Enter Vicky Lopez, Spain's 18-year-old star-in-waiting
Spain faced Portugal in their first Euro 2025 match without their Ballon d'Or winner in the starting line-up and minus one of their three key players in a well-established midfield alongside Patri Guijarro and Alexia Putellas.
Advertisement
Less than a week ago, the Catalan player was hospitalised with viral meningitis, and there were fears that she would not be able to participate in the tournament. Her appearance in the first match of the group stage had been practically ruled out, and there were doubts as to whether she would be fit for the second match against Belgium.
'We have to stop Aitana,' Spain head coach Montse Tome said as she urged caution at the pre-match press conference while announcing that the progress of Bonmati's recovery was positive. At that point, Bonmati had one thing on her mind: playing. And she achieved the feat of returning to action for 10 minutes in her team's opening 5-0 win against Portugal.
Bonmati's absence from the start forced Tome to think of an alternative for the starting XI, and Vicky Lopez was her chosen replacement.
As Lopez left the field when Bonmati came on in the 80th minute, Spain were already winning 4-0. But Lopez wanted to leave the field via the touchline instead of crossing the pitch to go to the bench, as is customary, so as not to waste time and allow her Barcelona team-mate to have more minutes of play.
Advertisement
She was applauded by her fans, and rightly so: the 18-year-old had a great game, scoring a goal in the seventh minute. And that was despite twisting her left ankle two training sessions before the match. Although it was only a slight injury, she still had to ice her ankle.
Lopez played with the joy of her age but the calmness of a veteran. In the seventh minute, she took advantage of a cross from Mariona Caldentey to ghost in unmarked between the Portuguese defence, get the tip of her boot to the ball and make it 2-0.
Of the five dribbles she attempted, she was successful in all of them. She made 46 successful passes out of 52, and won six of the eight duels she had.
'(Vicky) is a player who has now had her opportunity; a young footballer with whom we need to be patient,' Tome said at the post-match press conference. 'We have a lot of confidence in her talent. We have given her playing time and she has done very well.'
Advertisement
Although she is the youngest player in Spain's squad, Lopez has been generating a lot of excitement for many years. Barcelona signed her in 2022 from Madrid CFF when she was only 16 to have her live at La Masia and play for Barca B. In fact, she is one of the first products of the women's team to live at La Masia, which has been open to women's football since 2021.
It was there that she forged a friendship with Lamine Yamal, who has been seen several times at the Johan Cruyff Stadium this season watching Barcelona Femeni. Both were named Golden Girl and Golden Boy, respectively, in 2024.
Perhaps it was from this friendship that Lopez, or Yamal, got the idea of playing 'dembow' songs before their matches. Dembow is a music genre with roots in the Caribbean, particularly popular in the Dominican Republic, which influenced reggaeton but has a faster rhythm — and when you see Lopez play, it looks like she's playing to that rhythm.
'Before the match, Patri (Guijarro) played me some dembow songs to motivate me,' Lopez told RTVE after the match.
Advertisement
Like Lamal, Lopez moves with agility and explosiveness and has superb dribbling skills. It was after witnessing her practice these skills on a beach in Benidorm that Madrid CFF signed her at the age of nine.
She was the youngest player — both male and female — to make her Champions League debut at just 16 years and 148 days old. She was also the youngest player to make her debut for the Spanish national team. So young in fact that she is still studying, combining her football career with a degree in business administration and management.
Lopez also has an ambitious and uninhibited way of speaking that is far removed from the prudence of players from older generations. While the Spanish players have wanted to avoid being labelled favourites in interviews or press conferences, Lopez sees it differently.
'For me, Spain will always be the favourite,' she said in an interview with Agencia EFE this week. 'If we have fun, they can't stop us.'
Advertisement
Lopez made that declaration with a defiant, mischievous and playful look — and her words are like a breath of fresh air that mirror the generational change already under way in Barcelona's men's team with Yamal the spearhead.
Sources at the Barcelona Femeni, who wish to remain anonymous in order to maintain their working relationships, explained to that they see Lopez as a footballer that people will pay to go and see play at the stadium. They are aware that she is one of their greatest assets.
Lopez is well-supported by those around her. She gets on particularly well with Salma Paralluelo, who acts as her big sister and with whom she also shares a room in the national team.
