Women's Euros 2025: Guide to Group A – Hosts' hopes, Hegerberg and a long-throw weapon
It is a Nordic takeover in this intriguingly open group as Norway, Iceland and Finland join hosts Switzerland.
None of these four teams made it past the group stage in the last edition of this competition in England in 2022, with only Norway even managing to win a single game. Switzerland will be hoping that this favourable group and their home advantage give them the opportunity to make it to the knockout stage of a European Championship for the first time.
The favourites are…
Norway are something of a fallen giant within the women's game, having reached the finals of the first four European Championships and first two World Cups. They won the Euros in 1987 and 1993, and the World Cup in 1995. However, recent tournament performances have been disappointing — their 8-0 drubbing against England at the last Euros was a particular low.
Advertisement
This is despite a glut of talent that includes Lyon's Ada Hegerberg, Barcelona's Caroline Graham Hansen and Chelsea's Guro Reiten. All three of those players will be 30 by the time this tournament ends, and there is a sense this generation is running out of time to truly make its mark at international level.
Former Wales boss Gemma Grainger took charge of the side in January of last year, but they only won one of six matches in their qualifying group, eventually making the tournament through two-legged wins against Albania and Northern Ireland.
If Norway are to top the group, it may well be that they look to some of their younger talent coming through. Celin Bizet and Elisabeth Terland, both 23, have put together impressive seasons at Manchester United, and may see this as a coming-of-age summer.
The standout match will be…
Switzerland vs Norway
Norway and Switzerland will fancy themselves as potential group winners here and finishing top could be particularly important at Euro 2025, as the runner-up in Group A will face the winner of Group B, which holds world champions Spain. The two sides know plenty about each other, having faced off at the 2023 World Cup in a 0-0 draw that helped Switzerland top the group. Norway finished as runners-up but both sides went out in the round of 16.
Advertisement
They have also been competing in the same Nations League group, with Norway coming out 2-1 winners in their first match in February and following that up with a 1-0 away win on June 3.
The group's galactico is…
Ada Hegerberg (Norway)
It has been a tough couple of years for Hegerberg, who has struggled to find regular playing time due to a range of injuries. But the fact that new manager Grainger named her as captain in March, taking over from veteran defender Maren Mjelde, shows how important Hegerberg still is to this side.
The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner missed the 2017 Euros and 2019 World Cup in protest at the treatment of the women's side by the Norwegian Football Federation and struggled to make an impact in 2022 and 2023. She has not scored a goal at a major international tournament since the 2015 World Cup. At club level, it seems Lyon manager Joe Montemurro prefers 21-year-old Haiti forward Melchie Dumornay.
Advertisement
Although Hegerberg will turn 30 in July, there is a sense that there is surely more to come from her providing she can stay fit.
The player who could make a name for themselves is…
Sydney Schertenleib (Switzerland)
The 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder looks set to be the home nation's standout star this summer after a breakout year at domestic and international level. Recruited by the Catalan club via an Instagram message, she made her debut for Switzerland in February last year, barely a month after turning 17. She has been capped 12 times, scoring twice, while she made eight league starts for Barcelona during 2024-25, no mean feat for a teenager competing with some of the best players in the world.
Advertisement
Her ability to carry the ball helps her open up space in congested areas of the pitch, and she has a maturity beyond her years when it comes to the technical aspects of the game.
A story to look out for
Pia Sundhage is the one manager at this European Championship who has actually won it as a player. The Switzerland coach has a lengthy and impressive coaching CV that includes winning two Olympic gold medals with the United States, as well as time managing Sweden and Brazil internationally. All eyes will be on whether her significant pedigree can inspire the home nation.
Switzerland have only ever won one game in their two previous appearances at the Euros, but they have twice made the round of 16 at the World Cup, in 2015 and 2023. More pertinently, not since England in 2005 has a host of the competition failed to make it beyond the group stage.
You might not know this
Keep an eye out for Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir's long throws. The Iceland forward is known for her ability to hurl the ball into the box, which could prove crucial for her team, particularly with the aerial prowess of West Ham United's Dagny Brynjarsdottir, who is 5ft 11in (180cm).
Jonsdottir appeared to have fallen out of favour with German club Wolfsburg and, with her contract expiring, it was announced last month she would be joining Angel City in the NWSL on a two-year deal.
