As Zurich remains enclosed in a stifling heatwave, there is no time for sunbathing for the Lionesses who are just one day away from their Euro 2025 opener.
The prospect of facing a rejuvenated France side in just over 24 hours will have refocused minds as England completed final preparations under the Swiss sun.
Here is everything you need to know from the Lionesses camp on day three...
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Today in camp
England took to the pitch at Sportanlage Au in Zurich for their final session ahead of their match against France on Saturday.
Despite the heat, the Lionesses were putting in the hard yards with sprinting drills as Sarina Wiegman goes full steam ahead for the opener.
And now the players are fully settled into their surroundings, there is building anticipation for the tournament to get underway among the players.
Niamh Charles admitted that the Lionesses are just ready to step out into the stadium now the last preparations have been completed.
“It’s like, ‘OK, ready now.’ When you get out here it’s really nice and now it’s just like come on now, you just want to get the tournament started,” she told That Lionesses Podcast.
Love Island also remains a key talking point at breakfast according to Leah Williamson as the camp lend their support to Giorgio Russo, brother of Alessia.
Team news
Sarina Wiegman will benefit from a full complement of players at her disposal for the opening clash with France.
She confirmed on Friday afternoon that everyone came through well from training, providing a sigh of relief for Lionesses fans.
Lauren James continues her recovery from a hamstring injury which has kept her out since April, having played 30 minutes against Jamaica at the King Power Stadium.
While Wiegman refused to be drawn on any confirmation of a starting line-up she said that James was ready for an increase in minutes against France, hinting the Chelsea forward could be in the offing to start.
“We’re not going to give you the line-up but she played 30 minutes last week and she can play more than that. I think that will say enough,” she said when pressed.
Trending topics
The presence of the rainbow captain’s armband has long been a topic of discussion in football after FIFA banned players from wearing it in their competitions.
But UEFA have no such qualms, and women’s football is once again proving itself one of the most inclusive sporting environments for the LGBTQ+ community, with the armband alive and well at Euro 2025.
Switzerland captain Lia Walti is among several to have opted to sport the symbol of tolerance, diversity and openness, having set the tone and donned the rainbow armband in the hosts’ tournament opener.
Guilia Gwinn has also made the decision to sport the armband as she captains Germany for their first game on Friday evening.
“There was no question for us that changing the armband would somehow be up for discussion if the opportunity arose,” she told the press.
“Our team simply stands for so much. We want to convey those values to the outside world.”
England captain Leah Williamson sported the rainbow armband throughout Euro 2022 as she led her side to a first major tournament victory in iconic fashion.
What are the pundits saying
Last time out at a major tournament, England made it all the way to the World Cup final against a Spain side who opened their Euro 2025 account with an impressive 5-0 rout of Portugal.
It has set the standard of what exactly is required from those sides who want to go the distance as the world champions have set their stall as the team to beat.
But former England defender Gilly Flaherty believes Wiegman’s side look even better coming into this tournament than they did two years ago.
“How I’ve seen them play recently, they’ve been better when they’ve lost the ball and pressing better in transition,” she said on the Counter Pressed podcast.
“I think they’ve improved [since Euro 2022] but what they had in that tournament was luck. The game against Spain, I think Spain should have beaten them and England were lucky to win it.”
In that game, the Lionesses came from behind to win 2-1 in extra-time courtesy of a Georgia Stanway screamer.
And that luck may need to help England once more as they embark on the challenge of a group featuring both the Netherlands and France.
If Spain’s opener was anything to go by, it is likely the Lionesses will need to find a way to beat them once more if they are to reclaim the trophy in Switzerland.
Quote of the day
“We absolutely cherish what we have done before, and we never forget it. Those are lifetime experiences for us, for our families and also for our friends but you have to move on.
“You have to be on top. Things are changing very quickly, things are developing very quickly so we have to do too. It’s a new challenge, we called it a ‘New England’.” - Sarina Wiegman
Best of the rest
While the Swiss fans have been bringing the noise and numbers to the opening games of the group stages, so often it is the travelling fans who make international tournaments so special, whether it is the sea of orange that accompanies the Oranje Leeuwinnen on their travels or the Free Lionesses decked out in the red and white of St. George’s Cross.
At Euro 2025, the Portuguese fans may have had little to celebrate but they have shown they don’t need three points to bring the noise, or the humour.
Travelling in their numbers, even at 4-0 down to their neighbours, the Navegadoras supporters showed no signs of faltering in their support.
In fact, the signs they did show highlighted the real competition at stake, asserting that Pastel de Nata were far superior to Spain’s Churros.
While they may not have won the battle on the pitch, they certainly made a claim for the best group of fans this tournament.
Norway were also treated to a rousing yet ethereal rendition of their national anthem by Norwegian singer Astrid S at St. Jakob Park.
While live performers are more often than not accused of butchering their country’s anthem with a reworking, Astrid certainly ensured those claims could not be levelled at her with the performance well worth a search on social media.
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