Key events
Lost in all these Club World Cup and Euros malarky is the fact, there was Champions League action last night. Thankfully, I interview former Carlisle and AFC Wimbledon winger about the prospect of playing in it for his Bosnian club. I am mainstream through and through.
The former Shrewsbury and Cheltenham striker Ryan Bowman has been banned for three and a half years for breaches of Football Association betting regulations. The 33-year-old admitted having placed 6,397 bets between 15 June 2022 and 13 September 2023, according to the written reasons of an independent commission which heard the case.
More from our man Tom Garry on Gareth Taylor’s talks with Liverpool.
Hi all and thanks Emillia! We are getting ever closer to business time.
And with that, let me hand this blog over to Will Unwin, who will continue the countdown to kick-off in Zurich.
Here’s a reminder of what happened in yesterday’s Group C fixtures…
Manchester City sign Sydney Lohmann
Manchester City have announced the signing of Sydney Lohmann from Bayern Munich. The 25-year-old signed a four-year deal upon her arrival at the Joie Stadium.
She said: “I have a really positive feeling here at Manchester City. I’ve always had the thought to playing abroad at some point in my career and I just had the feeling that this year was the right time to do that.
“I’m really thankful for the time at Bayern Munich and I’m happy that I gained those experiences, but I think always when you go somewhere else, a big step like that, it’s always good for your personal growth.
“I definitely want to win a title, because I can see that’s possible. I think things have probably been quite tough in the last few months or year and everyone is really hungry to do better. I can tell that by chatting to people and I want to be part of that. I want to contribute with the strengths I have.”
We are delighted to confirm the signing of German international Sydney Lohmann, subject to international clearance and a work visa.
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) July 9, 2025
Be sure to check out our England and Netherlands team guides ahead of the first match of the day:
Georgia Stanway urged England to go back to their roots following Saturday’s defeat to France. The midfielder insisted the Lionesses must take action to avoid another loss today.
She said: “We know as a team that we underperformed. We know as individuals that we underperformed. I didn’t want to do the press conference today because I’m fed up of talking now. It’s time that we focus on putting things right on the grass.
“We’re all just dying for the game to come round as fast as possible because we want to make sure that we’re stepping on that pitch knowing what we’ve experienced but also wanting to make a change.
“We’ve spoken about wanting to be ‘proper England’; we want to go back to what we’re good at, we want to go back to a traditional style of football in terms of tough tackles, getting back to our roots and remembering why we’re here, remembering that we’re playing for the little girl that wanted to be here.”
Suzanne Wrack
“England desperately need James’s creative edge, her unpredictability, the fear she is able to strike into opposition players as she runs at them, her weight shifting, her movements fluid, opponents left fumbling and stumbling in her wake. Against France that dynamism and threat was evident from the off, James firing over 39 seconds into the contest, leaving France breathing a sigh of relief.
“However, England have a problem regarding where to play James. The Lionesses’ midfield was overrun against France, Georgia Stanway and Keira Walsh struggling with the physicality and pressing game of their opponents, with Sakina Karchaoui particularly influential for Laurent Bonadei’s side. And with James in the No 10 role instead of Ella Toone or Grace Clinton, there was clear disruption to the Lionesses’ unit in the middle of the pitch.”
England fans, look away now…
England are ready.
During a pre-match press conference yesterday, England striker Alessia Russo said: “Four days is plenty for us to be back out on the pitch. We’ve had a few great days of training so I think everybody is ready and looking forward to tomorrow.”
“It was the tournament where the Netherlands were going to show they could survive the group of death. That they were not too old and that Vivianne Miedema and Daniëlle van de Donk could still shine at the highest level.
“Then it all turned into the Andries Jonker show…”
Here’s a little reminder of today’s fixtures:
The latest episode of Football Weekly has just dropped. Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Lars Sivertsen, Jonathan Fadugba and Nick Ames to discuss Chelsea’s Club World Cup semi-final win over Fluminense. Give it a listen while on your lunch break.
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Peter has emailed in to say:
“Please, Sarina, start Toone and Beever-Jones. Also, Clinton instead of Stanway.”
Louise Taylor
“After losing their opening game 3-0 against the Netherlands in Lucerne, Rhian Wilkinson and her players are in St Gallen on a mission to prove they belong on the same pitches as Europe’s elite. Their key midfielder Jess Fishlock and her teammates are determined to confound critics who believe Euro 2025’s lowest-ranked team are out of their depth.”
