England manager Sarina Wiegman has named a 25-player squad ahead of the Lionesses’ UEFA Women’s Nations League double header with Belgium.
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Portugal fought back to frustrate England in their UEFA Women’s Nations League opener in Portimão. The Lionesses took a first half lead through Alessia Russo but Kika Nazareth came off the bench to salvage a point for the hosts.
Sarina Wiegman has named her first Lionesses squad to kick off their UEFA Women’s Nations League campaign.
It was an emphatic start to 2024 for Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses as they swept Austria aside in Algeciras. Braces from Alessia Russo and Beth Mead and goals from Grace Clinton, Jess Carter and Rachel Daly saw them earn a 7-2 victory.
The news that every England fan was waiting for came on Tuesday when it was announced that Sarina Wiegman had signed a much anticipated contract extension. It is a deal that will see her remain as Head Coach of the Lionesses through to the end of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including next year’s European Championships and the following Nations League campaign. Her assistant Arjan Veurink has also extended his stay.
“I didn’t want a biography…I said it shouldn’t be about me. But when you write a book then it is about me. I wanted it to be about the development of the game, about women and inspiring.”
Anyone who has spent time listening to or interviewing Sarina Wiegman will know that this response encapsulates the England manager. Wiegman is someone who always places the team above the individual, often looking slightly surprised by questions about her own successes.
Just over a month on from the World Cup Final in Sydney, England earned an edgy 2-1 victory over against a reinvigorated Scotland. In a game littered with controversy, goals from Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp were enough to see the Lionesses through, despite Kirsty Hanson narrowing the deficit just before the break.
Brisbane was the stage for an edgy night as England narrowly avoided elimination against Nigeria. It took a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out for the Lionesses, reduced to ten after Lauren James saw red, to eventually see off a spirited Nigeria and reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
Expect the unpredictable seems to be the new mantra for Sarina Wiegman’s side. After a vivacious performance in front of a partisan Adelaide crowd, the Lionesses progressed to the Round of 16 in style with a 6-1 victory over China. A brace from Lauren James and goals from Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Rachel Daly completed the rout. The Chinese pulled a goal back through a controversially awarded penalty that Wang Shuang duly converted.
With just 50 days until the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer, Sarina Wiegman has named her 23-player England squad ahead of the trip to Australia. Bethany England returns to the fold, while six players – Esme Morgan, Niamh Charles, Katie Zelem, Laura Coombs, Lauren James and Katie Robinson – will be part of a major tournament for the first time.