In Pere Romeu's Barcelona team, as well as the Spanish national team, midfield positions are in high demand. With two Ballon d'Or winners in Putellas and Bonmati, and then Guijarro, Lopez will not have it as easy. Yet Lopez has got Spain off to the best possible start at the Euros.
Advertisement
Time will tell if she can challenge Bonmati or Putellas for a starting place, or if she can play alongside them in one of the attacking positions. For now, she has planted the seed and let those who haven't seen her play know that she has quality to spare.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Barcelona, Spain, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros
2025 The Athletic Media Company
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
Andre Silva remembered: How Diogo Jota's brother forged his own football path
Diogo Jota did not need to think twice. The question was posed during an interview with ESPN's 'Ball Knowledge' programme in January, with the Liverpool striker being asked which players he most enjoyed watching and why. 'My brother,' Jota said, with a laugh. 'My brother plays in Penafiel, the second division in Portugal. He is by far the one I most enjoyed.' Advertisement That brother was Andre Filipe Teixeira da Silva, Diogo's younger sibling by three years. It was Andre that Diogo most loved watching when he wasn't starring for Liverpool and Portugal, and it was Andre who was by his side when the car they were driving in through north-west Spain crashed in the small hours of Thursday morning, killing them both. Their funeral will take place in their home city of Gondomar today. The shockwave caused by the tragedy is still rippling through the football world. Diogo — whose full name was Diogo Jose Teixeira da Silva — was recently married and he leaves behind three young children. His career in professional football was supremely successful: a winner of three major trophies in England with Liverpool, including last season's Premier League title, a full Portugal international and with 136 goals at senior club level. Diogo's name might be the more familiar, but Andre's passing will leave an emotional scar that runs just as deep. He was also carving his own path in football and was a regular starter for Penafiel, a club based in the city of the same name, around 25 miles east of Porto in northern Portugal. But that journey, no doubt inspired by the success of his older brother, was cut tragically short. There are many parallels with Diogo's story. Andre also grew up as a football obsessive in Gondomar, a small municipality to the east of Porto in northern Portugal, with his parents Joaquim Silva and Isabel Silva. People in Gondomar remember the two boys playing football in the street. 'I lived right across the street, and I would hear 'boom, boom, boom' — it was him and his brother,' neighbour Joao Ferreira told Portuguese news outlet JN. 'One would play goalkeeper, at the entrance to a garage, and the other would kick the ball.' Another local, Ventura Pereira, recalls the pair 'breaking down gates' playing football and that his wife, 'who knows nothing about football', knew both were going to be special players. Advertisement Andre started out playing for the local team, again just like Diogo, before leaving, aged 11, to join the youth setup at Porto. He was a tricky winger with fast feet and an infectious energy that allowed him to play across the front line. On Thursday, the club posted pictures on their social media accounts of a proud young Andre holding an award during his time at the club. André Silva (2000-2025). Descansa em paz 💙#MarcaPorto — FC Porto (@FCPorto) July 3, 2025 Andre clearly had talent, spending time on the books at Pacos de Ferreira, Famalicao and Boavista during his teenage years, all first-division sides at the time. He returned to Gondomar aged 21 to take his first steps in senior football, before his big break: a move to Penafiel in July 2023, seeing him jump two divisions to the Portuguese second tier. Things could not have started much better for Andre in professional football, winning a penalty for his new side just 25 minutes into his debut against Leixoes. With an incredible piece of skill, he flicked the ball through the legs of Ricardo Teixeira as he looked to control a long throw into the box — the ball not touching the ground before it bounced off Andre's heel — before wriggling goal-side of the defender and falling to the ground after a bump to the hips. Just over half an hour later, he had scored his first-ever goal at this level of football, sliding in at the back post to toe-poke home a low, driven cross. He celebrated incredulously, clearly overcome with emotion, pointing to the name on his back before disappearing into a huddle of team-mates. It was the reaction of a man — then only 23 — who had taken his opportunity, the adrenaline pumping as he felt his career opening up in front of him. Andre's quiet determination would characterise the rest of his time at the club, his tenacity and head-down approach seeing him quickly establish himself as a player that manager Helder Cristovao could rely on. He featured in all but two of Penafiel's games this season, with the club dreaming of an unlikely promotion to the top tier in second place as recently as March before a downturn in form left them in 11th. Advertisement He would score six more goals for Penafiel — a powerful close-range strike against Nacional, a sharp run in behind and near-post finish against Portimonense, and even a brave header against UD Leiria — all celebrated with the same sense of unbridled joy. 'Andre brought different things to our game, a lot of speed,' Cristovao told Sport TV, 'but more than the footballer, we have to talk about the person, a very well-rounded kid. He just finished his management course at university — he never stopped studying, he always continued to study and work. He took business because he had started a business with his brother.' Another of Andre's clubs, Pacos de Ferreira, remarked upon his 'humility, responsibility and immense dedication', his unassuming nature a recurring theme for those who had spent time with him. His brother, Diogo, had made it in football, and Andre was well on his way to forging a fine career closer to home, but both were grounded, hard-working players who were grateful for the opportunities that their talent had given them. Cristovao says it best with a single word, 'menino' — 'kid' — and far too much time was taken away from Andre. Portuguese football will mourn the player it has lost, and wonder about what he may yet have achieved, but the greatest tragedy revolves around a family that has seen two cherished brothers ripped away so cruelly.