During her pre-match press conference ahead of this evening’s match, Sarina Wiegman said: “It’s going to be an intense game. We knew this was going to be a hard group. What we are focusing on is our game-plan and executing that, doing your task and having conversations with players together and talking together, and that is what we want to do in the game too.
“What we are occupied with is playing football, executing a task and sticking together, getting the right connections, working really hard, and doing everything to win the game.”
She later added: “We don’t talk about consequences. We talk about the game-plan, what we have to do to be at our best and how we can exploit spaces that the Netherlands leave behind.”
Tom Hopkins messaged in to give his take on team selection:
“I don’t have any magic answers to the various selection conundrums, but it does strike me that Wiegman is wrestling with the same issue that’s caught out many fine managers – when to break up a successful team and how ruthlessly. So often it seems obvious in retrospect that a team was past its collective peak, but going into a tournament it’s very hard to make that call.
“I think one of Alex Ferguson’s greatest strengths was his ability to see that moment (and then, the brutality to act on it).”
More on Liverpool’s recent talks with Gareth Taylor from Tom Garry…
Gareth Taylor in talks with Liverpool
Tom Garry
Liverpool have held talks with the former Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor about their managerial vacancy.
Laurence believes that Sarina Wiegman should make a change at the back, with Maya Le Tissier coming into the starting line-up:
“The issues for me are at the back without the leadership of Earps and Bright. I’d bring Le Tissier for Greenwood, to provide more defensive stability for Williamson to play out from the back. A more solid defence would give the forwards confidence to be more creative in attack, and push the whole team out of their own half.”
One player we could see in action this evening, albeit off the bench, is 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang. The Arsenal striker was introduced for her major tournament debut in the 86th minute against France at the weekend and impressed with her short cameo, adding a refreshing level of energy to the England attack. She is now prepared to make an impact with any time she gets on the pitch.
“It’s easy to look at the time and think there’s not enough left,” Agyemang said this week. “That’s the beauty of the game. It only takes 10 seconds to make an impact. Any time is good enough for me, so I’m grateful for that opportunity.”
She also said: “Most of the pressure comes from myself. I don’t try to listen to the noise. I appreciate the support from everyone. Focusing on what I can do is most important and then the noise will come around no matter what happens. I just focus on how I can improve my game and how I can help the team.”
Thanks Dominic! Right, England fans, I want to hear from you! Let me know who you think should be starting against Netherlands this afternoon.
James or Toone in midfield? Carter or Charles at left-back? Kelly or Mead on the right wing?
If you were in the shoes of Sarina Wiegman, who would you go for?
Right, it’s time for me to log off as Emillia Hawkins takes the reins.
There’s plenty more buildup to tonight’s games to get through.
You wonder how many changes Sarina Wiegman will make to her England side tonight.
There was some bafflement after Grace Clinton was left out of the midfield against France, with Georgia Stanway preferred despite having played very little football in recent months. Will Wiegman also be tempted to throw one of her exciting young forward, Michelle Agyemang or Aggie Beever-Jones, in from the start?
There’s also the Lauren James dilemma. She produced some promising moments in the France game, but her inclusion means a different structure to the Lionesses side.
Lots of questions for Wiegman to answer.
It’s 11am, so here are some of the best non-Euro 2025 football reads on the website right now:
Are Sweden one of the teams to watch out for in this tournament? With a minimum of fuss, they’ve won both their opening games without conceding a goal. And they were totally untroubled in last night’s win over Poland, with all three goals coming via headers and Stina Blackstenius in ominous form.
Words from the England camp now, and striker Alessia Russo says there is a determination in the Lionesses squad to put things right after a disappointing opening defeat to France.
When you have a disappointing result in football, all you want to do is get back out on the pitch and play again, so luckily with tournaments it comes round a bit quicker than normal.
Four days is plenty for us to want to be back out on that pitch. We’ve had a few great days of training and getting back to it as a team, so yeah, I think everyone is ready and looking forward to [the game].
Miedema puts aside Mead relationship for England game
Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema is ready to put aside her relationship with former Arsenal teammate Beth Mead when her side face England tonight.
Now at Manchester City, Miedema has been in a relationship with Mead for the past three years, but she’ll be trying to knock Mead and the Lionesses out of the tournament come 5pm tonight.
If it’s not a nice moment for Beth, it’s not a problem for me. For once we will not be friends. I will do everything I can to win tomorrow. If I have to do something that is not good for Beth, then I will do it.
I don’t think she’ll speak to me for a bit [if we win] but it’s tough. I also have some of my best friends on that [England] team. It’s part of football. It’s part of the game. I’ve probably been on the other end of it [more]. I’ll be happy for us if we get through.
