England's Euro 2025 campaign began with a disappointing 2-1 defeat against France in Zurich, with captain Leah Williamson lamenting "cheap" defending as a major factor in the loss. The Lionesses, the reigning European champions, struggled to contain a confident and clinical French side, becoming the first defending champions to lose their opening match in a Women's Euros.
Williamson didn't hold back in her assessment of the team's performance. Speaking to ITV Sport, she pointed to "cheap defending one-vs-one" as a critical issue, adding, "Not good enough". She elaborated that England struggled to maintain possession in crucial areas, leading to repeated turnovers and defensive emergencies. "When you're losing the ball really cheaply, and then you're in emergency defending... it is tough," Williamson stated. She stressed that the team holds itself to higher standards in individual battles and vowed to improve before their next game.
The match saw France take a 2-0 lead before halftime, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring the opener after a precise cross from Delphine Cascarino. Sandy Baltimore added a second goal, weaving through England's defense before firing a powerful shot past goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Keira Walsh's late goal provided a glimmer of hope, but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback.
Williamson also acknowledged that the team's uncharacteristic performance might have been due to getting caught up in the emotion of the game. She noted the importance of leaving those emotions in the dressing room and focusing on a pragmatic approach. "I'm disappointed there was some cheap sort of emotional defending in the first half... I'm just frustrated because I think the football that we played near the end, and the game plan, could've worked. We just didn't execute it exceptionally well," Williamson said.
England coach Sarina Wiegman, while disappointed with the result, didn't believe the issues were solely down to defending in wide areas. She felt overall sloppiness and failing to escape France's initial press also contributed to the defeat. Wiegman emphasized the need for the team to move forward quickly, with a crucial match against the Netherlands looming. "We can do better, definitely, and we have to make it a little bit easier for ourselves," Wiegman stated. "We can't afford to make any more mistakes going forward? That's correct".
Despite the setback, Williamson remains optimistic about England's chances in the tournament. She emphasized the importance of taking responsibility, learning from their mistakes, and implementing a new game plan for the upcoming match against the Netherlands. "Tomorrow, we will have a new game plan, different spaces available and a different type of opposition," Williamson stated. "I think everybody [has to] take responsibility for themselves today, have a look at 'what areas could they have had an impact on the game more?' - I will. But then tomorrow, we have a new gameplan [versus the Netherlands]”.
The defeat marks Wiegman's first loss in a European Championship, ending her perfect record after guiding both the Netherlands and England to titles in previous tournaments. England now faces a must-win game against the Netherlands to keep their Euro 2025 hopes alive.
