Soccer-Wales coach says all pressure on England ahead of rivals' Euro 2025 clash

The Star

3 days ago

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Nations League - League A - Wales v Italy - Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea, Wales, Britain - June 3, 2025 Wales manager Rhian Wilkinson looks on Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
ST. GALLEN, Switzerland (Reuters) -Wales coach Rhian Wilkinson said her team would love nothing more than to spoil England's party when the neighbours and rival nations meet in their final Euro 2025 Group D match on Sunday.
Defending champions England already have one foot in the quarter-finals, with a victory ensuring they advance to the knockout round. A draw would also put them through provided France beat the Netherlands.
But Wales, who have lost both matches so far at their European championship debut, certainly are not going to make it easy for them.
"It would be detrimental to look past us," said the Canadian coach Wilkinson at a press conference.
"The pressure's all on them. We know there's still a chance for us, we're aware of it. And when there's a chance, there's always an exciting element that we get to go towards and not be frightened of because what do we have to fear? It's just an exciting opportunity.
"We're going to push them to the very end. We're in a very close group - England will be forced to play a strong line-up. We get to show up and spoil the party and that's a wonderful job to have."
Wales' chances of advancing are slim - they need to beat England by at least four goals and for France to beat the Dutch.
But they would happily play spoiler.
"As a Welsh woman, do you want to knock England out? Of course you do," said midfielder Angharad James.
"It's in our blood, our DNA and the rivalry has always been and always will be there. It's a rivalry match and it's one that everyone wants to play in.
"But the pressure is all on England. They have to come out, they have to perform. They're expected to win this game within our group. We believe that we can upset a very top team, and we're ready for the fight tomorrow.
"We'll give it our absolute all for our country and to make them prouder."
Wales were drawn into arguably the toughest group of the tournament, with three teams in the top 11 of FIFA's world rankings.
But they have been roared on by huge and noisy cheering sections - the Red Wall - at both games, and were rewarded in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to France when 38-year-old Jess Fishlock scored the team's first goal at a major tournament.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing in Oberentfelden, Switzerland; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)