We both know what we’re going through. It’s a very important tournament. Our golden rule is we do not discuss anything [pre-match]. I don’t know whether she’ll be starting tomorrow or whether she’ll be on the bench. As a Dutch player I will do everything possible to win the game.
I’m afraid no summer of football can be dominated by an international tournament alone. Transfer tittle tattle now exists and is unlikely to ever go away. So here’s your daily dose of rumours in the men’s game.
Ferran Torres to Aston Villa? If you say so.
Dutch midfielder Sherida Spitse made her Netherlands debut against England in back in 2006 as a 16-year-old and now, at 35, is still going strong as Europe’s top international appearance maker in the women’s game.
She’s no longer a regular starter but could add to her 245 caps (yes, really!) this evening, having been used in defence in recent times by her country.
“Her influence on the team is being a leader outside the pitch, but also on the pitch being able to lead the team, to coach the team,” Netherlands head coach Andries Jonker told BBC Sport.
“She is in great shape and as fit as the youngsters. This year, she has convinced everybody and nobody has any doubt about her position in the squad. It’s a victory for her.
“She likes to laugh, to make fun, but on the other hand is also emotional, open, wears her heart on her sleeve, says what she feels or sees. Not the best player in the world, but she is a really special player.”
The prematch sparring between the English and Dutch press has begun in earnest.
Eesh … as this week’s The Knowledge tells us, England are in serious danger become the first defending champions to go out at the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, Women’s Euros or the Copa América Femenina.
Avert your eyes, Lionesses.
Draws for England and Wales this evening would leave both teams in a perilous position in Group D, stranded on a point apiece with the Netherlands and France each on four points in that scenario.
That would leave both nations in with a chance of qualifying, with whoever winning the final group fixture between the Lionesses and the Dragons only going through if there was a winner between France and the Netherlands. Even so, England for example, would need France to win that game because they cannot surpass Les Bleus on head-to-head record having lost to them.
Head-to-head is the first tiebreaker for teams level on points in the group stage; then goal difference, then goals scored.
While we’re on the subject of Wales, Louise Taylor has been in their camp in St Gallen and has written about a team who aren’t quite ready to end their first major tournament adventure.
Can they spring a surprise against France to blow Group D wide open? Their players and coaches certainly think so.
Wales players were recovering from shock at their hotel in north‑east Switzerland on Tuesday night after their team bus was involved in an accident with a car en route to a planned training session in St Gallen.
Here’s the full story:
Listen to the latest episode of Women’s Football Weekly here. Perfect for your morning commute.
More from that game – which was Germany’s seventh successive win in the Women’s Euros group stages, conceding just two goals across those matches.
Christian Wück’s side were denied twice by VAR early in the game, with the technology facing criticism for how long it took to reach those decisions. A Klara Buhl goal was chalked off and a penalty claim overturned as the Danish infringement was outside the box.
Wück said: “I don’t know if the decisions are right or wrong but the football system has to work out how to speed that up.”
There was some concern in Germany’s win over Denmark surrounding Danish midfielder Emma Snerle who was lying on the ground during the scoring of the second German goal. Having taken a ball to the face from a teammate’s clearance, Snerle was clearly in a dazed and distressed state – and was later helped off the pitch – but the referee Catarina Ferreira Campos failed to blow her whistle as Lea Schüller put the ball in the net.
“We need to make the rules clear,” Denmark manager Andrée Jeglertz said of the incident. “If we have a player that has a serious head injury you need to blow the whistle and take responsibility as a referee.
“I don’t understand why she doesn’t stop the game. There was a similar incident in the first half when the referee didn’t stop the game for a head injury and I question those decisions.”
Preamble
It’s a big day at Euro 2025, one that could see the home nations’ chances obliterated or, conversely, boosted with Group D coming to life. For clarity, England play the Netherlands at 5pm (BST) with Wales meeting France at 8pm and there is little room for mistake or manoeuvre after both the Lionesses and the Dragons lost their openers.
What about last night? Well, Germany and Sweden took full control of Group C, the former coming from behind to secure a win over Denmark that wasn’t without controversy, while Sweden sealed a stylish 3-0 triumph over a poor Poland side. That’s Group C wrapped up, with Germany and Sweden simply competing for top spot when they play each other in the final round of group fixtures.
Let’s get into the reaction from Tuesday’s games, the breaking news and the buildup to tonight’s fare. I do hope you’ll stick with us throughout the day – it’s arguably the biggest day of the tournament so far.
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