Wiegman hopeful Lauren James can feature against Spain in Euros final | OneFootball

England head coach Sarina Wiegman says she is optimistic that Lauren James will be available for the Euros final.

James was substituted out of England’s semi-final clash against Italy at half-time with an ankle injury.

However, much to the relief of Lionesses fans, the 23-year-old was spotted in training ahead of the meeting with Spain, and Wiegman is optimistic that James can be involved against Spain.

“We had 23 players on the pitch today and everyone came through,” Wiegman said. “So if everyone comes through well, then we have 23 players available for tomorrow.

“We have many players that can impact the game, and we know that she [James] can have an impact definitely.”

England have built a habit of leaving it late at Euro 2025, completing dramatic comebacks against both Sweden and Italy to advance to the final.

The Lionesses face a World Cup final rematch when they take on Spain in the Euros final and Wiegman admits her side’s dramatic Euros campaign has been stressful.

“I’m having a heart-attack too, I just don’t show it,” she joked. “We try to prepare for the game and what we might need in certain circumstances if we need to change things.

“It’s what we talk about all the time. We have spoken about all the scenarios, but during the game it’s what we feel is necessary. What we want is that when we need to change we can do it very quick.

“You want to do well. It also shows what the competition is and has been in this tournament. Every game is a hard game. I’m just really glad we made it through.”

A win for England in Basel will make them the first English senior side to lift a trophy on foreign soil. After a campaign full of ups and downs, Wiegman wants to enjoy the moment.

“I think every tournament of course you want to perform,” Wiegman said. “There are expectations, but you also have expectations for yourself.

“I just know that going into a final is already very, very special. Making the final, there’s only two teams that can make the final. So if you talk about pressure, that’s not really a pressure, it’s very special.

“When you go to final, you really want to win it. We’re happy to win the final, and really want to win it and will do everything to make that happen.

“We’ve played each other a lot over the last couple of years. You always have learnings, they will have learned from us in the games we’ve played. Tomorrow is a new situation, so hopefully we can exploit some of the weaknesses they have too.”