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
France's bold new era: An Einstein quote, legends consigned to the past and players' shock
'Albert Einstein said that madness was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,' said Laurent Bonadei in a press conference before France's Nations League fixtures in late May. 'But I want different results, so I make different choices.' When the news broke on May 21 that France's head coach had omitted legendary captain Wendie Renard from the Nations League matches and, ultimately, the European Championship, everyone, including the players, was in shock. Advertisement The decision was 'almost impossible for them to accept', Bonadei said in his press conference the next day. 'I would understand if they were angry with me, if they were sad.' Bonadei phoned Renard — she has 168 caps — that Wednesday morning to inform the soon-to-be 35-year-old of the news. She was stunned. Renard said she only found out about not making the Euro squad when watching Bonadei's press conference in which he announced the list on June 5. 'It's the coach's decision, and I have to respect and accept it,' Renard said in an interview with France TV channel, La Martinique, Premiere. 'But it's incomprehensible. There is disbelief, injustice. I can wake up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror. I gave it my all.' In hindsight that decision may not have been the wisest. Centre-back Griege Mbock, his new captain, will miss the opening game against England on Saturday with a calf injury. Renard was not the only one who failed to make the cut. On the Tuesday evening, he told France's top goalscorer and most-capped player, Eugenie Le Sommer and San Diego Wave's Kenza Dali, they would also be omitted. Between them the trio have played 444 matches for France. Bonadei, who likes to be close to the squad and sends them messages of encouragement during difficult periods, has travelled to the United States, Saudi Arabia and other European countries to have in-person meetings with individuals. He said he had to be 'smart' and 'elegant' about the timing and did not want to disturb their domestic season — nor Le Sommer's birthday on the Sunday. Not one of the three players saw it coming. Bonadei denied the decision was related to the players' sporting level, nodding to Renard's good performance for Lyonnes against Paris Saint-Germain in the league play-off final in mid May. 'It's not a decision against these players, it's a decision for the French national team,' he said. 'It's for the younger players who represent the future of the France team.' Bonadei was fully aware of the impact of his decision and he did not take it lightly. 'There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about it since the April gathering,' he said to French media. Renard had 'given 30,000, 40,000 per cent for this shirt which I hold above everything else,' she said. 'That will always be the case because I believe my career is not over. It's the coach's decision, but everything in its own time.' Former France international and French Football Federation (FFF) secretary general Laura Georges' initial reaction to Renard's absence was 'sadness', describing it as 'really hard', especially before a major tournament. Advertisement 'She (Renard) is an experienced player, a well-respected team-mate,' she told The Athletic. 'I felt sad because it's about the timing. It's complicated, when it's the last camp and you don't get a call. 'The best way for the coach is to prepare ahead and discuss it with the players. I won't judge, but as a player, I would need to have some time to discuss with the coach, especially ahead of the competition. 'Will they miss her (Renard)? Of course. It's always good to have good leadership, good people who are able to stand up.' Lucy Bronze, who describes Renard, her former Lyonnes team-mate and a good friend, as the 'epitome' of a captain, was shocked too. 'Everything she did as a person and a player, there was nothing you could fault,' she said. France centre-back Maelle Lakrar 'did not expect these choices'. 'I am perhaps a little closer to Wendie because she helped me during my debut with the national team,' she said. 'I will always be grateful to her.' Bonadei, conscious of the effects on his tightly-knit squad, explained the decision to his players. 'There are very strong friendships,' he said. 'That can create collateral damage.' Although the decision came out of the blue for Renard, there were warning signs. She withdrew from the April camp with a calf injury and Bonadei was satisfied with the new centre-back partnership of Griedge Mbock and Lakrar. 'When I took up my position, I said that everyone had a chance but no one was indispensable,' he said at the time. 'That's still the case. This team has to learn to play without Wendie, Eugenie, Marie (Katoto) and others.' The 'other' was midfielder Dali, who, according to a source briefed on the matter, was 'devastated'. 'It's difficult because I've been playing maybe some of my best football,' she told The Guardian. 