This text is a part of the Guardian’s Euro 2025 Consultants’ Community, a cooperation between a number of the finest media organisations from the 16 international locations who certified. theguardian.com is operating previews from two groups every day within the run-up to the event kicking off on 2 July.
Overview
England journey to Switzerland with expectations as excessive as ever. Nonetheless, they’ve had a tumultuous buildup to the event, the place they’ll intention to defend their title from 2022. The retirement of the goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby, adopted by the withdrawal of centre-back Millie Shiny, for very completely different causes, put them on the centre of a storm of intrigue one month out.
The place does that go away the staff? Regardless of these absences England’s squad is full of potential. The return of Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Georgia Stanway following knee surgical procedures this 12 months is a big increase, regardless of their restricted match motion this season. Shiny’s absence means there’s strain on Greenwood to be at her finest alongside Leah Williamson in central defence.
Look down the squad record and the midfield appears considerably mild, with solely 5 gamers named, together with Stanway, who solely performed 60 minutes of soccer in 2024-25. “Now we have to announce it as strikers, midfielders and defenders, however you possibly can transfer gamers round into completely different positions,” mentioned the pinnacle coach, Sarina Wiegman. “So it appears like there’s not a lot depth on paper, however within the staff we have now sufficient depth in midfield.”
Williamson can play in midfield, as can Maya Le Tissier, or Lauren James, and the previous head coach Phil Neville experimented with Lucy Bronze extra centrally. Nonetheless, any of those gamers being pressured to shift positions can be an enormous departure from a desired beginning XI and a take a look at of their adaptability.
Can England defend their title? They’ve a shot. Nonetheless, having been drawn within the trickiest of teams, with matches towards France, then the Netherlands and eventually Wales, they won’t be afforded time to develop into the event. Progressing to the knockout phases having overwhelmed some large names, however, would profit the group’s momentum.
The coach
Sarina Wiegman has a exceptional report in main tournaments, having reached 4 finals in a row, profitable the Euros in 2017 with the Netherlands and 5 years later with England, whereas getting to 2 World Cup finals. She heads to Switzerland with a 3rd successive European title in her sights but additionally maybe beneath extra strain than ever. The retirements of Earps and Kirby and subsequent withdrawal of Shiny left many asking if all stays sunny within the England camp. Having beforehand been applauded for her straight-talking fashion and the readability it gives for gamers, her ruthlessness is now elevating some considerations. Nonetheless, if that method leads England to victory once more, the narrative will shift again into it being a optimistic.
Star participant
Leah Williamson oozes star high quality and following the withdrawal of Shiny, and Greenwood solely not too long ago coming back from harm, there’s extra strain on the Champions League winner to ship from the again. The 28-year-old is as important to England’s ahead play as she is to their defensive construction and solidity, her incisive passes from deep and driving runs important to the way in which England play.
Having missed out on the 2023 World Cup following an ACL rupture, the journey again to full health and peak efficiency hasn’t been the smoothest. Nonetheless, Arsenal’s Champions League triumph confirmed the centre-back is again to her finest and within the remaining there was no beating her. “Nobody ever is aware of what’s occurring behind the scenes,” she mentioned afterwards. “I used to be solely absolutely match from sickness or harm in November final 12 months. I hold my head down, hold attempting my finest and hold working.”
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One to observe
Earps’s retirement places strain on the Chelsea shot-stopper Hannah Hampton. The treble-winner has 15 caps for England and can begin in aim for the holders in addition to serving to information the uncapped Khiara Keating and Anna Moorehouse by it. Hampton was profitable the battle to be England’s No 1 anyway, with the 24-year-old’s distribution a spotlight, however Earp’s presence on the worldwide stage was appreciable. Hampton has proven she will be able to carry out when it issues, having been most popular to Earps a number of instances, together with towards Spain within the Arnold Clark Cup and Nations League. Euro 2025 will pose a better problem.
Possible lineup
Standing of home prime flight
The Ladies’s Tremendous League enters its subsequent part after one season beneath WSL Soccer, the physique which took over the operating of the highest two tiers from the FA in August 2024. Rebranded and with new minimal requirements to be launched, together with the Championship (now WSL2) aligning with the highest flight in turning into a totally skilled league, expectations of subsequent season are excessive. A report five-year broadcast rights deal was signed with the BBC and Sky Sports activities in 2024 and is price £65m plus manufacturing prices. In the meantime rising attendances, spearheaded by Arsenal, and rising membership investments on the prime finish, similar to Alexis Ohanian’s £20m in Chelsea, have put enjoying in England on the wishlist of many prime worldwide gamers.
Life like intention in Switzerland
The sky’s the restrict. Nonetheless, England are in a troublesome group. Escaping that will probably be a feat in itself however, whereas something apart from profitable the event will really feel disappointing, a semi-final exit wouldn’t be a catastrophe. Issues can’t progress upwards in a straight line for ever.
