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Reuters
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Women's Euro 2025 players to watch
June 26 (Reuters) - The Women's European Championship kicks off in Switzerland on July 2 when England bid to retain their crown. Here are some of the players to watch at the tournament. Michelle Agyemang, England The 19-year-old was named to Sarina Wiegman's squad for the Euros despite having only one cap but what a debut it was. Just 41 seconds after she came on against Belgium, the Arsenal forward scored a top-class strike, controlling the ball with her thigh before unleashing a volley into the top corner. Agyemang was a ball girl for Wiegman's first game at Wembley as England boss, a 4-0 win over Northern Ireland in 2021. Now, she could be a spark off the bench for the holders in Switzerland. Lia Walti, Switzerland The 32-year-old midfielder is the hosts' lynchpin, a member of the national team since 2011 and captain since 2019. Known as "Snake Hips" by her teammates for her ability to dodge tackles, Walti also anchors Arsenal's midfield and helped them to a Champions League title triumph over Barcelona in May. Walti captained the Swiss at Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup and, while they have only one victory to show for their two trips to the Euros (2017, '22), the skipper is hoping the home crowd will help lift them to the knockout round this time. Walti and her sister Meret have co-authored a children's book "Lia's Football Journey." Marie-Antoinette Katoto, France Now fully recovered from the devastating ACL injury she suffered in France's group game against Belgium at the last Euros, the 26-year-old Katoto will be one of the players asked to shoulder much of the responsibility as France seek to live up to expectations after falling short at recent tournaments. Possessing pace, power and an insatiable desire to find the net, the striker is an elite finisher who established herself quickly in the domestic game, becoming the top scorer in Paris St Germain's history at the age of 23, and she is set to join Olympique Lyonnais ahead of next season. With Katoto up front as the focal point, France are a different proposition, and her ability to score as well as bring others into play will be key if her country are to make a deep run in Switzerland. Ewa Pajor, Poland The Barcelona striker goes to Switzerland with a glittering CV at club level and will hope to carry that form into a Poland side that will lean heavily on her in a tough Group C. Faced with Germany, Sweden and Denmark, Poland will likely have to concede possession and be patient, making Pajor's all-action efforts to get on the end of every ball into the box a key factor in their group games. Pajor is not physically big, but she is immensely strong and quick and her instinct to be in the right place at the right time resulted in 47 goals in 46 matches for Barca in the 2024/25 season as they once again romped to the Spanish title. Jessica Silva, Portugal The 30-year-old Gotham FC forward is Portugal's lynchpin with over 120 caps, but there is a question mark around her form since she only recently returned from an eye injury. Silva has played just six games for club and country since suffering a damaged retina and temporary vision loss when she was hit in the eye by a ball in March. Silva will be determined to lead Portugal to the knockout rounds for the first time in their fourth straight major tournament since they qualified for their first at Euro 2017. Jess Fishlock, Wales Wales' most-capped player and record scorer will make her major tournament debut aged 38, a dream more than 20 years in the making after the Welsh women clinched their Euros berth. Fishlock made her Wales debut at 16 and has 162 caps, but the Seattle Reign midfielder has never played at a World Cup, Olympics or Euros because Wales had never qualified until a 2-1 win over Ireland sealed their passage to Switzerland. Signe Gaupset, Norway The 20-year-old midfielder is heading for her first major senior tournament and while she may struggle to break into the starting lineup, Gaupset, who is on the radar of many big European clubs, gives Gemma Grainger's side a hugely useful option off the bench. Long touted in her native country as a name for the future, Gaupset has grown at SK Brann, displaying excellent technique and physical strength to go with her vision, having netted 11 goals in 15 games so far this season. Norway already have some of the world's best attacking players such as Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten in their squad, but Gaupset offers an option as a playmaking force that they have not had for some time. Ellen Wangerheim, Sweden The latest in a long line of goal poachers who have helped Sweden hang onto their status as one of the stronger nations in the women's game, forward Ellen Wangerheim heads to Switzerland with a point to prove. The 20-year-old, who plays for Stockholm's Hammarby, showed glimpses of her potential with excellent Champions League performances last season against Barcelona, Manchester City and Austria's St. Poelten, earning a Euro call-up ahead of BK Haecken's equally talented Felicia Schroeder. Wangerheim will have her work cut out to dislodge the likes of Stina Blackstenius up front, but her superb touch and ability to hold the ball up offer the Swedes a valuable attacking alternative if the rest of the attack is firing blanks.
