‘Really ugly’ abuse affects players – Wales’ Cain

Wales international Hannah Cain says the mental health of female players can be affected by “really ugly” social media abuse.

Leicester City forward Cain is with the Wales squad preparing for next Tuesday’s opening Women’s World Cup qualifying game against the Czech Republic.

Earlier this season, the 27-year-old posted on social media that “enough is enough” following abuse from people “hiding behind a keyboard”.

Cain has now explained that “abusive messages after pretty much every game” for her club prompted her to speak out.

“I think over the years as the women’s game has grown, it’s opened up more of a platform for people to have their opinion and share their voices,” Cain said.

Former Everton player Cain has been at Leicester since 2020.

The Foxes are in the midst of a difficult season, with Rick Passmoor’s team currently bottom of the Women’s Super League (WSL).

“During that time I think that we weren’t playing badly at a club and I wasn’t playing badly but certain people decided to just send abusive messages after pretty much every game and it got to a point where I thought this is not OK,” Cain added.

“It didn’t matter what I did on the pitch and it does affect you at some point.

“You see so much of it you start thinking, are they right? Obviously you know that they’re not but I think it was becoming so much that sometimes you have to speak out.”

Cain believes people can forget that footballers “are actual humans”, with abuse affecting players’ lives away from the pitch as well as family members.

Therefore, Cain says, she will use her platform to try to prevent further abuse.

“I think when you do say something, people start deleting all the negative comments they’ve made and they think that’s OK,” she added.

“But if I can have a tiny, tiny effect on people maybe thinking before they write something, then I’ll absolutely do that.”

Cain is back on Wales duty having helped Rhian Wilkinson’s team end a 12-game winless streak in their most recent game, the 3-2 friendly triumph over Euro 2025 quarter-finalists Switzerland in December.

Cain scored a fine goal in that friendly success and is likely to be a key attacking player for Wilkinson as Wales’ women attempt to reach a World Cup for the first time.

The Czech Republic game marks the start of a new era given that Jess Fishlock, Wales’ greatest player, will be in the dugout rather than on the pitch having retired from international football last October.

Though Fishlock is still playing at club level for Seattle Reign, the 39-year-old is with Wales as a technical assistant to Wilkinson.

Cain says Fishlock earned “a little round of applause” earlier this week after taking charge of a passing session on the training ground.

“It’s just weird seeing her in a different-coloured kit, to be honest,” Cain added.

Wales, who host Montenegro in Llanelli in their second qualifier on Saturday, 7 March, can expect a stern test against a Czech Republic side who are ranked 31st in the world, one place above Wilkinson’s team.

But Wales start Group B1 with top spot as their target, given that finishing first would give them a more favourable route through the play-offs for the 2027 World Cup.

Having been part of the Wales squad at Euro 2025, Cain says qualification for next year’s tournament in Brazil would be “absolutely incredible”.

“Obviously our first major tournament last year was absolutely immense and you never think it’s going to get any better,” she said.