'There are a lot of lies in the story that's been told but I will tell my side after the Euros.' Advertisement The 33-year-old, who has had an impressive season in her maiden National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) campaign — a move we have been told was encouraged by Bonadei himself — was an important member of the leadership group. Bonadei said she was not selected as he wanted more attackers in the squad, especially because the pressing intensity he wants requires more substitutions up front. But those close to Dali believe she was collateral damage from Bonadei's decision to drop Renard. The rationale being that if the official line was he wanted a younger squad then they would have to leave out other older players too. But Bonadei said: 'It's not a question of injury, level or age,' citing 32-year-old Amel Majri as an example. Ever since Bonadei took over as head coach from Herve Renard (no relation to Wendie) after a disappointing quarter-final exit at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he sought a different direction, turning to a younger crop of players. Part of his reasoning for his decision to leave out such experienced squad members was to give more players major tournament experience, especially with an eye on the 2027 World Cup. He noted Toletti played her first World Cup, in 2023, at the age of 28. The graphic below shows a blend of youth and experience. The majority of players are in their peak years and there is only one player in each position aged 30 or above, while Bonadei has opted for some very youthful defenders. Bonadei has also changed Sakina Karchaoui's position, moving her into midfield, recalled Manchester United's Melvine Malard, who did not feature under Renard at the World Cup or the Olympics, and called up Everton's Kelly Gago, who made her debut in October. With their captain gone, Bonadei handed the armband to 30-year-old experienced centre-back Mbock, a 'quiet force' in George's words, only for her to be unavailable. In January Bonadei created a leadership group of 12 players and even asked Renard and Le Sommer to give their recommendations. In Renard's absence in April, Mbock was named captain for the first game, followed by goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin for the second match. Advertisement On the eve of their opening game against England, however, Bonadei had still not decided who would captain the side in Mbock's absence. It will be between the trio of midfield vice-captains Karchaoui, Sandie Toletti or Grace Geyoro who form a group of nine players responsible for relaying information to the rest of the team. 'Even if she doesn't start the match, she'll be there with us,' said Karchaoui, who joined Bonadei at the pre-match press conference on Friday. 'She always has the right words to say. We have a complete, strong group that can count on everyone. No one is irreplaceable: that's one of our strengths.' Mbock's injury forces Bonadei to start, most probably, 21-year-old Alice Sombath of Lyonnes who is at her first major tournament and has just four caps. Alongside Lakrar, who played at the 2023 World Cup, they form a completely new centre-back partnership. Bonadei was particularly impressed by Sombath's performance against Arsenal, and notably England's No 9 Alessia Russo, in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal — Lyon won 2-1 before losing 5-3 on aggregate. On Friday he praised her 'emotional control', and precise passes. 'She is a source of great satisfaction, and her performance against Arsenal was a benchmark,' he said. Sombath, however, has lacked gametime this season, starting just seven league games. However, she has learned from the best, including Mbock and Renard at Lyonnes. Should she start, Saturday's game will be one of, if not, the most important game of her career. Another option could be Paris Saint-Germain's Thiniba Samoura, 21, with seven caps, also playing in her first major tournament. But Bonadei is not concerned about a lack of experience in defence. He admitted Mbock's injury could be 'detrimental' but has 'complete confidence' in her potential replacements. Despite missing familiar faces, France's strength remains in the technical and physical quality of their individual players, especially offensively. Their options in attack are frightening: Sandy Baltimore, Kadidiatou Diani, Delphine Cascarino, Clara Mateo and Katoto. 'I am not here to take unconsidered risks,' said Bonadei. 'This team is perfectly capable of doing just as well without them (the missing players).' Advertisement Recent results against Switzerland (4-0), Iceland (2-0), Belgium (5-0) and Brazil (3-2) proved that. The latter, in which they came from two goals down, certainly showed togetherness in adversity. Bonadei, however, has maintained for several months that France are 'challengers', with an eye on the 2027 World Cup but, in a mixed message, also said they want to win the Euros. For the first time since 2017 they go into the tournament with fewer expectations. They hosted the 2019 World Cup, were strong favourites at Euro 2022, attracted a lot of attention at the 2023 World Cup after Herve Renard moved from the men's game to take charge and they were the host country for the 2024 Olympics. When Herve Renard was appointed, the