CNA
16 hours ago
- Sport
- CNA
Women's Euro 2025 players to watch
The Women's European Championship kicks off in Switzerland on July 2 when England bid to retain their crown. Here are some of the players to watch at the tournament. Michelle Agyemang, England The 19-year-old was named to Sarina Wiegman's squad for the Euros despite having only one cap but what a debut it was. Just 41 seconds after she came on against Belgium, the Arsenal forward scored a top-class strike, controlling the ball with her thigh before unleashing a volley into the top corner. Agyemang was a ball girl for Wiegman's first game at Wembley as England boss, a 4-0 win over Northern Ireland in 2021. Now, she could be a spark off the bench for the holders in Switzerland. Lia Walti, Switzerland The 32-year-old midfielder is the hosts' lynchpin, a member of the national team since 2011 and captain since 2019. Known as "Snake Hips" by her teammates for her ability to dodge tackles, Walti also anchors Arsenal's midfield and helped them to a Champions League title triumph over Barcelona in May. Walti captained the Swiss at Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup and, while they have only one victory to show for their two trips to the Euros (2017, '22), the skipper is hoping the home crowd will help lift them to the knockout round this time. Walti and her sister Meret have co-authored a children's book "Lia's Football Journey." Marie-Antoinette Katoto, France Now fully recovered from the devastating ACL injury she suffered in France's group game against Belgium at the last Euros, the 26-year-old Katoto will be one of the players asked to shoulder much of the responsibility as France seek to live up to expectations after falling short at recent tournaments. Possessing pace, power and an insatiable desire to find the net, the striker is an elite finisher who established herself quickly in the domestic game, becoming the top scorer in Paris St Germain's history at the age of 23, and she is set to join Olympique Lyonnais ahead of next season. With Katoto up front as the focal point, France are a different proposition, and her ability to score as well as bring others into play will be key if her country are to make a deep run in Switzerland. Ewa Pajor, Poland The Barcelona striker goes to Switzerland with a glittering CV at club level and will hope to carry that form into a Poland side that will lean heavily on her in a tough Group C. Faced with Germany, Sweden and Denmark, Poland will likely have to concede possession and be patient, making Pajor's all-action efforts to get on the end of every ball into the box a key factor in their group games. Pajor is not physically big, but she is immensely strong and quick and her instinct to be in the right place at the right time resulted in 47 goals in 46 matches for Barca in the 2024/25 season as they once again romped to the Spanish title. Jessica Silva, Portugal The 30-year-old Gotham FC forward is Portugal's lynchpin with over 120 caps, but there is a question mark around her form since she only recently returned from an eye injury. Silva has played just six games for club and country since suffering a damaged retina and temporary vision loss when she was hit in the eye by a ball in March. Silva will be determined to lead Portugal to the knockout rounds for the first time in their fourth straight major tournament since they qualified for their first at Euro 2017. Jess Fishlock, Wales Wales' most-capped player and record scorer will make her major tournament debut aged 38, a dream more than 20 years in the making after the Welsh women clinched their Euros berth. Fishlock made her Wales debut at 16 and has 162 caps, but the Seattle Reign midfielder has never played at a World Cup, Olympics or Euros because Wales had never qualified until a 2-1 win over Ireland sealed their passage to Switzerland. Signe Gaupset, Norway The 20-year-old midfielder is heading for her first major senior tournament and while she may struggle to break into the starting lineup, Gaupset, who is on the radar of many big European clubs, gives Gemma Grainger's side a hugely useful option off the bench. Long touted in her native country as a name for the future, Gaupset has grown at SK Brann, displaying excellent technique and physical strength to go with her vision, having netted 11 goals in 15 games so far this season. Norway already have some of the world's best attacking players such as Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten in their squad, but Gaupset offers an option as a playmaking force that they have not had for some time. Ellen Wangerheim, Sweden The latest in a long line of goal poachers who have helped Sweden hang onto their status as one of the stronger nations in the women's game, forward Ellen Wangerheim heads to Switzerland with a point to prove. The 20-year-old, who plays for Stockholm's Hammarby, showed glimpses of her potential with excellent Champions League performances last season against Barcelona, Manchester City and Austria's St. Poelten, earning a Euro call-up ahead of BK Haecken's equally talented Felicia Schroeder. Wangerheim will have her work cut out to dislodge the likes of Stina Blackstenius up front, but her superb touch and ability to hold the ball up offer the Swedes a valuable attacking alternative if the rest of the attack is firing blanks.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Women's Euro 2025 Group A guide: Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Iceland - fixtures, key players, predictions
