Latest news with #FaraWilliams
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Fara Williams hopeful Sarina Wiegman will sign new contract as England manager
Former England midfielder Fara Williams is hopeful 'incredible woman' Sarina Wiegman will remain in her role as Lionesses head coach beyond 2027 after her double European Championship success. England have won 35 of their 48 matches under Wiegman, with Sunday's Euro 2025 final victory over Spain in Basel sealing a triumphant defence of the title won in 2022 and serving as revenge for defeat in the World Cup showpiece in Australia two years ago. The 55-year-old, who took up the Lionesses' reins in September 2021, is under contract with the Football Associations until summer 2027, and Williams would love to see her stay at the helm even past that point. 'I don't think any of us want to lose Sarina,' Williams, England's most capped player, told the PA news agency. 'Even when we've maybe doubted the Lionesses, I guess this tournament… we spoke a lot about her substitutions and timing of them, but whenever you seem to doubt Sarina, she pulls through. 'The incredible woman she is, the incredible manager she is and coach that she is and how she can galvanise a group of players and get them to win games even when things aren't looking pretty on the pitch.' Wiegman has now won the last three European Championships, having guided the Netherlands to 2017 glory. The Dutch team went on to reach the World Cup final two years later, meaning Wiegman has now reached five straight finals in major tournaments. 'To go to five back-to-back tournament finals is an unbelievable achievement,' Williams said. 'I would love for them to give her a contract even further than than 2027, but at some point she might need a break. 'But, let her have that break after hopefully bringing a World Cup back for us!' The Euro 2025 winners landed back in England on Monday afternoon and were immediately whisked off to a reception at 10 Downing Street. The celebrations continue on Tuesday with an open-top bus parade through central London.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Rio Ferdinand hits out at BBC over coverage of England Lionesses' Euro 2025 triumph with Man Utd icon left stunned
RIO FERDINAND was stunned by the absence of one ex-Lioness on BBC Sport's coverage of the Euro 2025 final. The former England international was watching the Lionesses beat World Cup winners Spain on penalties and be crowned back-to-back European champions on Sunday. 3 3 3 While the country were getting settled to witness the Lionesses claim silverware once again, Ferdinand took to social media to question the BBC's coverage choices. With three shocked-face emojis, he wrote on X: "How's @fara_williams47 not on the @BBCSport coverage." The ex-Manchester United defender is of course referring to former Lioness Fara Williams. Williams, who made 172 appearances for her country between 2001 and 2019, has become one of the most prominent pundits in the women's game since she hung up her boots. She had featured regularly on the BBC's coverage of the tournament over the summer. Williams' Instagram posts from Sunday show she was covering the final as part of the tournament's sponsors Just Eat's promo. She was on a panel for their pre-match show alongside ex-Lionesses and BBC pundits Alex Scott and Jill Scott. She also posted clips of herself in the stands, celebrating wildly when her former team became European champions for the second tournament in a row. Instead of Williams, the BBC had other Lionesses on their panel in Switzerland. Gabby Logan was put in to present, while former England captain Steph Houghton and Euro 2022 winner Ellen White also got the call up. Women's Super League commentator Seb Hutchinson was also selected. Plenty of fans switched from BBC to ITV's coverage on Sunday, with Arsenal legend and ex-England international Ian Wright being part of the latter's panel. The former Gunner went wild as England saw off Spain from the spot, with England's stars following suit and partying until the early hours afterwards. The Lionesses beat La Roja 3-1 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 after extra time.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rio Ferdinand fumes over star pundit's absence from BBC's Lionesses coverage for Euros final - despite her having 172 caps for England!
Rio Ferdinand has hit out at the BBC for omitting Fara Williams from their coverage of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 final – despite the former England midfielder being the country's most capped player. Williams, who earned 172 caps during a glittering international career, has been a regular and respected voice on the BBC's football output in recent years. But she was nowhere to be seen in the corporation's broadcast team for Sunday's final in Basel, with host Gabby Logan joined instead by Steph Houghton, Ellen White and Nedum Onuoha. Ferdinand, who recently stepped away from his own punditry role at TNT Sports, appeared stunned by the snub. 'How's @fara_williams47 not on the @BBCSport coverage' the ex-England defender tweeted just after 4pm, under an hour before kick-off at St Jakob-Park. Williams, 41, had earlier confirmed a new chapter in her punditry career, revealing on Saturday that she will join the TNT Sports team for the new season. Quoting a video promoting the broadcaster's extensive football rights — including for the Premier League, Champions League and Women's FA Cup — she wrote on X (formerly Twitter): 'This is NOT NORMAL', before adding: 'Can't wait to be part of the @footballontnt team!' It's a high-profile move for the former Lioness, who featured at four major tournaments and scored 40 goals for her country. She retired from playing in 2019 and has since established herself as one of the most insightful and eloquent voices in the game. Ferdinand himself ended his decade-long stint with TNT Sports after May's Champions League final. The Manchester United legend signed off with a warm on-air farewell and said he would now focus on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast and other ventures, including his charitable foundation.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I was homeless and playing for England at the Euros - it was always difficult financially'
