wiegman called up relatively unknown 17-year-old midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson to the Lionesses’ April 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying matches, women’s football fans were intrigued and curious. Although she has yet to earn her first cap for the senior squad, Parkinson has been making waves, most recently after signing a four-year contract with the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL. Who is this promising wonderkind drawing attention from all over the world?
A multicultural upbringing
Erica Meg Parkinson was born in Singapore in 2008 to a Japanese mother and an English father. She lived there and attended an international school until 2018, when her family moved to Portugal after her brother was scouted to play in FC Porto’s academy. Because of her parents’ nationalities and her own background, she is eligible to play for Japan, Singapore, Portugal, and England. She ultimately came up through the English youth system, choosing the country because they were the first to invite her to the national training center.
Because Parkinson has yet to make a senior national team appearance, and because she is under 21 years old, she is eligible to make a one-time switch to any of those other countries. However, it doesn’t seem like she’s particularly interested.
“Once I got here, I just really liked the culture,” she told BBC. “Everyone is kind but also ambitious. I enjoyed the way England conducted themselves in the training sessions and the style of play in games.”
An early start
Not unlike her brother, Parkinson played for various academies in Portugal, most recently Valadares Gaia. She made her senior debut for the club at only 15 years of age, coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 win. Nine months later, she was permanently moved up to the club’s senior squad at only 16 years old. A year after that, she was voted the best young player in the 2024-2025 league season by the Portuguese football players’ union.
She’s also been playing at the international level for a similar amount of time. She first got called up to England’s U-17 side in 2023 and competed in the 2024 UEFA Women’s U-17 Championship and 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Soon after, she got called up to the U-19 and U-23 squads, before finally earning her first senior call-up in March of this year. Clearly, the youngster has caught England’s eye and she will surely be a bright spot for the team in the future.
An international playing style
Because of her upbringing, Parkinson has been exposed to a lot of different playing styles.
“Portugal’s style is less focused on the tactical side of things and it’s more about passion and fluidity,” she described when speaking to BBC. “I don’t want to change too much because the qualities I bring are because of the type of football I play in Portugal and what I grew up with.”
She’s still treating her time so far with the English youth and senior teams as an opportunity to learn. “When I come here, I have to turn on the tactical side of my brain. I need to be more disciplined.”
In the end, she’s striving to combine her strengths in a unique combination of the two. “Some aspects I try to change, but others are my specialties so I don’t want to take them away from my game.” Clearly it’s working, as the young attacking midfielder recently landed a long-term deal with a top American club.
The future is bright for Erica Meg Parkinson, and very soon she’ll have the opportunity to show off her unique skills and flair on both the club and senior international level.
