Latest news with #Wiegman
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
🏴 England: How they shape up for Women's EURO 2025
The Lionesses, under the leadership of Sarina Wiegman, are aiming to repeat their 2022 success in Switzerland with a squad that blends experience and renewal, driven by established leaders and emerging talents. What strengths does England have? England boasts a squad full of stability and authority, with established stars such as Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, and Leah Williamson, each of whom has over 100 international caps. The midfield is well-balanced, combining technique and physicality, while the attack offers depth with stars like Lauren James, Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead, and Chloe Kelly. Additionally, the mix of attacking precision and ball management in midfield strengthens their competitive potential. What weaknesses does England have? Despite their great potential, questions arise in goal following the retirement of Mary Earps, a key figure in the Euro 2022 victory, leaving Hannah Hampton as the new number 1, backed by two rookie goalkeepers. There are also concerns about redefining defensive leadership after the absence of Millie Bright due to physical and mental exhaustion. Furthermore, the tournament group – with France, the Netherlands, and Wales – is highly competitive. Notable absences The most significant absences are Mary Earps, Fran Kirby, and Millie Bright, who left an indelible mark on the 2022 triumph. Earps and Kirby have announced their international retirement, while Bright is stepping away for physical and mental health reasons. These departures leave a gap in leadership and experience that Wiegman hopes to fill with the inclusion of Hannah Hampton, the new goalkeeper, and the return of stars like Lauren James and Georgia Stanway. The star of the team Lucy Bronze remains the anchor in defense and a tactical reference point, with over 130 caps for the national team. Her experience in major tournaments and her ability to push forward make her a key player for Wiegman, serving as an indispensable link in the transition between defense and attack. A player to watch The recovery and return of Lauren James, after overcoming a hamstring injury, is generating great excitement. With 27 goals in 27 matches, the Chelsea forward brings unpredictability, speed, and creativity from the wings. Wiegman is confident she will be fit for the start of the tournament, making her performance crucial for opening up spaces and creating play. Possible starting eleven This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 BEN STANSALL - AFP or licensors
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
FA chief clear on Sarina Wiegman future after key Euros withdrawals
Sarina Wiegman has lost key players and a long-serving coach in the lead-up to Euro 2025, where the Dutch manager is chasing back-to-back wins with England's Lionesses Football Association CEO Mark Bullingham is "delighted" to have Sarina Wiegman on board until 2027 despite changes elsewhere and can't foresee a scenario where she'd leave her role early. The Lionesses manager is gearing up to lead her team out at the Euros despite the announcement in May that her long-time assistant Arjan Veurink will leave to take charge of the Netherlands' women's team after this summer's Euros. Wiegman took over as England boss in 2021, having previously led her native Netherlands team to Euros glory. By repeating the feat with the Lionesses at Euro 2022, she became the first ever manager in the men's or women's game to win the Euros or World Cup with two national teams. It's not just Veurink's decision which has impacted England's preparations. Mary Earps and Fran Kirby have retired from internationals and Millie Bright has ruled herself out of contention for the tournament, leaving Wiegman without three stars of that 2022 triumph, but Bullingham is bullish about keeping the boss on board. England have been handed a tough draw, with France, the Netherlands and Wales making up the group. Even an early exit for the holders is unlikely to impact the future of their manager, though. "We're delighted that Sarina's in place until 2027 and I don't see any scenario changing that," Bullingham said ahead of England's final warm-up game. They face Jamaica in Leicester on Sunday, with the Euros opener against France following on July 5. 'We think she's a fantastic coach and has done a brilliant job for us," Bullingham told the media . "We are delighted she's with us until at least 2027. We haven't looked beyond that timescale yet or engaged in those conversations. "We feel we have us locked into this tournament and the next and that feels very good for us. That's not to say we wouldn't have a conversation at some point in the future but it's too early for that really.' Wiegman signed her own contract extension in 2024, and Bullingham is not worried about an early departure, but believes if the unlikely happens then the FA will be ready. 