ALBUFEIRA, PORTUGAL – FEBRUARY 20: Sarina Wiegman, Manager of England, looks connected during a grooming league connected February 20, 2025 successful Albufeira, Portugal. (Photo by Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)GettyNOTHING little than 2 wins is the purpose for Sarina Wiegman and England erstwhile they look Portugal and Spain successful the Women’s Nations League.
While the commencement of their Euros rubric run is 5 months away, the Lionesses are afloat focused connected the present.
Getty
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GettyGroup spot finishes astatine the extremity of the Nations League volition dictate which sides are placed successful each league for the European qualifying games for the 2027 World Cup.
Teams who decorativeness successful archetypal and 2nd spot successful each League A radical enactment successful the apical league for the qualifiers.
England brag Wiegman, whose broadside are successful radical 3 of League A, said: “We’re going to attack these games to triumph this Nations League.
“This is besides important to get america successful the champion presumption for the draw, for the qualification for the World Cup.
“That’s a small further away, but that’s wherefore these games are precise important too.”
Speaking to reporters astatine England’s basal successful the metropolis of Albufeira successful Portugal’s Algarve, full-back Lucy Bronze added: “Everyone’s ever going to person 1 oculus connected the summer, that’s for sure.
“But arsenic Sarina said, We are focused connected 1 crippled astatine a time. It is important to us.
“I deliberation the Nations League, the setup now, means that each crippled matters truthful much.
“All the teams astir america are getting better.
“So it is important that we absorption connected the present and now.”
While the present and present is simply a clash with Portugal successful Portimao contiguous followed by a February 26 Wembley duel with Spain, immoderate fans volition look astatine some arsenic a rehearsal for England’s Euros campaign.
In 137 days the Lionesses volition kickstart their quest to stay European Champions.
Their historical triumph successful July 2022 was disconnected the backmost of winning the six games they played astatine the tournament.
Results which included a gritty quarter-final decision of Spain connected their mode to beating Germany 2-1 successful the last astatine Wembley.
Much has changed connected the planetary signifier since past with Spain present a tougher unit to beryllium reckoned with, peculiarly erstwhile facing their European rivals.
The team, managed by Montserrat Tome, won 7 of their 8 Women’s Nations League connected their mode to becoming the contest’s 2024 winners.
Their triumph past February, pursuing a 2-0 decision of France successful Seville, came six months aft beating England successful the World Cup last successful Australia.
In 2024 we gained a batch of experience, whether it was bully oregon bad. We learned a batch from that which is going to springiness america a spot much of an edge.
Along with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, Spain are among the sides apt to beryllium the biggest challengers to the Lionesses for Euros glory.
Having mislaid and drawn 2 of their past planetary fixtures, England are anxious to get disconnected to a coagulated commencement earlier this summer’s Euros and their adjacent Nations League fixtures successful April.
While the squad bushed South Africa and Switzerland successful friendlies past October and December they besides drew 0-0 with the USA and mislaid 4-3 to Germany astatine Wembley.
Bronze adds: “In 2024, possibly immoderate results didn’t spell our way.
“The astir important happening is erstwhile we get to the summer, that’s erstwhile we privation to marque definite we’re performing for that tourney (the Euros).
“In 2024 we gained a batch of experience, whether it was bully oregon bad.
“We learned a batch from that, which is going to springiness america a spot much of an edge.”
Filling void near by midfield mainstay Georgia Stanway
Since her breakthrough arsenic the youngest subordinate successful England’s 2019 World Cup squad Georgia Stanway has go a lynchpin successful the team’s midfield.
But the Bayern Munich prima is successful a contention to beryllium acceptable earlier the Euros.
A collateral ligament tear successful Stanway’s close genu means England volition beryllium without 1 of their astir influential figures from their 2022 Euros-winning squad for tonight’s crippled and their clash with Spain.
A subordinate who was the past to people for the Lionesses against Spain successful a large tournament.
Stanway’s lack has near Wiegman needing to look to midfield alternatives for 1 of her astir tenacious all-round players.
Bayern expects the midfielder who helped them to 2 rubric wins since 2022 her to beryllium retired for “several months” pursuing her genu op successful January.
The 75-capped Lioness played successful each six games for England astatine the 2022 Euros.
Her link-up play with Keira Walsh and Wiegman’s forwards has proven effectual successful immoderate of the Lionesses’ astir precocious stakes encounters successful caller years.
In Stanway’s lack Grace Clinton volition beryllium among their midfield options successful an 8 role.
Last February Clinton shone connected her elder planetary debut, playing successful this presumption during a 7-2 hammering of Austria.
A earthy is however Wiegman described the midfielder who has impressed with her dribbling ability.
It took the United player, who spent past play connected indebtedness astatine Tottenham, conscionable 19 minutes to people aft making her archetypal commencement for Wiegman’s England.
GettyOther imaginable alternatives see skipper Leah Williamson and Leicester ace Ruby Mace.
England main Wiegman said: “We person a batch of things successful information and you’ll spot who we’ll pick.
“Of people we deliberation astir many, galore scenarios, what the options are and astatine the end, we’ll prime one.”
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