Ria and Lenna

Lenna Gunning-Williams and Ria Bose are two young English footballers making their mark in women’s football. Lenna Gunning-Williams, born in 2005 and raised in Enfield, London, is a forward for Tottenham Hotspur and has represented England at Under-23 level. She came through Tottenham’s academy and made her senior debut in 2022, scoring on her debut against Coventry United. She also spent the 2023–24 season on loan at Ipswich Town, where she scored 14 goals in 26 appearances. Before becoming a professional footballer, Lenna was also an actor, playing Jack Marshall in the CBBC football drama Jamie Johnson from 2017 to 2020. Ria Bose, born in 2006, is a defender who developed through the Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea academies before moving to Sporting CP in Portugal in 2024. She has represented England at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 levels and has established herself as a promising young full-back, known for her pace, defensive ability and attacking contribution. As of 2026, Bose is also part of England’s youth setup, including the Under-20 squad preparing for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Ria’s background is also interesting because she has experienced different football cultures at a relatively young age. Moving through academy football and then experiencing life outside England has required adaptability, independence and a willingness to learn. Her time developing around high-level players has presumably helped her become accustomed to competition and high expectations. However, unlike Lenna, Ria has not publicly shared large amounts of information about her parents, siblings or home life, so it would be misleading to claim specific things about her family that have not been confirmed. What is clear is that her development has required a strong support network around her, as is usually the case for young players who commit themselves to football at such a high level.