🔎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England at EURO 2025: Lionesses aim to defend their title | OneFootball

The holders begin their Women's EURO 2025 campaign on Saturday. Can England defend their title?

📚 What's the story?

📸 Molly Darlington - 2025 Getty Images

Manager Sarina Wiegman is looking for a third consecutive Euros win, having lifted the trophy with the Netherlands in 2017 and then England in 2022. She came close to adding a World Cup too, with consecutive finals with the Netherlands (2019) and England (2023): there's no doubting her pedigree.

However, the England camp has had to the sudden and surprise retirement of Mary Earps and the withdrawal of Millie Bright, two pillars of their success over the last few years, as well as the retirement of legendary forward Fran Kirby. Wiegman's direct style of communication and approach of having a clear first XI has been praised in the past but, with legendary names now out of the picture, she could come under fire if England don't do as well as they have in their last two tournaments.

⭐️ Star player

📸 Harry Murphy - 2025 Getty Images

This probably would have been Lauren James but she hasn't started a game since April and was a doubt: she is likely to be eased into the tournament. There's a lot of quality in midfield — the pair of Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway is as complete as a duo can be — and in attack, so the biggest question marks will be in defence.

With that in mind, it's absolutely crucial that captain Leah Williamson has a tournament to remember. Williamson returned to her absolute best to lead Arsenal to glory in the Women's Champions League final last season. She captained England to success three years ago alongside Millie Bright but missed the 2023 World Cup through injury, so Bright was joined by Alex Greenwood at the heart of the defence.

This time around, with Bright suddenly out of the picture, it's Williamson and Greenwood at centre-back. There is no lack of quality, but someone will have to offer the grit and physicality that Bright is so well known for.

👀 One to watch

📸 Shaun Botterill - 2025 Getty Images

Versatile Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones enjoyed another superb season in the WSL, scoring nine times for the champions (after netting 11 in 2023/24) and becoming ever more established at the top level.

The same has been true for England, with her scoring a hat-trick against Portugal back in May as she deputised for Alessia Russo up front. Russo will be England's first choice striker in Switzerland but she herself played a huge role off the bench in 2022, and it could be Beever-Jones' turn to do the same this time around.

With the final taking place on her 22nd birthday, it's hard to imagine a better present than making an impact when it matters most.

Likely 1️⃣1️⃣

(4-2-3-1): Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Carter; Walsh, Stanway; Kelly, James, Hemp; Russo

Can they win it? 🏆

England are in an incredibly tough group but they have the quality and the depth to beat anyone: of course they can go all the way again.

📸 Naomi Baker - 2022 Getty Images