A local footballer has returned from Croatia with a bronze medal following the four-day Women’s ‘Minifootball’ World Cup as part of an England side making its debut in the six-a-side competition.

The tournament, in its third edition, welcomed 15 nations from across the world and as far afield as Costa Rica and Lebanon in the quickfire event that took place from 13-16 October.

And Bedfordian Savana Fearon, who plays her 11-a-side club football for Berkhamsted Ladies, swapped the heartlands of Hertfordshire for the island of Lošinj in western Croatia as her England side defeated Slovakia in the bronze medal match.

“It was an unforgettable experience, made even better by lifelong friendships and incredible support from home”, said Savana as her England team was able to bring medals back home as part of a successful competition debut.

Story of the tournament

Group stage games saw the Lionesses face Serbia, Lebanon, Slovakia, and Czechia as part of a single seven-team pool, with the England team progressing to the semi-finals with six points following a pair of 1-0 wins.

In the first of two semi-finals, England faced a USA side who had won the two previous World Cups.

The highly anticipated match saw the unranked Lionesses keep the world number ones at bay for much of the game, conceding only one goal across the 40-minute clash, although that was enough to ensure the Americans progressed.

They would go on to secure a third straight World Cup title, but it left the Lionesses in the bronze medal match, once again coming up against Slovakia.

Despite trailing by one goal at half time, the Lionesses took the lead with goals from Savana and Kendra Brown in the second half.

But after conceding a late equaliser, a best-of-three penalty shoot out decided the game, with England goalkeeper Anna Draper making sure nothing from Slovakia hit the back of the net as the Lionesses won 2-0.

Not a bad effort for a team who only played its first international game of ‘mini football’ just four days prior to the tournament.

“It was a special tournament which started off challenging with the whole group playing their first international games in ‘minifootball’ less than four days before competing for a bronze medal”, said England manager, Jake Toyer.

“The whole process has been seven months in the making since the first trial was in March, until this history making moment in October.

“It’s an absolute honour and a pleasure to work with such dedicated staff, players, and supporters who have supported each other so much and I’m so excited to go toe-to-toe with the great again in two years’ time”, he added.

Attention for Savana now turns back to the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Premier League, with her Berkhamsted side chasing early pace setters, Biggleswade United after just a handful of games.

With the African country of Guinea hosting the next WMF Annual General Assembly, the minifootball game could spread its wings even further, as Savana and company look ahead to another potential trip abroad in the 2027 version.