'Generally we have a succession plan for every senior role within our organisation and I think that's really normal practice but we're very confident that Sarina is coming through with us until the 2027 women's World Cup and we're delighted that's the case," he said. On the subject of Veurink, Bullingham confirmed the FA had received a small compensation fee but maintained that wasn't a factor in allowing him to leave. "It was a difficult circumstance in a way because it was his dream job and he has a young family in the Netherlands," he said. "I'm sure it's the only opportunity he would have been tempted by and it ticked a lot of his boxes on a personal level. Obviously it's his home country and there was the opportunity to live at home with his family again. "We saw it as a unique set of circumstances and given everything he had done for us, we were able to give him that opportunity to leave his contract early. We feel we have found some really good replacements.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Behind the scenes: Spain's official Women's Euro 2025 photo
Is England In Crisis Ahead Of Euro 2025? | Full Time Review As England prepares to defend its European title, the nation has been rocked by the sudden retirements of high-profile veterans Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, and the withdrawal of vice-captain Mille Bright. As pressure intensifies on head coach Sarina Wiegman ahead of Euro 2025, many are wondering: Is England really in crisis? On a special edition of Full Time, Tamerra Griffin is joined by The Athletic's Megan Feringa and Jacob Whitehead to unpack how England got to this point, and where Wiegman's team might be heading. What has changed since the Lionesses won Euro 2022? Has opinion soured on Wiegman? Is this amount of noise normal for any high-profile defending champion? Who will step up to be the leaders for England in Switzerland this summer? 42:00 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
How Sarina Wiegman reacted to England star's big call on eve of Euros defence
England manager Sarina Wiegman will be without three key members of the victorious Euro 2022 squad as the Lionesses defend their title in Switzerland this summer Former England star Fran Kirby has given credit to Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman for looking out for her after a difficult retirement decision. Kirby called time on her international career just days before Wiegman announced her squad for Euro 2025. Brighton star Kirby, 31, had intended for the upcoming Euros to be her final tournament for her country. When she learned she was unlikely to make the holders' squad, though, she brought forward that retirement decision. Kirby announced her international retirement during the recent international break, when England faced Portugal and Spain in the UEFA Nations League. She wanted to ensure it was all in the past by the time the Euros came around, and has spoken highly of manager Wiegman's reaction. "Speaking to people who know me very well, I knew that it was going to be my last tournament for England," she said at an event hosted by leading ticket marketplace, viagogo. "So I invested everything for the whole year to get there and had conversations with Sarina. She said that it was highly unlikely that I'd be going, which was really tough [to hear]. "But I really respected the honesty and having that conversation. I could then give her my honesty. I hadn't told anyone in the team before this moment when I told Sarina, 'It's very likely that I will be retiring from the national team. Thank you for everything, being a part of this team has been amazing.'" England will begin their campaign with a tough game against France. The two national sides met in qualifying, claiming one win apiece, and are joined in Group D by The Netherlands and Wales. Kirby scored twice during England's run to Euros glory on home soil in 2022, and started the final against Germany. She opted against making herself available for the standby list, citing some niggling injuries over the last few months, and welcomed the support shown by Wiegman. "She was emotional about it but we had that conversation a few days prior to the Spain game," Kirby added. "I can only speak from my own experience with her, but I really respected the way that she tried to look out for me. "She said, 'Look, you've made this decision. I've told you that you're not going to the Euros. You told me you're retiring. Do you want to go home and mentally decompress?' I said, 'I want to be here for the team. I want to train hard. I want to be here. I want to enjoy my last few days as an England player.' "She really took that on. In the last training session, she tried to give me some good feedback from training. We had a picture after training, I had a picture with a few of the other girls. She really respected the way that I wanted to tell people and how I wanted to tell people. "She was great for me in that period but I can imagine it was tough for her to tell me, and there were moments of emotion from both of us, which is normal. We've worked together for such a long time. I have nothing bad to say about my experience because I'm proud of my international career and I'm really proud and happy with the way that it ended." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
CNN
11-06-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Sarina Wiegman and England women starting from ‘zero' heading into Euro 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
