Latest news with #Euros2023
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Sarina Wiegman delighted with England performance ahead of Euros opener
Sarina Wiegman was impressed with England's performance but knows there will be stronger challenges ahead after their dominant 7-0 win over Jamaica in their final game before the European Women's Championship. Ella Toone scored a brace either side of Lucy Bronze's header to give England a healthy advantage at the break. Wiegman's side flexed their muscles in the second period as Georgia Stanway, Alessia Russo, Aggie Beever-Jones and Beth Mead got on the scoresheet to give England the perfect send-off before they face France in their first game at the Euros next Saturday. 'We played a good game,' the 55-year-old said. 'We were a lot in the final third, we scored seven goals which is really good, created a lot of chances and some moments could have been even more patient sometimes. 'But at the same time, scoring seven goals and more opportunities to score was really good. 'We know next week we have to take our game to the next level. But what we wanted to do was play a good game, entertain fans, getting ready for next week and getting everyone fit out of this game. 'It shows we have a good team and have many options and competition going on for positions. Today we had six different players score goals, which is nice going into the Euros and it shows the players can score goals.' Lauren James climbed off the bench in the second period as she made her first appearance since a hamstring injury in April. It did not take long for her to make an impact as she supplied the cross for Russo's goal shortly after her introduction. Wiegman added: 'We're still building her. She's worked so hard to be here where she is now. At Chelsea first, but then the last two weeks in training camps, she could do every single training session and did really well. 'Now this is the first time she could get minutes and we hope next week we can keep building her going into France. 'Also there is a lot of competition going on upfront and in midfield so we've figured out over the last couple days how we will start.' England feared Mead picked up an injury when she went down holding her knee as the game ticked over into stoppage time. The fans had their hearts in their mouths when Mead received treatment on the field, but she was able to get up and carry on before she scored the last goal of the game. Wiegman said: 'It was a hit on her knee. She's OK, she's good. 'Everyone came out fit and healthy so it was just a hard knock. It looked horrible so we were a little bit scared too, but she could even score after that moment.'
New York Times
4 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
England 7 Jamaica 0: Lionesses warm up for Euros with dominant win
England produced a dominant display to thrash Jamaica in their final match before beginning the defence of their European Championship title. The Lionesses get their Euros campaign under way against France in Zurich on Saturday. Jamaica are no pushovers, having reached the last 16 of the World Cup in 2023, qualifying from a group containing Brazil and France (they drew with both). Advertisement But they were without star striker Khadija Shaw at the King Power Stadium and, apart from a goal that was ruled out for offside when England were 1-0 up, they struggled to trouble the home team. Sarina Wiegman's side took the lead through Ella Toone's deflected strike, doubled their advantage when Lucy Bronze headed in and were three goals ahead before the break when Toone scored her second with a precise finish. Georgia Stanway scored England's fourth with a powerful finish, a welcome sight given her season has been disrupted by injury. And there were more reasons to be pleased for Wiegman when one substitute, Lauren James, showed her quality to send in a beautiful cross for Alessia Russo to head home from close range. Another replacement, Aggie Beever-Jones, added a sixth. There was a worrying moment in stoppage time when Beth Mead went down injured but she was back up again quickly and showed no lasting effects as she scored her team's seventh with virtually the last kick of the game. Nancy Froston and Cerys Jones analyse the key talking points. This was Toone laying down her marker to be a starter in England's attacking midfield role amid plenty of competition for the position. Two well-taken goals and a dynamic performance will make it hard for Wiegman to look elsewhere when deliberating over who should occupy the No 10 role. The Lionesses' Euros win three years ago was defined by Toone and Russo's heroics from the bench. Now established starters, their combination play against Jamaica was impressive. Toone's tenacity, willingness to make runs beyond Russo and ability to show up in big games counts for a lot — especially against the backdrop of James returning to full fitness. Wiegman handing her the start for this match feels significant. And in her first tournament since the passing of her dad, expect every Toone performance to hold greater personal meaning, too. GO DEEPER Euro 2025: England team guide - what can we expect from the defending champions? Nancy Froston A defeat by Jamaica would have been a massive upset. It is little surprise the Lionesses fared well against lower-ranked opposition, even if they did not have it all their own way. In the absence of star player Shaw, Jamaica were not at full force but still posed a threat to England and brought physicality. They had the ball in the back of the net via a Kayla McKenna strike, but it was ruled out for offside. Advertisement It was not a test to replicate the quality of France or the Netherlands, who England will face in the group stage in Switzerland, and it is hard to see some of the rustiness on show against Jamaica going unpunished against better sides. But as an exercise in building confidence and connection between players, it worked. Expect England to engage 'tournament mode' before their opening group game. They will know they need to be ready for sterner tests than this. Nancy Froston Wiegman looks set to opt for experience in Switzerland, and her selection for this match might well have revealed her starting XI for the opener against France. With Millie Bright and Mary Earps out of the picture, the back five largely picks itself. The main question concerns whether any of England's young attacking players, such as goalscorer Beever-Jones, Jess Park or Grace Clinton, have done enough to