Here is your complete lowdown to Group A of the Women's Euros 2025 – including Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Iceland. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Women's Euros 2025 is set to begin in little under a week, and women's football fans are counting down to the days until the big kick-off in Switzerland. Set to begin on July 2 in St Gallen, the seventh edition of the tournament will see England Lionesses look to hold onto their crown following their success in the record breaking European Championships in England three years ago, with over 550,00 tickets already sold for the event. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One of the most competitive groups at the Women's Euros will be that of Group A, with host Switzerland paired alongside a highly-ranked Norway side and emerging nations Finland and Iceland. However, if you're new to the women's game and looking to learn more ahead of the tournament, we've put together a handy guide to preview the tournament, group by group, which we will be releasing day-by-day in the run up to the tournament. So, without further ado, here is The Scotsman's complete guide to of each Group A side, including our predictions, player to watch, fixtures and each nation's current tournament odds: Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti will be hoping her Champions League success with the Gunners can help her spearhead host nation Switzerland this summer. | Getty Images Switzerland The host nation enter the tournament with high hopes they can reach the knockout stage of the competition from the first time in their history. Their recent form in the Nations League has cause for concern though, with the Swiss team finishing bottom of their group with a win in six. Coincidently paired with both Norway and Iceland in the Nations League and the upcoming Euros, they'll be aware of what they need to do to progress. The experience of Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and Gaëlle Thalmann combined with Arsenal's Champions League winning midfielder Lia Wälti in their ranks will give them hope they can get out of the group. Head coach: Pia Sundhage Key player: Lia Wälti Fixtures: July 2 - Switzerland vs Norway (3:00 PM, Basel) July 6 - Switzerland vs Iceland (3:00 PM, Geneva) July 10 - Finland vs Switzerland (8:00 PM, Bern) Best ever Euro's finish: Group stage (2017, 2022) Tournament odds: 25/1 with SkyBet Prediction: Quarter-finals Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Caroline Graham Hansen's is one of the world's best women's footballers. | Getty Images Norway Favourites to win their group, Norway have an abundance of world class talent throughout their ranks. That said, the team have a tendency to fall flat on the big stage, and went home earlier than anticipated at the last Women's Euros, where they failed to progress out of the group stages followed a shock 8-0 defeat England. Under new head coach Gemma Grainger, things look a little brighter, with sparkles of form shown in recent Nations League games. Manchester United trip stars Celin Bizet, Lisa Naalsund and Elizabeth Terland combined with the world class talent of Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen and former Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg make Norway a team to be reckoned with. Arsenal's Frida Maanum also offers a big goal-scoring threat. Head coach: Gemma Grainger Key player: Caroline Graham Hansen Fixtures: July 2 - Switzerland vs Norway (3:00 PM, Basel) July 6 - Finland vs Norway (12:00 PM, Thun) July 10 - Norway vs Iceland (8:00 PM, Zurich) Best ever Euro's finish: Winners (1987, 1993) Tournament odds: 20/1 with SkyBet Prediction: Semi-finals Sveindis Jonsdottir is Iceland's key player. Cr: Getty Images. | Getty Images Iceland Disrupted by injuries to Selma Sól Magnúsdóttir, Bryndís Níelsdóttir, and Emilía Kiær Ásgeirsdóttir, the Iceland national team will be heavily reliant on their captain and centre-back Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir of Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg winger Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir. Both players are players will be pivotal to their success at either end of the pitch, with the pacey Jónsdóttir particularly dangerous with her long throw technique. Rising star Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir, 23, will also be hoping to make her mark at the tournament, having burst onto the scene in recent months with an eye-catching hat trick against Norway in the Nations League. Head coach: Jón Þór Hauksson Key player: Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir Fixtures: July 2 - Iceland vs Finland (12:00 PM, St. Gallen) July 6 - Switzerland vs Iceland (3:00 PM, Geneva) July 10 - Norway vs Iceland (8:00 PM, Zurich) Best ever Euro's finish: Quarter-final (2013) Tournament odds: 66/1 with SkyBet Prediction: Group stage Finland knocked out Scotland in the Euro 2025 playoffs last year. | AFP via Getty Images Finland Defeating Scotland in the playoffs to reach the competition, Finland proved they are organised and functional ahead of next month's tournament. They enter Group A as huge outsiders to progress to the knockout stage, but still possess quality in their ranks such as record goal-scorer Linda Sällström of Vittsjö. Natalia Kuikka will be key to keeping the door shut at the back. Strong and fast, she is Finland's best defender. Ex-Liverpool full-back Emma Koivisto is tireless and dangerous for the Fins on the overlap. Leicester City striker Jutta Rantala also returns after an injury layoffs to boost the squad. Head coach: Marko Saloranta Key player: Linda Sällström Fixtures: July 2 - Iceland vs Finland (12:00 PM, St. Gallen) July 6 - Finland vs Norway (12:00 PM, Thun) July 10 - Finland vs Switzerland (8:00 PM, Bern) Best ever Euro's finish: Quarter-final (2009) Tournament odds: 250/1 with SkyBet
