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Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Lauren Hemp made her first England appearance since October on Friday (Adam Davy/PA) Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Wiegman hopes James will be fit in time for the tournament (Zed Jameson/PA) Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
USWNT match-worn jerseys to be auctioned off while they're being worn
In April, Trinity Rodman struck early for the U.S. Women's National Team against Brazil, with her first goal for the team since the 2024 Olympics. She received the ball from forward Alyssa Thompson and finished with a shot into the lower right corner of the net. It was her 11th goal for the national team. While the crowd's cheers filled SoFi Stadium, they did not see what happened in the locker room at halftime. Advertisement Rodman's sweat-soaked, mud-streaked jersey was carefully collected by the team's equipment manager and placed in a sealed container bound for a warehouse in Amsterdam with eight other jerseys. These belonged to her teammates: Lindsey Heaps, Catarina Macario, Tara McKeown, Emily Fox, Allyson Sentnor, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Crystal Dunn and Sam Coffey. Almost three months later, on Saturday, the jersey was sold for $1,833 on an online marketplace that auctions signed match-worn shirts from around the world. The Dutch company collaborates with over 300 soccer clubs and federations across 35 countries, and it has just signed a deal with both U.S. national teams. During the USWNT's friendly against China in Minnesota on Saturday, the platform will launch its first live auction tied to a match. Every jersey worn will be up for grabs. The deal with U.S. Soccer and the USWNT Players Association also covers player-worn kits from all international tournaments moving forward, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. The idea of selling worn jerseys came to brothers and co-founders Bob and Tijmen Zonderwijk in 2016 while they were searching for a special gift for their father, a die-hard Ajax supporter, who was moving across the country for work. They wanted to get him a match-worn, signed jersey from one of his favorite players to hang in his new office. At the time, the only option was the annual club auction. Advertisement After a year trying to convince Dutch clubs of their new idea, one finally gave in: FC Twente, where Dutch captain Jill Roord recently signed. 'We pitched the idea there, and the guy was quiet for the entire hour. After that, he said, 'Hey, it sounds like a win-win. When can we start?' So we were like, 's***, this is happening!'' Bob Zonderwijk told . In addition to a handful of USWNT and USMNT jerseys, the company's warehouse in Amsterdam is home to about 9,000 match-worn jerseys. Historically, the locker room and those sweat-soaked jerseys are sacred for players. Most keep them. Some toss them to fans. Others trade them with opponents. Either way, they're prized. The Zonderwijk brothers, lifelong soccer fans, knew better than to mess with that. Advertisement 'We don't want to interfere with those traditions,' Tijmen Zonderwijk said. So they found a workaround: they collect only first-half jerseys. 'Players are free to do whatever they want with the second-half kits — keep them, swap them, toss them into the stands,' he explains. Which means the Rodman jersey that just sold is certified and guaranteed to be the very shirt she scored in. Operationally, every club is structured differently but MatchWornShirt's co-founders realized that to streamline their operations, they had to work with the most important person in the room: the kit managers. Last year, they hosted the first European conference of kit managers in Amsterdam, inviting 180 club representatives and 90 kit managers from partner clubs. 'The good thing about kitmen is that they are structured and reliable. They have their own protocols and once we become part of that protocol, we are all good,' Tijmen explained. Advertisement This is especially crucial when it comes to getting the jerseys cleaned. Or rather, not cleaned. Instead of soap and water, the jerseys are treated with UVC light, a method that breaks down any lingering DNA to protect the player's health data but preserves the emotion: the grass stains, the wear and tear, even a trace of the smell. 'Eighty percent of the smell is reduced, but the smell is always there. It's also what makes it authentic,' Tijmen said. 'If it smelled like flowers, then people might also question the authenticity.' Once the jerseys are cleaned, the process of authentication starts: using match footage, they check how patches are printed to match them to the player wearing them. Then they chip the shirts with NFC (Near Field Communication) chips that carry a unique ID to certify their authenticity. NFC, commonly used for non-contact payments, uses close-range wireless technology to communicate between devises. Advertisement So far, the highest price paid for a women's match-worn shirt belongs to Sophia Smith's (now Wilson) No. 9 jersey that she wore while scoring in Portland Thorns' 2-0 NWSLchampionship win over Kansas City Current in 2022. It sold for $9,507 (£7,062). On the men's side, the most expensive jersey auctioned on the site was worn by Lionel Messi from his final season playing for Paris Saint-Germain. The winning bid was $58,000. MatchWornShirt did not share how the money gets split between them and the clubs, as the company doesn't disclose specific contract terms. But each partnership is tailored to reflect the commercial and charitable priorities of the teams and organizations involved. In the case of the U.S. Soccer, the deal includes both the federation and the respective players' associations. That means the proceeds are shared, and players get a cut. According to USWNT Players Association's agreement with the players, the PA receives payment from licenses like MatchWornShirt and players receive royalties. According to their financial statements from 2023, the organization paid its members $1,059,963 in royalties which amounts to 34.7 percent of the total revenue. The U.S. Women's National Team Players Association's (USWNTPA) Department of Labor report from 2024 shows that in 2023 former U.S. forward Alex Morgan took home the most in overall royalties ($167,593). Wilson ($74,232) and Rodman ($41,643) weren't far behind. 'With so many newcomers earning their first caps for the USWNT, these jerseys carry deep significance,' Annie Mitchell-Reid, the director of strategic partnerships and business at USWNTPA, told . 'Think of sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson making their debuts side by side, and others who will wear the stars and stripes for the first time or even the last time. There are so many amazing moments to come that fans can have a tangible piece of.' Advertisement But what happens if a jersey doesn't sell at one of MatchWorn's auctions? The Zonderwijks are not worried. 'We've never sold a jersey,' Tijmen said with a grin. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Men's national team, US Women's national team, Portland Thorns, Soccer, NWSL, Sports Business, Memorabilia & Collectibles 2025 The Athletic Media Company
North Wales Chronicle
7 hours ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
Leader Live
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Lauren Hemp made her first England appearance since October on Friday (Adam Davy/PA) Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Wiegman hopes James will be fit in time for the tournament (Zed Jameson/PA) Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
Rhyl Journal
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