earn the nod over Euro 2022 winners Toone, Stanway or Mead. GO DEEPER Women's Euros 2025: Guide to Group D - can England escape toughest group? With Toone scoring twice and Stanway producing a quality finish for England's fourth, they have given Wiegman reason to stick to her tried and trusted attacking line-up. Those younger players may have to make their impact from the bench, a little like Russo and Toone did at Euro 2022. Cerys Jones This was not a tournament-level performance, but it was never expected to be. There were times when England's players took heavy touches, mishit passes or sent shots wildly wayward. There were even moments where they looked uncomfortable — not least for that disallowed Jamaica goal from a set piece. There are certainly things that need ironing out in the days before England face France. But how can a 6-0 win be anything other than a significant boost on the eve of a major tournament? It is a relief that James, Lauren Hemp and Stanway all seem tournament-ready (though the former's minutes will need managing, at least at first), and the Lionesses proved they have plenty of goals in their locker. They have the raw materials required of a team that wants to challenge for a trophy — they just need to shake off some of the rust before facing France. Cerys Jones
The Sun
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Man City ready to dump England U21 captain James McAtee after £25million star led Three Lions to Euros glory
MANCHESTER CITY are ready to dump European Championship-winning England u21's captain James McAtee. The midfielder led the Three Lions to glory in the Euros against Germany on Saturday night – after opting to play for his country rather than for City at the Club World Cup. 3 3 However he is unlikely to find a way back into Pep Guardiola 's squad when he returns from a break later in the summer. City do not feel another loan would be worthwhile after previously sending the 22-year-old out twice to Sheffield United. So a permanent exit looks to be on the cards – although it would need a bid in excess of £25million to persuade them to sell. Ironically – after leading England to victory against Germany in the final – he could end up playing there next season. Borussia Dortmund have registered an interest and have money to spend after allowing another ex-City youngster Jamie Gittens to join Chelsea. Bayer Leverkusen have previously watched him while RB Leipzig, Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt are also monitoring his situation. However several Premier League clubs will also have been alerted by his performances at Euros over the last three weeks. Last summer, McAtee decided he wanted to stay with his boyhood club for the season even if it meant he did not play much. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 3 He was given just nine starts in all competitions – with 18 more sub appearances – despite a difficult season for the fallen champions. And he is likely to find opportunities even harder to come by if he decides to try to stay and fight for his place once again. England u21s star looks worse for wear after wild celebrations onboard 3 30am flight for winning European Championships Pep has spent more than £125million on reinforcing the centre of his midfield since the turn of the year – bringing in Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki. Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is also fit again after missing almost all the season with a cruciate ligament problem – making the competition for midfield places even more competitive. Guardiola has spoken before about his admiration for McAtee as a player – but is now expected to reluctantly agree to let him leave. Speaking in April, Pep said: 'At his age I would like him to stay but I understand, the players want more minutes. 'He's an academy player, he knows the patterns, he's a lovely guy. He trains really good, plays in different positions. I like him but with the squad, it's how we finish and we will see.' Guardiola said last week he will have to let players go as he prefers to work with a smaller squad. City are certain to ask for a sell-on clause in any agreement over McAtee as there are no doubts about his ability. Meanwhile the Etihad club will not get anything from the deal which takes Gittens to Stamford Bridge as they only received compensation rather than a fee when he moved to Germany.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aitana Bonmati's illness is a cruel blow for Spain, who have been here before on the eve of a Euros
Aitana Bonmati's illness is a cruel blow for Spain, who have been here before on the eve of a Euros 'Aitana (Bonmati) has viral meningitis,' Montse Tome announced after Spain's final pre-European Championship friendly, against Japan. 'She is a very important player and we will wait for her until the end.' This is how Tome announced Bonmati's hospitalisation just a few days before the start of the Euros in Switzerland. While her team-mates were in action on Friday, Bonmati shared a photo on Instagram showing herself lying in a hospital bed. Advertisement Neither the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) nor the player's entourage have given a timeline for her return, and the priority right now is for her to recover well, understanding that her health must come first. But what does this mean for her and for Spain? The reality is there is now a significant question mark over what role — if any — she will be able to play at these Euros. According to the British National Health Service, viral meningitis typically takes seven to 10 days to fully recover from. Her progress will determine her return, and Tome is prepared to wait for her. Pending developments in the coming days, it should be noted that Article 57.04 of the UEFA competition regulations would allow Spain to replace the player up to 24 hours before the tournament begins on Wednesday. Spain's first match is against Portugal on Thursday. Tome will now have to consider what happens if she loses one of her most important players, the Ballon d'Or winner. Vicky Lopez is the most natural direct replacement in the starting XI, or Tome might consider using Mariona Caldentey in a more withdrawn role. Advertisement In a way, this is a kind of deja vu from 2022. Back then, one day before the start of the Euros in England, then Ballon d'Or holder Alexia Putellas injured her anterior cruciate ligament and had to withdraw from the squad. Now, while it is true that