FFF publicly announced the aim was to at least make the semi-finals of the World Cup and Olympics but this time there has been no such proclamation. Perhaps this is an attempt to relieve some pressure from his team. Barring Euro 2022, when France progressed to the semi-finals, they have failed to make it beyond the quarter-finals for eight consecutive major tournaments. In October, Bonadei brought in psychologist Thomas Sammut, who has worked with Olympians such as four-time gold medal-winning swimmer Leon Marchand. This is not the first time they have had a team psychologist but Sammut is part of everything, sits on the bench at matches, attends team meetings, conducts individual sessions and also visits players at their clubs. Ironically, it is partially thanks to former captain Renard, who temporarily withdrew from the squad in March 2023 until changes were made at the top, that the FFF bolstered the team's resources in the lead-up to that year's World Cup. Georges, who describes the team as 'talented', 'technical' and 'united' does not know why France have never been able to reach a major tournament final. Advertisement 'It's hard to explain,' she says. 'Even the players… What we expect from them is to be more consistent in their performance. Why they can't do it in major moments, I cannot tell you. Some people say it's about mentality. 'I think this team can win it. It's a big statement from the coach. He took the decision to change it. This is new and it's going to be interesting to watch.' (Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Getty Images)
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
Lionesses and leadership: Who will step up in the absence of Bright and Earps?
When England took to the field for the World Cup final two years ago, Millie Bright wore the captain's armband and Mary Earps was her deputy. It seemed improbable at that stage that neither would feature at this summer's European Championship. Their absences — Bright withdrew from selection, Earps retired shortly before the tournament and another senior player, Fran Kirby, also ended her international career recently — mean England go into the Euros without some of the pivotal figures of the Sarina Wiegman era. They have been key on the pitch but also influential off it. Advertisement The trio have 220 caps between them and are strong personalities. Earps and Bright were vocal figures in the dressing room and adopted big-sister and maternal roles respectively, while Kirby always led by example. On paper, that may cause some concern but as England attempt to defend their Euros title, the onus will be on others to step up as leaders. Wiegman is helped in this regard by the fact England are still a vastly experienced squad. The average number of caps per player (40) is more than at the 2023 World Cup (32) and on par with the Euro 2022 squad, while the average team member is only one year younger than those two squads. Leah Williamson, who led England to Euro 2022 glory and helped guide Arsenal to Champions League success as vice-captain, has been a natural leader. After her first two England camps in charge in September 2021, Wiegman — in the absence of former England captain Steph Houghton — handed Williamson the armband. She missed the World Cup with an anterior cruciate ligament injury but her role as captain was not in doubt. 'Leah is a bit more reserved but when she's speaking, you're really listening,' England team-mate and Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier said at the squad's pre-Euros media day. 'She knows what she's talking about and she's won a lot.' On the eve of their opening match, Williamson spoke about finding a balance when giving younger players advice. 'I would never want anybody to come and be so anxious it consumed them,' she said. 'But at the same time, there's lots of shiny things when you come to a tournament, lots of experiences to be had, but ultimately the main focus is on the pitch.' 'You have to keep (the debutants) in line a little bit because they get a bit distracted,' she added, speaking from her own experience at her first tournament, the 2019 World Cup. 'But there's no fear of that with these guys.' Though they do not wear the armband, Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood and Keira Walsh form a core group alongside Williamson — occupying four of England's defensive and deep-lying midfield roles. They are often named by team-mates as key leaders in their own distinct ways. They are the standard-setters on and off the pitch. Advertisement 'Keira (Walsh) will lead in performance, wanting to make sure her game is on it, 24/7,' said 26-year-old Georgia Stanway, who was England's youngest outfield player at her first major tournament, the 2019 World Cup. 'She can demand more from other people and also from herself.' Walsh has learned from her own struggles with, in her words, the 'toxic' world of social media during the World Cup six years ago. Her advice to midfielder Grace Clinton is to enjoy the moment and stay present. Stanway falls into the standard-setting category, too. Mature beyond her years, she is a grafter, leads by example with her work ethic and raises the levels in training. 