The England captain was ruled out for five months with injury after the Lionesses triumphed at Euro 2025 and has revealed that female footballers may have to take drastic action if the sport's governing bodies do not pay attention to their concerns.

Asked if she would consider strike action, Williamson said: "I've not had any conversations about this right now, but if a group of people don't feel like they're getting listened to, then history suggests that's the only way they can be heard.

"I would never take it off the table. I don't think that's where we are now. I think we're still in a place where we can collaborate, listen and educate."

The Arsenal defender says there are "reasons" for the arguments about the schedule, even though footballers are keen "to play all the time".

She told reporters ahead of England's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine next week: "We'll never know for sure but I don't think people argue against the scheduling for fun. There's reasons behind it.

"If you listen to the players' group, of course we want to play all the time, but the more successful you are - and this team has been very successful - then the less rest you have and the higher risk of injury there is. It's an accumulation.

"The players, I'm sure, would love to just turn up and play football, but we use our voice and we try to get involved in conversations with the hierarchy so that they at least have our perspective. Whether they listen to it or not, is out of our control."

Williamson also explained how players have been "forthcoming" in providing governing bodies with training load and female health data.

She said: "It's mainly around the rest periods and trying to get all governing bodies to align. It always sounds like we're asking for a holiday, but that's not the case.

"I'm a professional footballer and part of my job is also to rest, which I'm encouraged to do so by my managers and the environments we play in.

"So why is that not prioritised when we're left to our own devices?"