Why England must evolve under Sarina Wiegman
With Euro 2025 around the corner, now is the perfect time for Sarina Wiegman to move her England squad on if they are to stay in contention for the big trophies.
Football
England have been on a real upward trajectory in women’s football over the last two years.
Under Sarina Wiegman, they went from unlikely competitors to bringing home the first trophy for the nation’s senior sides since 1966.
After winning Euro 2022, they came agonisingly close to following that up with a World Cup title in 2023, only to lose 1-0 to Spain in a tight final.
But with the next edition of the Euros around the corner, happening in 2025, questions are being asked – is this side ready to defend their title?
Team selection is the main bone of contention, primarily because of the amount of talent the nation has coming through the ranks.
There does seem to be some reluctance to introduce the players knocking on the door for the big moments, though, relying heavily on the players who have played under Sarina since her tenure began.
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Selection headaches across the squad
Wiegman is a manager who does not do things for the sake of it.
Squad selection doesn’t happen on a whim, it takes a multitude of things into consideration.
But she will rarely shift from a formula that works, that much was evident when she guided the Lionesses to back-to-back major tournament finals.
Despite facing criticism for squad selection as England were beaten by Germany in a seven-goal thriller on Friday (25 October), she reaffirmed why she selected the team as it is.
“We’re playing Germany, that’s an absolute high-level team,” she said at full-time.
“[There] are players knocking on the door, compete for minutes, [but] I’m not going to make changes just for the sake of it.
“The decision is based on the balance in possession, out of possession, defending, heading – I picked based on all of those things.”
The naming of a starting XI does not come easy, given the selection headaches in a number of positions across the pitch.
In goal, for example, Mary Earps’ form of 22/23 made her undroppable for club and country, playing a pivotal role in the last two years of Wiegman’s time in charge. Now Hannah Hampton appears to be pushing for the no.1 spot, leaving their manager with a big decision to make.
Defensively, Alex Greenwood seamlessly stepped into the backline when captain Leah Williamson tore her ACL last year. The latter has since returned but is naturally not yet at her pre-injury form.
Ella Toone and Alessia Russo – a cog in midfield and attack respectively – were the manager’s secret weapon at the ‘22 Euros, coming off the bench to deliver.
Now both are called on as starters, and even if club form suffers, they seem to be guaranteed starters, particularly in those big moments.
Each of those positions now has several different players performing for their respective clubs, warranting a chance for the national team.
Jess Park, Grace Clinton, and Aggie Beever-Jones to name a few, may all feel hard done by if not getting regular minutes for their country.
Then there’s someone like Maya Le Tissier, who is a bonafide centre-back for club but, instead of focusing on those strengths, is considered more of a full-back by Wiegman.
A side that possesses this much talent, not only in the current squad but in amongst the next generation too, cannot afford to stand still on sentimentality.
Seven of the players who started that winning final two years ago lined up in their chaotic display against the Germans in October.
It was so much of the same squad, yet such a far cry away from the resolute performances that they built their success on.
Sarina will no doubt use friendlies between now and Euro 2025 as a chance to assess what options she has for respective positions and make personnel changes if she deems them necessary, but it must come sooner rather than later.
Time for evolution
Now more than ever, England must evolve under Wiegman.
Yes, two years ago they won the Euros; a year later they almost won the World Cup, but no teams around them are getting up to those standards.
The United States were once the most dominant national team in the sport, consistently winning the big accolades, but after 2019 they themselves stood still.
That side become overly reliant on the players responsible for past glories and less concerned with the fresh faces ready to lead them into a new era.
Vlatko Andonovski’s introduction allowed the squad to move on with the likes of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Naomi Girma all introduced under his regime.
But the appointment of Emma Hayes was the catalyst for their gold medal success at Paris 2024, returning them to winning ways after an underwhelming World Cup last year.
Since then, the former Chelsea boss has already begun moving the squad on, bringing through a host of fresh faces to contest for a spot in her side.
England midfielder Georgia Stanway said herself that England must ‘evolve’ to keep up with the teams around them.
“I think when the expectation [to win] is continuous, we’re probably not able to live up to it,” she said at an October press conference.
“I think it’s inevitable that at some point you’re going to plateau – as much as teams are evolving, we also have to continue to evolve.”
The real test of how the Lionesses are building on such success will come over the coming months, in their preparation for Euro 2025.
In the three years since winning at Wembley, plenty has changed – now it is their turn to do the same if they are to defend their title.