MX23RW : Thursday, November 28 12:37:35| >> :600:671370:671370:

Alex Greenwood determined to move on from social media abuse

The England defender was targeted online after the 2019 World Cup.

England international Alex Greenwood wants to "let football do the talking" and move on from the negative social media abuse she now insists fuels her.

The 27-year-old Manchester City defender has opened up previously about abuse she has received on social media, stemming from criticism during the Women's World Cup in France in 2019.

"I feel like I've spoken about this (social media abuse) so much recently," Greenwood told the PA news agency.

"I feel like I've got to the point now where I'm just like 'let the football do the talking' and I feel like I've said what I needed to say on the point and it's never going to completely stop. "

Greenwood is closing in on 50 international caps for the Lionesses with three senior goals and has played for a number of Women's Super League clubs, including crossing the Merseyside and Manchester divide, while also representing decorated Lyon.

However, like many other footballers, she has been on the receiving end of targeted abuse through social media, but Greenwood wants to move on from the negativity.

"It's something that's always there, but I can channel it a lot differently to how I could maybe four or five months ago," she said.

"I probably look at the positive ones more than the negative ones now and they're fuel for me anyway.

"So difficult of course – not going to lie about it, in the past it was difficult at times, more for my family than anything – but now I just take it with a pinch of salt."

While in France, Greenwood was part of a successful Lyon team which lifted their fifth consecutive European Champions League title, as they matched Real Madrid's record for successive European Cups.

Now at Manchester City, Greenwood is enjoying her role as one of the more experienced members and believes her time abroad with Lyon has made her a stronger player.

"To be truthfully honest, at the beginning it wasn't easy to move away from home, to go to a different country, different culture, different language, wasn't easy at first, it took me about four or five months to settle," she said.

"Once I did and I picked up the language a little bit, picked up how they worked and stuff I absolutely loved it, it was the best experience I've had in football.

"I'm not going to sit here and say it was all roses because it wasn't, as well as winning trophies it came with some difficult times, but when you're playing for a club like Lyon you're only going to improve.

"I focused entirely on football and what it was doing for me and I feel like I came back as a better person and as a better all-round player."

ID:438075: cacheID:438075:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:17915:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Read more about Alex Greenwood Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!