Hearts star set for World Cup debut

Hearts midfielder Ciara Grant has been named in the Republic of Ireland squad ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

The tournament is set to be played in Australia and New Zealand and will kick-off on July 20th. It will be Ireland’s debut at the World Cup Finals, with the side drawn into group B alongside Australia, Canada and Nigeria. The Girls in Green had to beat Scotland to reach the tournament, knocking the Tartan Army after a 1-0 win in the play-off final.

Grant had been on fine form for Hearts last season as she played a major role in the club's record fourth-place finish. As a result of her performances, she won Hearts Player of the Year as well as earnt a place in the SWPL PFA Team of the Season. The 30-year-old has accumulated 18 caps to date since making her debut back in 2012 and has regularly been part of the squad over the past couple of years. The midfielder came on off the bench at half-time last week as her country beat Zambia 3-2.

The prize money each player could receive in the World Cup has also more than tripled compared to the previous tournament. Grant will at least earn just over £24,000 for participating in the group stages and could win over £200,000 if the Republic of Ireland goes on to win the World Cup. FIFA 23 have also just released a World Cup update which allows you to play as Ireland with Grant also included in the squad.