Fixtures in full
July 2: Iceland vs Finland, 17:00 BST, 12:00 ET
Advertisement
July 2: Switzerland vs Norway, 20:00 BST, 15:00 ET
July 6: Norway vs Finland, 17:00 BST, 12:00 ET
July 6: Switzerland vs Iceland, 20:00 BST, 15:00 ET
July 10: Finland vs Switzerland, 20:00 BST, 15:00 ET
July 10: Norway vs Iceland, 20:00 BST, 15:00 ET
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Finland, Switzerland, Iceland, UK Women's Football, 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
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Eugénie Le Sommer joins Mexican side Toluca
The greatest goalscorer in the history of French football is on her way to Mexico. On Saturday, Eugénie Le Sommer (36) officially signed a two-year contract with the Toluca women's team in Liga MX Femenil. Le Sommer, who has 94 goals and 200 caps for the women's national team, more than any player ever on the men's or women's side, will see some familiar faces in Mexico. Among them is Amandine Henry (35), who won 11 Division 1 Féminine titles in the French top-flight alongside Le Sommer and eight UEFA Women's Champions League titles. Advertisement The manager of Toluca is Patrice Lair won four Division 1 Féminine crowns while also lifting the Coupe de France three times and winning the Champions League title twice, with those two women serving as key figures. Meanwhile, Faustine Robert (31) also recently joined Toluca, after a long club career in France, making two appearances for Les Bleues. The Toluca women's team was founded in 2017, with the team finishing 11th in the domestic table last season. Le Sommer was left off the French squad for the upcoming 2025 Euros in Switzerland, with the woman born in Grasse seeing limited playing time since Laurent Bonadei was appointed as manager. She had been a part of the Lyon women's team since the 2010-11 campaign. Advertisement The 36-year-old was the best striker in the 2011-12 Women's Champions League and was twice named the UNFP Female Player of the year, which goes to the top French club women's player. GFFN | Joel Lefevre
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Two York City related fathers celebrate sons' England under-21's European glory
England under-21's won the European Championship on Saturday, featuring Jack Hinshelwood and Charlie Cresswell. (Image: PA) ENGLAND under-21's are European Champions - which has brought much pride to two York City related fathers. York manager Adam Hinshelwood and former player Richard Cresswell watched on as their sons, Jack Hinshelwood and Charlie Cresswell, started and played 120 minutes in a 3-2 victory over Germany. Advertisement England, under the management of Lee Carsley, had finished second in Group B after defeating Czech Republic under-21's 3-1 on the opening day, drawing 0-0 with Slovenia under-21's, and a rare 2-1 defeat at the hands of eventual runners-up Germany. That brought a quarter-final tie with Spain under-21's, where goals from James McAtee, Harvey Elliott and Elliot Anderson ended with a 3-1 win. A narrow semi-final clash with the Netherlands under-21's followed, but an Elliott brace sent the Three Lions deservedly into the final in Slovakia. Germany were their opponents on Saturday night, where England had a fantastic start, going 2-0 up after 24 minutes thanks to strikes by Elliott and Omari Hutchinso. Advertisement Goals from Germany's Nelson Weiper and Paul Nebel brought the game level, which is how it would remain until the end of the 90 minutes. Jonathan Rowe was introduced for extra-time, and made an immediate impact when his diving header beat goalkeeper Noah Atubolu - gifting England European glory. Jack Hinshelwood started the contest at right-back, playing the entirety of the match and looked comfortable with his father, York manager Adam, seen in the stands. Jack has made 26 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring five times and assisting twice. York-raised Charlie Cresswell is the son of former City icon Richard, with his father making 106 appearances for the Minstermen, including one match as interim manager in 2015. Advertisement He would also go on to play for local side Tadcaster Albion, whilst his son, Charlie, came through the ranks at Leeds United's academy. Charlie now plays his football in the top tier of France, having accumulated 31 appearances, three goals and one assist for Toulouse. Richard Cresswell (right) pictured alongside former York City chairman Jason McGill. (Image: Archive)
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
Germany's new stars have a post-Popp point to prove at Euro 2025
BERLIN (AP) — Germany has unfinished business at the Women's European Championship after losing the final of the previous edition and following up with a shock group-stage exit at the 2023 Women's World Cup. Inspirational captain Alexandra Popp has left since those disappointments, leaving it up to a new generation of young stars to restore Germany's reputation as the most successful team in European women's soccer. Two-time world champion Germany has won eight of the 13 European Championship tournaments played so far, including six in a row from 1995-2013. But it hasn't won any major titles since. Germany looked poised to end that barren run when it faced England in the 2022 final, but Popp injured herself in the warmup and the team was already without Bayern Munich forward Klara Bühl because of a COVID-19 infection. England won 2-1 after extra time. The 2023 World Cup provided another opportunity. But a loss to Colombia followed by 1-1 draw with South Korea meant Popp's team failed to emerge from Group H – the first time Germany failed to reach the quarterfinals at a Women's World Cup. 'Times have changed,' Germany coach Christian Wück said. 'Everything has become closer, the other countries have become very strong, maybe even overtaken us. For us it's a big challenge and also a great honor that we can even challenge for the title at a European Championship.' Wück took over in August last year from interim coach Horst Hrubesch, who took over after the German soccer federation ended its five-year collaboration with Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. She was on sick leave after the World Cup disappointment. Wück previously worked with Germany's men's youth teams, leading the Under-17s to European and World Cup titles in 2023, and he acknowledged in an interview with news agency DPA that he still sometimes calls his players 'guys' when he's shouting instructions from the touchline. 'I don't think they think much about it. They just laugh their heads off when I say, 'Hey guys, pay attention!'' Wück said. But Wück has faced public criticism from some of his players. North Carolina Courage defender Felicitas Rauch and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Nicole Anyomi complained about a lack of communication from the Germany coach before they were omitted from his Euro 2025 squad. 'If there were irritations — and there were — then they have to be cleared up,' said Wück, who added he spoke with both Rauch and Anyomi. The 16-team tournament in Switzerland comes too soon for Bayern Munich star Lena Oberdorf, who's still working her way back from a knee injury sustained almost a year ago in a win over Austria. But Germany will have plenty of pace in attack through Bühl, Lea Schüller, and Jule Brand, while Selina Cerci was the Bundesliga's joint-top scorer last season with 16 goals for Hoffenheim. Bayern defender Giulia Gwinn will captain the team, which starts its campaign Friday against Poland. Germany then faces Denmark on July 8 and Sweden on July 12 in Group C. Germany warmed up on June 3 with a 6-0 rout of Austria in Vienna, where Bühl scored one goal and set up three more. That came four days after a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands and stretched the team's winning run to five games. 'I said from the start that I wanted to instill in the team the belief that they are capable of seeing it through to the end and perhaps even (winning) this title and lifting this trophy,' Wück said. 'I believe we're on the right track.' ___ AP soccer:
