Unveiling the Secrets: Alex Scott’s Unbelievable Women’s World Cup Tips for Leah Williamson!

We may only be halfway through the season, but Alex Scott is, irrefutably, smashing his proverbial summer.

We’re talking (while Alex gets a braid before going on vacation and I catch some sun at lunchtime) as part of the launch of The latest WhatsApp campaignhighlighting the app’s privacy features and reminding us how powerful an act of reaching out to our loved ones can be.

So while the content of much of our conversation touches the harsher edge of the human experience, its tenor bubbles with the energy of someone who is savoring every bit of what this moment is giving them. The announcer, former women’s health cover staris giving off a feeling of pure enjoyment.

‘Exactly!’ she says. ‘I want to find that balance… I’ve been working my way from being a footballer to a broadcaster, and I just don’t want to look back and think, what was it all for? Like, where’s the fun in that, you know? So I want to spend time with my family and friends and make memories.’

But in between the enjoyment, which includes seeing live performances by Beyoncé, SZA (who Alex controversially considers even better than Queen Bey), and Pink; powering through intense circuit training; Eat sushi; Donning flashy suits and sipping an Aperol Spritz or two, Alex has one of the most significant concerts of her hosting career in a matter of weeks.

‘I’m going to present my first women’s World Cup match for England. So, I’ve gone from playing in [the World Cup] until sitting on the BBC presenting my first England game, which is going to be a great moment for me,” he says.

‘I’ve done England games before, but in a Gabby tournament [Logan] he has normally been the leader at the England games and I have done the others. So, it will be a personal highlight.

She is nervous? Silly question. ‘To be honest, I don’t really get nervous: I love the adrenaline rush. I love live TV and I like that side of it,” says Alex, who is a key part of the BBC’s football coverage, presenting soccer spotlight and coverage of the 2022 Men’s World Cup. “So, it’s a different kind of energy, not nervous energy…all the hard work and everything that’s happened in that time, it’s like: Wow.’

Alex on the number 1 Leona to watch at the Women’s World Cup

Of course, we had to ask the former Leona predictions for the tournament. ‘[I don’t think] you can look beyond the US right now,” he says, of the strength of the reigning champions. ‘Obviously I played there for three years and their mentality is just amazing; the ability to move on.’

He also thinks Germany, who the Lionesses of England defeated to win their first major title in 56 years last summer, will make an interesting watch. “At the Euro, I think Germany have shown that they have been through this transition,” he says. “That mix of youth now and experience has really come through and they’re going to be really strong at the World Cup.”

When it comes to the must-see among the Lionesses, Alex doesn’t miss a beat before sharing. “Oh well, Lauren James! I think it’s one we’re screaming for. And we all know that she’s been a raw talent since she was at Arsenal, then she left and now she’s at Chelsea,” says Alex, under the guidance of formidable Chelsea manager Emma Hayes.

‘She’s the one to take care of. The skill level of her and everything that she has about her, I think this is going to be a great summer for her. What backing; all eyes on the woman in the number 10 jersey.

Alex on the mental advice he gave to the injured Lioness Leah Williamson

Of course, three MVPs from the Lionesses’ exciting EuroCup campaign are missing from the squad. Both the winner of the Golden Boot of the tournament, the striker beth meadand central defense, captain leah williamson are out after suffering ACL injuries that required surgery and a long recovery period. In May, it was revealed that forward Fran Kirby would miss the tournament, after doctors confirmed that she would need surgery for a knee injury she had sustained three months earlier.

I tell Alex that, in my interview with Leah Williamson for her women’s health cover story published earlier this year, Leah shared with me her gratitude for Alex’s empathetic but flattering support after suffering the injury that sidelined her for much of the start of Arsenal’s 2022 season.

So Alex, based on his last campaign message, has been checking in with his friend regularly now that his summer is looking different than he expected?

‘Oh my gosh, yes. that’s what he was doing [the other day] because you also spend moments with injuries. And, like you just said, I’m like, “Okay, what’s next? What are we going to do in this time?”

But I know that there are also personal moments that are difficult. So, [last] The week would have been difficult because the Lionesses gathered for camp, and that’s when you realize again that you’re not there and you’re not a part of it.’

‘That’s when I know [the disappointment] it’ll hit her in those moments where she’s like, you know, she wishes she was there; that she is part of the team. So that’s when I know I need to control myself on a deeper level… because I know how much that’s going to hurt.’

Happily, between attending Wimbledon (where she, Beth Mead, jill scott and Fran Kirby received a standing ovation and chatted with tennis legend Billie Jean King), Silverstone, a Nike Summit featuring iconic athletes like Caster Semenya and a trip to Ibiza, Leah seems to be making the most of these opportunities, even if they arose under less than ideal circumstances. She also revealed that she will be heading down to cheer on her team from the sideline.

‘Leah is an amazing person. He’ll come out the other side stronger, and he’ll do something within these nine months that’ll be like, oh my gosh, like, ‘wow, yeah, okay.’

Why Alex wants us all to appreciate the power of a signup text

WhatsApp’s latest initiative—encouraging women to express feelings or experiences that weigh on them and offering a reminder that they can do so in private—was a no-brainer for Alex to put her name on.

‘[Research by WhatsApp found] 73% of women would open up about their struggles if we kept reaching out. That’s all it takes. I think the more we yell about blocking chat and privacy settings and how simple it is to go and find disappearing messages, [the better].’

Beyond the app’s existing privacy settings, a new feature, Silence Unknown Callers, has been released to filter spam and calls from unknown callers for added protection. WhatsApp is also rolling out Privacy Checkup, a step-by-step feature that guides everyone through the important privacy settings available to them in the Meta-owned app.

Alex is admired for her candor about the challenges she faces: from the shock of growing up around domestic violence to the racist and sexist abuse she faces online, all topics explored in her sunday time best selling memoir how not to be strong.

‘Growing [I remember] It’s hard for me to communicate and I actually keep things to myself when I’ve been down and struggling,” she shares. ‘[I still have had a tendency to] walk away from things or run away from certain situations if I’ve been feeling bad or going through something,’

“And that’s what the whole campaign is about: allowing people to have private ways to communicate with someone and for someone to feel safe to respond and speak up if they’re actually not okay.”

What has helped Alex to be more confident to speak his mind? “It’s a journey that I’ve been on in the last couple of years through therapy… So now when you talk about being an open book, it’s because I’ve been on that journey, and I know the importance of, when they feel a certain way, having those conversations with someone.’

The conversations that keep Alex accountable and inspired

‘As soon as the campaign went live, the first person who approached me was Michelle Visage. And she was like: “This is what I do to you constantly!” she is [always] wondering if I’m okay, like, if… I shut up about her life or something, she knows something’s up,’ she laughs. “She’s in Los Angeles, but she’s still checking on me all the time.”

The way Alex tells it, Leah is also brilliant at being that person who senses something is up and asks what’s going on.

“We can talk about anything and everything and be real and have those conversations. And she’s one of those people that she knows, really, if I’m going through things,” says Alex. “I think because we are a bit same same. She had the same habits that I have.

Support system aside, what are the other chats, online and IRL, that light up Alex?

“I am inspired by so many different people and different conversations. How I love that; that is one of my passions… I still have all my soccer friends; when I go to visit my mother, the people of the East End, my neighbors,” she continues. ‘And the new people I meet within this industry at events; in parties. I’m open to that. If you’ve got substance and there’s something for you, I’m all ears.

And that sounds like a pretty solid criteria to us.