Josie Green column: Wales still have belief at Euro 2025

BBC News

07-07-2025

In her latest BBC Sport column at Euro 2025, Josie Green discusses Wales' first major tournament match against the Netherlands and looks forward to their contest against France in St Gallen as Rhian Wilkinson's side aim to stay in the competition.
Our first game at the European Championship is in the books and obviously we are all disappointed to have lost against the Netherlands.I don't think I will be able to fully process the emotional side of what it means to represent Wales at a major tournament until after it has finished = it was a real goosebumps moment.I think the key for us now is obviously focusing on the results, having played that first game and gone through everything, the emotions and the pride, because a lot of us have never experienced an atmosphere like that. I think it will really help us to have got that under our belts.Playing against a quality side like the Netherlands was an invaluable experience for us and despite the defeat, I do think there were positives we can take from the game.
France another tough test
All our attention is now on the France game. It is no surprise to us that we are going to be playing in a really difficult game because our group is really, really tough.We know we are in the deep end at this tournament, but we have better depth than we have ever had and we know that no-one is going to work any harder than us.Everyone here is so important and so valuable to us and we trust every single person in this group and we're adaptable as a team.I think you have to be adaptable in tournament football and it's going to be key for us moving forward - we're always a team that finishes strongly in games.The key for us is staying in the game as long as we can.We've reviewed the Dutch game, we have learnt lessons, and hopefully moving on into the next match, we know that we can frustrate teams.That's something that's in our DNA and that we've done consistently throughout the Nations League, in tough games against Sweden, Denmark and Italy - three teams who are also at this tournament.One huge bonus for us ahead of the France match is the fact that Ceri Holland is fit to play.When she went down I think probably a lot of people feared the worst, but thankfully she's OK.Ceri's a brilliant footballer and her work-rate for the team is off the charts.It was a huge relief when we saw her get up and we knew it was just cramp. We really lucky to have a healthy squad at the moment and touch wood, that will continue throughout our time in Switzerland.People outside will write us off, we know that, but the belief within our group remains as strong as ever.
Grateful to our friends, families and amazing fans
I caught up with my family after the game and on Sunday the Football Association of Wales organised a day for the squad to spend time with our friends and family.It is lovely to experience everything with them. I think they were also blown away by the occasion - it just means so much to us all. It was lovely for them as it was for us.I feel overwhelmed with gratitude towards our supporters, both those who have turned up to support us here in Switzerland and everyone back home.All we want to do is put football in a better place for people in Wales and feeling their love and support is really spurring us on as a team and as a group and is a massive motivation for us.We will have so many memories from the occasion of the opening game, the way our supporters sang to us before we had even left the hotel, their march to the stadium and then the incredible noise, the anthems, the sea of red behind the goal - it was phenomenal.It was such an incredible, incredible atmosphere in Lucerne, the energy and emotion our fans gave us was amazing.We are all feeling very grateful to be able to put Welsh women's football on the biggest stage. It gives me goosebumps to even try to write about it - it is hard to articulate and put the emotions into words.