Bonmati has not been injured and could recover in time to be available for the group stage, her presence is still unknown. It is inevitable that parallels will be drawn with what happened at that time, given the importance of both players and the fact it is the same competition, the only major football tournament Spain have yet to win. Missing out on the Euros would be a huge blow for Bonmati, as she would lose the opportunity — for now at least — to add the only major title she has not won. With Barcelona, she has won everything at club level and also individually, including the past two Ballons d'Or. Advertisement For Spain, the loss would be huge. Bonmati is a player who rises to the occasion. She thrives in big games and, even in a season that was not her best in Liga F, she was named the best player in the Champions League. Bonmati has great vision, is capable of seeing spaces where no one else can and is one of the most ambitious minds on the team. She is a player with the ability to unbalance opponents and break through defensive lines with passes and dribbling. Given the style of play of Tome's team, this would be a particularly significant loss due to the position Bonmati plays. Midfield is the hallmark of both Barca and Spain and their three midfielders set the tempo, create the play and provide the balance between attack and defence. All their play goes through them. There is, at least, some consolation for Tome. Patri Guijarro is back in the national team — she missed the World Cup due to the 'Las 15' controversy, in which 15 players asked not to be called up until there were changes in the RFEF — and Putellas has regained her form and put her injury and the physical problems that came with it firmly behind her, so Bonmati's absence would be less noticeable now than it would have been at the World Cup. Back then, there was no Guijarro and Putellas was a bit-part player as she worked her way back from injury. Advertisement Even so, Bonmati is a decisive player and her absence would be a significant problem for Spain. While it might boost other teams' prospects, losing the world's best player would also be a significant blow for the tournament as a whole. Now, we all wait to see how quickly she recovers. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Spain, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Aitana Bonmati's illness is a cruel blow for Spain, who have been here before on the eve of a Euros
'Aitana (Bonmati) has viral meningitis,' Montse Tome announced after Spain's final pre-European Championship friendly, against Japan. 'She is a very important player and we will wait for her until the end.' This is how Tome announced Bonmati's hospitalisation just a few days before the start of the Euros in Switzerland. While her team-mates were in action on Friday, Bonmati shared a photo on Instagram showing herself lying in a hospital bed. Advertisement Neither the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) nor the player's entourage have given a timeline for her return, and the priority right now is for her to recover well, understanding that her health must come first. But what does this mean for her and for Spain? The reality is there is now a significant question mark over what role — if any — she will be able to play at these Euros. According to the British National Health Service, viral meningitis typically takes seven to 10 days to fully recover from. Her progress will determine her return, and Tome is prepared to wait for her. Pending developments in the coming days, it should be noted that Article 57.04 of the UEFA competition regulations would allow Spain to replace the player up to 24 hours before the tournament begins on Wednesday. Spain's first match is against Portugal on Thursday. Tome will now have to consider what happens if she loses one of her most important players, the Ballon d'Or winner. Vicky Lopez is the most natural direct replacement in the starting XI, or Tome might consider using Mariona Caldentey in a more withdrawn role. In a way, this is a kind of deja vu from 2022. Back then, one day before the start of the Euros in England, then Ballon d'Or holder Alexia Putellas injured her anterior cruciate ligament and had to withdraw from the squad. Now, while it is true that Bonmati has not been injured and could recover in time to be available for the group stage, her presence is still unknown. It is inevitable that parallels will be drawn with what happened at that time, given the importance of both players and the fact it is the same competition, the only major football tournament Spain have yet to win. Missing out on the Euros would be a huge blow for Bonmati, as she would lose the opportunity — for now at least — to add the only major title she has not won. With Barcelona, she has won everything at club level and also individually, including the past two Ballons d'Or. Advertisement For Spain, the loss would be huge. Bonmati is a player who rises to the occasion. She thrives in big games and, even in a season that was not her best in Liga F, she was named the best player in the Champions League. Bonmati has great vision, is capable of seeing spaces where no one else can and is one of the most ambitious minds on the team. She is a player with the ability to unbalance opponents and break through defensive lines with passes and dribbling. Given the style of play of Tome's team, this would be a particularly significant loss due to the position Bonmati plays. Midfield is the hallmark of both Barca and Spain and their three midfielders set the tempo, create the play and provide the balance between attack and defence. All their play goes through them. There is, at least, some consolation for Tome. Patri Guijarro is back in the national team — she missed the World Cup due to the 'Las 15' controversy, in which 15 players asked not to be called up until there were changes in the RFEF — and Putellas has regained her form and put her injury and the physical problems that came with it firmly behind her, so Bonmati's absence would be less noticeable now than it would have been at the World Cup. Back then, there was no Guijarro and Putellas was a bit-part player as she worked her way back from injury. Even so, Bonmati is a decisive player and her absence would be a significant problem for Spain. While it might boost other teams' prospects, losing the world's best player would also be a significant blow for the tournament as a whole. Now, we all wait to see how quickly she recovers.
