England women’s national football team UEFA Women’s championship Sarina Wiegman
England women’s national football team UEFA Women’s championship Sarina Wiegman. As England prepares to play in the European Championship for the first time since Sarina Wiegman’s Netherlands squad won the title on home soil five years prior, the team is one of the favourites.
For the competition, Wiegman’s appointment as coach of the Lionesses has functioned as a crucial subplot, highlighting women’s football throughout July. In a year when the men’s World Cup is held in November and December, the women’s Euro 2022 gets underway on Wednesday (July 6) when England takes on Austria at Old Trafford.
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When England’s northwest staged Euro 2005, about 120,000 people attended games; however, most attended games involving England, or the final between Germany and Norway at Blackburn Rovers’ Ewood Park, where Blackburn Rovers play. With just 957 people in attendance for France’s win against Italy in Preston, it meant that other games were under-attended.
Over 500,000 tickets have been sold for this year’s event, which has grown from eight to sixteen teams since England was last the host nation. This means that the days of nearly empty stadiums should be behind us. Stats Perform takes a look ahead to the 26-day championship finals. As the rest of Europe overtakes Germany’s position of dominance, The Women’s Euros used to be Germany’s crown jewel, but that crown has been snatched away from them. The Germans, who had won six straight Euros, were knocked out in the quarterfinals by eventual runners-up Denmark.
As Europe’s most strong and forward-thinking footballing nations continue to advance in professionalism, it was all fairly end-of-an-era material. There are still superpowers like Germany, but they now have lots of competition at the top table. Vivianne Miedema scored twice as the Dutch defeated the Danes 4-2 in the Euro 2017 final after defeating Mark Sampson’s England 3-0 to get there.
Miedema joined Arsenal just before the competition and has since become the WSL’s all-time leading scorer while with the Gunners.
Sweden beat England in Luton on penalties in 1984 after the teams had matched on aggregate following their home and away ties, and the tournament was first formally staged in that year. Norway won both the 1987 and 1993 tournaments, which were held every two years from the second staging in 1987 until the final in 1997.
Other than in 1989, when the tournament became a quadrennial event for the first time, Germany dominated the competition.
Germans beat the English women’s soccer team 6-2 at 2009 final in Helsinki, with Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, Karen Carney and Eni Aluko among the Lionesses scorned. Jill Scott, a veteran midfielder from that match, is also part of Wiegman’s squad this season.
Mighty Spain top list
The bookmakers have Spain as the favourite, and for good reason: the team is comprised primarily of former Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid players. Despite their outstanding midfielder Alexia Putellas’s commanding performance, Barcelona’s Champions League final defeat to Lyon scuppered the Spanish ascendancy.
Barcelona’s dominance in the women’s game was on show last season, with the Catalans winning all 30 of their Primera Division games in a display of their power. However, Barcelona’s many Spain players were caught cold and lost 3-1 on the largest club stage of all. Having top forward Jennifer Hermoso pulled out of the Euros due to a knee injury might offer Spain’s Euros rivals some hope.
England is one of several credible competitors, including the hosts. As of this writing, England has won all of their matches since Wiegman replaced Phil Neville, including a 5-1 triumph against the Netherlands at Elland Road in June. They should be able to manage the group games against Austria, Norway, and Northern Ireland.
Expect the usual European heavyweights to compete. A decade ago, women’s football was a largely amateur sport, but today it is a multi-billion dollar industry, and the wealthiest countries are creating the greatest facilities and sponsoring the sport on a professional level.
England go Dutch, Dutch go English
Amandine Henry and Eugenie Le Sommer have been left out of France’s squad, so it’s unclear how they’ll fare without them. Steph Houghton, England’s long-time captain and defensive pillar, was deemed unfit by Wiegman following an injury layoff.
As for the visitors, they have Lucy Bronze, a long-time member of the Barcelona squad who has recently joined, as well as Lauren Hemp on the flank and Ella Toone and Alessia Russo up front, all of whom should make their mark on the big stage. Amid concerns about England’s midfield strength, they look forward-heavy again. The promotion of Leah Williamson to captain is a big deal, given she was only a spectator at the last Euros.