The UEFA Women's Euro 2025 is underway in Switzerland, with the tournament running from July 2nd to July 27th. Sixteen teams are competing for the title, and the group stage is in full swing.
England's Defiant Stance
England, the defending champions from the 2022 tournament, have faced a challenging start to their Euro 2025 campaign. They suffered a 2-1 defeat against France in their opening match in Zurich. Captain Leah Williamson expressed her disappointment, stating that the team "weren't good enough" and took "responsibility" for their performance. She attributed the loss to "poor defending one-on-one" and a lack of quality on the ball. Manager Sarina Wiegman acknowledged that England was "sloppy" and "created their own problems" in the defeat.
England faces a tough road ahead in Group D, which includes France, the Netherlands, and Wales. Their next match is against the Netherlands, and a loss could potentially see them exit the tournament early if France beats Wales. Wiegman had previously led both the Netherlands and England to Euro titles in 2017 and 2022 respectively, making this her first defeat at the Women's Euros. England will need to regroup and address the flaws in their team if they hope to navigate what has been described as the "Group of Death" and defend their title.
Spain vs. Belgium
In Group B, Spain and Belgium are set to clash in a crucial match. Spain comes into the game with high confidence after a dominant 5-0 victory over Portugal. Belgium, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Italy. The match takes place on July 7th at Arena Thun in Thun, Switzerland.
Spain has dominated recent encounters with Belgium, including a 7-0 thrashing in the Euro 2025 qualifiers. However, Belgium showed promise in a recent Nations League match, leading 2-0 before Spain mounted a comeback to win 3-2. Spain will secure a place in the quarter-finals if they beat Belgium and Portugal does not beat Italy. Belgium's coach, Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir, acknowledged the challenge of facing Spain but expressed her love for such challenges as motivation for growth. Spain's reporter, Andrea De Ferrater, noted that maintaining intensity and tactical discipline would be key for Spain against Belgium.
Portugal vs. Italy
Portugal and Italy will also face off in a Group B match on July 7th at the Stade de Genève in Geneva. Italy enters the game with momentum after a 1-0 victory over Belgium. Portugal, however, is looking to recover from a heavy 5-0 defeat to Spain. This match marks the first time the two sides have met in a major tournament.
Italy has a strong record against Portugal, winning all four of their previous encounters. Portugal will be eliminated if they lose to Italy and Spain avoids defeat against Belgium. Italy will be through to the quarter-finals if they beat Portugal and Belgium do not beat Spain. Portugal's coach, Francisco Neto, emphasized the need to convert their possession-based play into goals. Italy's coach, Andrea Soncin, highlighted Portugal's organized team and the speed of their attacking players, while also expressing confidence in his team's ability to hurt them.