'With the team changing, even over the last weeks, a lot of us have had to step up and come into that (leadership) role inevitably,' said Stanway. 'We're both people (Stanway was speaking while sitting alongside Arsenal's Lotte Wubben-Moy) who will communicate on the pitch, give a little bit of s*** here and there if needed, but we also can take it.' Lucy Bronze is another who wears many leadership hats. On the pitch, she is committed. Off it, she is the younger players' number one phone-a-friend. 'Bronzey speaks to everyone,' said Le Tissier. 'I love her, we get on really well. We always go to her with questions.' Playing in her seventh consecutive major tournament, Bronze shares her past experiences as well as her daily tips. 'She is one of those people who knows almost everything,' added Aggie Beever-Jones, who is set to make her major tournament debut. Another assured leader who flies under the radar is Manchester City captain Greenwood. The 31-year-old did not start a single game under Wiegman at Euro 2022 but has always been a consummate professional. She knows the City players Khiara Keating, Jess Park and Laura Blindkilde Brown (who was on standby) on a personal level but will also seek out others. Advertisement 'Alex has always made me feel really comfortable here,' said Lucy Parker, who was also on the standby list. 'She makes a conscious effort to embed you into the group and see how you are.' Fellow Liverpudlian Missy Bo Kearns, another who was on standby, agreed and added Greenwood holds her to account. 'She's always positive but also honest with me,' said Kearns. 'She will tell me: 'Come on, do this better, do more of this,' pushing me.' The six Chelsea players — no team is better represented in the squad — will miss their club captain Bright. But the more obvious gap in experience is actually in the goalkeeping department, as shown by the graph below. Hannah Hampton will be England's No 1 at this tournament but will have support around her. 'On the pitch, I know that if I've got a problem or I've not done something quite right, Alex (Greenwood), Leah (Williamson), Meado (Beth Mead) and Bronzey (Lucy Bronze) will all be there to gather around and help me out.' When there is a gap, an opportunity naturally arises for others to fill it. 'We all understand the power that speaking and leading by example has,' said Champions League winner Wubben-Moy, who drove the Lionesses' successful campaign for girls to have equal access to football in schools following Euro 2022. 'Let's not forget we all come from clubs where each and every one of us are considered some of the best within that club.' While it was once Ellen White who was like a mum to Chloe Kelly, now it is Kelly's turn to fulfil that role. 'The conversations — knowing the expectations within our group and being on the pitch with a smile — are really important,' she said. Lauren Hemp still 'feels like one of the young ones'. Sometimes when Wiegman asks Hemp questions as one of the leaders in a group meeting, the winger is almost surprised: 'Oh yeah, I am that now,' she realises. Many look up to her relentless work ethic. Alessia Russo and Ella Toone, once the fresh faces of Euro 2022 who turned into game-changers, are at their third major tournament. 'We are not old and we are not new,' said Russo, who advises backup striker Beever-Jones. 'We know how things work. There are times we have to step up and feel more confident to do that. We have the experience and the trust of other players and staff.' England's No 9 is also in charge of team social events with Clinton, bringing the squad together to make stronger bonds. 'That's going to help you with the team morale and get those connections when you're back playing the next day,' said Hampton. Advertisement England's squad have proven winners within it and they have shown they can handle the pressure domestically and on the international stage. 'Now we've got a group of players whose mentality is to win,' said Bronze, pointing to Arsenal's Champions League success, Chelsea's domestic treble and Manchester United's FA Cup finals. 'That's changed over my England career: the mentality of 'actually, we want to win' and doing that consistently.' At the helm are Wiegman and trusted assistant Arjan Veurink. The pair have an incredible record, with their teams featuring in every final of the past four major tournaments (Euro 2017, 2019 World Cup, Euro 2022 and 2023 World Cup). Bronze, though, is quite prepared to challenge that leadership. In the Finalissima against South American champions Brazil in April 2023, the defender told Wiegman to change the order of England's penalty takers at the last minute, bumping Kelly up to fifth. She scored the winning penalty. Amid the search for leadership, it should be remembered that England entered the World Cup in 2023 without the retired Ellen White and Jill Scott, as well as the injured trio of Williamson, Mead and Kirby. That did not stop them reaching the final and there will be confidence they have what is required to go far in this tournament as well. There is no question Bright, Earps and Kirby leave a gap — but it should not play on England's minds.
