Sarina Wiegman and England women starting from ‘zero' heading into Euro 2025

CNN

11-06-2025

Less than a month away from the start of the Women's Euros in Switzerland, England heads into the tournament as defending champion, ranked No. 4 in the world and with memories of success lingering.
Sitting in the Wembley Stadium dressing room where those Euro 2022 celebrations took place, Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman remembered seeing a group of players and a nation that were not only ready to win, but desperate to lift some silverware.
However, she recalled being keen to extinguish that sentiment pre-Euros.
'I've talked to many people before the tournament even started then, and many players said they were desperate to win a tournament. So, I asked them to take off the word 'desperate' and just do everything to get prepared and be at your best,' Wiegman recently told CNN Sports.
That mentality change got them over the long-awaited finish line at Wembley in 2022, but the 2025 tournament in Switzerland brings with it a new cycle and fresh challenges.
The landscape of women's and girls' football has changed dramatically in England, and globally, since the Lionesses' landmark victory.
The FA reports a 56% increase in women and girls playing the Beautiful Game since 2020. After meeting the goal of 75% of schools offering equal access to soccer in England a year ahead of schedule, the governing body has set a new goal of 90% of schools that offer boys' football to offer girls' football by 2028. Additionally, investment and revenues continue to grow at the professional level, according to Deloitte.
With rapid growth come challenges, however. Chelsea defender Millie Bright talked openly about the sport's impact on mental health, posting about fan abuse in February on her Instagram Stories saying, 'Please may I remind you that as players we are not collectables, we are not robots, we are humans the same as you.'
Wiegman touched on a similar point in her interview, emphasizing the importance of helping players adapt to changes in competitive demands on and off the pitch. Demanding better facilities, improving scheduling and access are all part of the growing pains.
'So many good things happened. Also, lots of challenges with the growth of the game. You know, we talk about the calendar, we talk about the outside world that has changed too, players are now household names. Which is great but also brings challenges because their life has changed,' the Dutch-born coach said.
'There's still a connection between players from different countries and in different environments and trying to support each other to make facilities better, or to make structures better, and to address things. And I think that goes beyond football.
'I think that helps women in football, women in sports, and women in society, and that's, I think, a deeper purpose,' Wiegman added.
Wiegman's teams – formerly Netherlands and now England – have won the last two editions of the Women's European Championship with two consecutive trips to World Cup finals on either side of those victories. No other manager has won the Women's Euros since 2013.
Yet, she's not thinking about the upcoming tournament as a chance at a personal three-peat, nor does she feel her team is the outright favorite because of its win three years ago.
'There are lots of countries I think that are favorite to win it (the Euros),' Wiegman admitted.
'This is a new situation. Of course, I cherish the moments. I'll never forget it. It was incredible, but we're in a new situation now, going into a new Euros. Everything starts again. I would say at zero,' the Lionesses head coach said.
'We're moving on, so we cherish the moment, we never forget it, but you have to move on. If you stand still, people will just pass you and then you're done.'
The build-up, though, to the title defense has been far from plain sailing. On the pitch, England has won three, drawn one, and lost two matches in 2025.
Off it, unexpected news kept dropping in the lead-up to Wiegman's squad announcement earlier this month as both former number one goalkeeper Mary Earps and veteran midfielder Fran Kirby announced their retirements from international duty.
Additionally, 2023 World Cup captain Bright made herself unavailable for selection. The Chelsea defender posted on Instagram saying, 'Right now I'm not able to give 100% mentally or physically' and has since undergone knee surgery.
Adding to that potential headache for Wiegman, a handful of key players are only just coming back from lengthy injury spells. Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood both returned for the final three games of the WSL season. Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway has only played 60 minutes since December after an operation on a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tear in her right knee. And forward Lauren James hasn't played a minute for club or country since sustaining a hamstring injury in England's 5-0 victory over Belgium in early April.
Despite a chaotic week in the lead-up to the team announcement, 13 players from that 2022 victory are in the squad. The chosen group has an average of 40 caps per player, only two less than the average for the previous edition's roster. The team has a lot of experience at its core, while seven players are heading to their first major tournament.
'I think we have a new England team now and we have been in transition, new players coming in. Some very experienced players still. That's where we stand right now,' the two-time Euros-winning coach told CNN Sports.
'I think we have a lot of quality. But bringing individuals together and let them collaborate in the best possible way, that brings us to the highest level.'
England did reach new heights in 2023 by reaching its first ever World Cup final. The Lionesses, though, lost 1-0 to Spain with some seeing it as power shift in momentum in the women's European game.
La Roja continues to compete at the highest level in spite of larger on-the-pitch and societal issues tainting the successes and will likely be the team to beat this summer.
'I think, in the World Cup, they had a deeper purpose, a higher purpose. They have a very specific style of play which is really good, which is attractive to watch,' Wiegman lauded.
'But we also showed that they have some vulnerabilities too, and that's what you see in the game too. The level's going up, and countries are developing, teams are developing and trying to figure out and taking up super strengths and trying to find weaknesses.'
The Lionesses begin their UEFA Women's Euro 2025 campaign against world No. 11 France. And it doesn't get any easier as their next Group D opponent is 2017 European champion the Netherlands.
The 55-year-old England coach knows anyone can win on any given day; the competition has never been stiffer.
'We have to be on it on the Fifth of July. We play France. They're a very good team, and that's the same for them. Our group is really tough, but we also know if you want to win a tournament, you have to be at your best. And we need every single player to contribute to the team performance.'
England Euro 2025 squad: Hannah Hampton, Khiara Keating, Anna Moorhouse; Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Alex Greenwood, Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy; Grace Clinton, Jess Park, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh; Michelle Agyemang, Aggie Beever-Jones, Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Alessia Russo