Sarina Wiegman braced for her hardest Euro 2025 yet

Sarina Wiegman begins England’s build-up to Euro 2025 under a level of scrutiny she has rarely faced. The Dutch tactician’s glittering résumé boasts back-to-back European crowns and two World Cup finals, yet the road to Switzerland is littered with obstacles that could derail a historic treble.

Sarina Wiegman and the weight of expectation

No coach in the women’s game has dominated tournament football like Sarina Wiegman. Since 2017 she has lost just one European Championship match, guiding the Netherlands to glory on home soil before repeating the trick with England five years later. Her tactical clarity and unflappable demeanour re-energised the Lionesses, culminating in that extra-time triumph at Wembley in 2022. However, maintaining success can be tougher than achieving it, and Euro 2025 throws up fresh variables that even this serial winner cannot easily control.

A Lionesses spine ripped out

England arrive in Switzerland without two pillars of their golden era. Goalkeeper Mary Earps shocked the nation by retiring at 31, taking with her world-class reflexes and vocal leadership. Centre-back Millie Bright, still recovering from a knee injury, has ruled herself out of the tournament. Their absences strip Wiegman of 166 caps of experience and force a defensive reshuffle that must gel quickly against elite opposition.

The search for a new No.1

Hannah Hampton and Ellie Roebuck are vying to replace Earps. Both are agile shot-stoppers, yet neither has experienced the razor-thin margins of a major knockout tie. Wiegman’s reputation for meticulous preparation will be tested as she fast-tracks one of them into a starting role while keeping dressing-room anxiety to a minimum.

Rebuilding the back line

With Bright absent, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter are the likely centre-back pairing. Their composure on the ball suits Wiegman’s possession-heavy blueprint, but aerial vulnerability was exposed during the March friendlies. Set-piece coach Anja van Ginhoven has spent recent camps drilling zonal tweaks designed to plug that weakness before July.

A genuine group of death

England were drawn in Group D alongside France, Wales and the Netherlands. France, under Hervé Renard, press ferociously and boast Kadidiatou Diani’s ruthless finishing. The Dutch, led by Andries Jonker, know Wiegman’s methods inside out. Even Wales, outsiders on paper, relish derby-style scraps and will pack Geneva’s Stade de la Praille with red shirts. No other group combines three FIFA top-ten sides and a fierce local rivalry, meaning one heavyweight will be going home early.

Schedule headaches

The Lionesses open against France on 3 July, travel to Zurich for Wales four days later and close versus the Netherlands in Bern. Minimal recovery time between two high-intensity fixtures places a premium on squad depth – something Wiegman managed superbly at Euro 2022 but must now do without several trusted veterans.

Tactical tweaks on the horizon

Wiegman’s hallmark 4-3-3 may morph into a 3-4-1-2 to protect a reshaped defence and squeeze Fran Kirby into her favoured No.10 pocket. Lucy Bronze is comfortable as the right-sided centre-back in a three, freeing Lauren James to roam higher. Training-ground leaks suggest variations are being trialled to keep opponents guessing.

Midfield balance

Keira Walsh remains the metronome, but Georgia Stanway’s surging runs left spaces opponents exploited at the 2023 World Cup. Manchester City youngster Jess Park has impressed in a double pivot during April’s St. George’s Park sessions, offering fresh legs and disciplined positioning. Whether Wiegman trusts Park on the biggest stage will be a fascinating subplot.

Ticket frenzy and broadcast boom

UEFA reports that 650,000 tickets have already been sold, with England fixtures accounting for almost a third. Fans still searching can check the official portal or vetted resellers such as StubHub, though prices are rising. In the UK, every Lionesses match will be shown free-to-air on the BBC, mirroring the exposure that supercharged viewing figures in 2022.

Key tournament dates

• 2 July – Euro 2025 kicks off in Basel
• 16-19 July – Quarter-finals across Geneva, Zurich, Bern and Basel
• 22-23 July – Semi-finals in Geneva and Zurich
• 27 July – Final at St. Jakob-Park, Basel

Can history repeat itself?

Only Germany’s legendary era of six straight Euros eclipses Wiegman’s current streak of two. Achieving a personal hat-trick would cement her alongside Tina Theune and Silvia Neid in the pantheon of great international coaches. Yet questions persist: Has opposition analysis finally caught up with her patterns? Can an England side in transition reproduce the ice-cool game management that defined Euro 2022?

Opinion

On balance, the odds are marginally against England this time. Sarina Wiegman remains the finest tournament manager in women’s football, but the loss of Earps and Bright removes the safety net that underpinned past triumphs. If she guides the Lionesses through that brutal group and onto the podium again, debate over the greatest coach of her generation will be over. My gut says a semi-final exit, yet writing off a Wiegman team has never aged well.