Fara Williams is the most capped Lioness in history, and has won trophies for the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton, but her journey to the top was far from simple Fara Williams believes England's Lionesses"saved her life" after she spent seven years homeless while playing top-flight football. The ex-Lioness, who is now a popular pundit on BBC and Sky Sports, began her footballing career at the tender age of 16 playing for current WSL champions Chelsea. From there, the midfielder appeared for Everton, Liverpool, and Arsenal and made her England debut at just 17 in 2001. However, Williams was facing an internal battle outside her career as she became homeless while earning caps for her country. Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football ahead of the Women's Euro final between England and Spain, the 41-year-old described the obstacles she was forced to face at a young age, including balancing work, sport, and not having a roof over her head. Williams said: "Yeah, it was extremely difficult. As a kid, I think you mentioned it there, if you think back to when we first entered into grassroots football at a very young age, there were so many barriers. There were so many barriers that were different to today in terms of access, in terms of there not being enough teams out there for young females to go and play. "Of course, that's changed over time. The biggest barrier, in terms of my journey, was becoming homeless whilst playing and having that to overcome - it was difficult. "I think football, I've always said, saved me in terms of the kind of direction I could have went in. It was a real strong tool for me to kind of focus on and, you know, put all my energy into that and all kind of the other stuff that was going on, I always remembered that football was there, the football community was there. So I did always have that." The former footballer became known as a set-piece specialist for England, scoring 40 goals during her time for the national team. In 246 total career appearances, Williams netted 106 times and won a multitude of honours, including the WSL title, the Premier League Cup and Women's Cup. For England, the midfielder came runner-up at the UEFA Women's Championship - now known as the Euros - in 2009 and third place in the World Cup in 2015. She is still the most-capped player for the Lionesses, but Williams is all too aware of the struggles many young women face when it comes to breaking into professional football. Discussing her struggles as a teenager, Williams said: "Financially it was always difficult growing up, trying to manage jobs and play and find facilities. But that's where being a JustEats ambassador for the tournament [comes in] and it is partners like them that are pumping money back into the game. "The Feed the Game campaign, for me, is one of the reasons why I'm so excited to work with them, because obviously we talk grassroots, we've seen how expensive the game is now. "I spoke about there not being enough teams when I played and now there's a lot of teams, but in terms of equipment, in terms of coaching, in terms of it being free. I know a lot of football now you have to pay for which is another barrier for some underprivileged families." Williams believes change is coming, slowly but surely, and attributes this to the work the current Lionesses team has put in in building the game with success. She added: "So it's difficult, and the fact that these companies are pumping money into grassroots, not just for young females, but for young women as well at grassroots level, that have been inspired by the Lionesses. So I think if I had that, obviously back when I played, it would have made my journey a little bit easier. "In terms of equipment, you know, kit is so expensive, shin pads, boots etc. So there's definitely a lot to do around that area, still now, but there's a lot more that's being done. But the games in a really good place, but a place where, without that investment, opportunities will be few and far between." There was one person who truly paved the way for a young Williams was her former England coach Hope Powell. The current women's technical director at Brighton took charge of the national side from 1998 until 2013, and one of the key people in Fara's life as she juggled her life's dream alongside the reality of her personal life. Williams said: "Hope carried a lot of power and had a huge impact on me - not just football, but personal life as well. In terms of that support network, in terms of it going the way it needed to, it kind of put things into perspective for me. "People talk, you know, my teammates used to say that like I was the leader of the game, and I want to do it day in, day out. But she was the one who forced me to grow outside of that natural atmosphere at camp. "I've always been really appreciative of Hope, and she knows that. She was a big standout supporter of me. She guided me and my coaching career, and said it would be a great skill for me. "She always played a part, she mentored me with that [coaching], and she's not just [a former coach], now she and I are retired, we are great friends." Nowadays, Williams spends more time boosting the game that saved her as a youngster, although she admits the current Euro 2025 journey for England has been an "emotional rollercoaster" for the average fan. When asked for her prediction for the game, the ex-Lioness added: "I can't even give a score prediction because, as I said, I reckon that this England team will put me back on that emotional roller coaster - you know, the frustration, joy, whatever you want to say - because yeah, it's been a tough watch but an enjoyable outcome." Building on their long-term support for women's football, and to celebrate the Women's Euros, Just Eat is providing training equipment to 100 women's and girls grassroots teams via the Feed the Game Fund so they can continue to play the sport they love. Teams can apply for training equipment at
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Where Lucy Bronze ranks in my top 10 Lionesses
For a decade, Bronze has been the torchbearer, figurehead and talisman of the England team. A warrior and a leader, but most importantly the most complete female footballer to have played for the Lionesses. Bronze, who has no plans to retire at the end of the European Championship, could well go on to surpass Fara Williams as the most-capped player in English history. She has not only played for hugely successful England teams, she has also played for the best club sides in the world in Lyon and Barcelona too. There has not been a more dynamic player in the women's game; she is physically imposing while combining pace, power and a wonderful technique. For a right-back to dominate games in the way Bronze has for the last 10 years is almost unheard of. In both defence and attack, the 33-year-old has been integral to how England have played under four different managers – and in Sunday's final she will break Jill Scott's record for the most appearances for the Lionesses at major tournaments with her 36th. Bronze is a force of nature. Initially a shy and quiet character, she has grown in confidence to become one of the most important voices in the dressing room. When England have needed someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck, it has been Bronze who has stepped up and risen to the challenge. Even as she enters the latter stages of her career, Bronze remains the standard setter, the 'Warrior Queen' and the most decorated English footballer of all time. Bronze, who was part of England's triumphant Euros winning side of 2022, has won the Champions League five times, the Women's Super League four times, as well as league titles in France and Spain on a further five occasions. Her domestic trophy haul is completed by nine different cup final victories with four different clubs at home and abroad.
