France vs England team selection: Euro 2025 success rests on Sarina Wiegman’s grasp of risk vs reward | Football News

England have a 16.1 per cent chance of winning this summer’s European Championship, according to Opta’s prediction model. For anyone who has followed the Lionesses ascent since 2022 that number feels low. World champions Spain are the outright favourites at 24.8 per cent.

Wales, at the other end of the scale, have been offered a 0.1 per cent chance of becoming champions. Perhaps, in light of that, England can consider themselves well placed. But how is each department really shaping up?

From goalkeeper to No 9, Sky Sports analyses Sarina Wiegman’s abundance of options, and in which areas this tournament might be won or lost.

GOALKEEPER: All hail Hampton

By far the most straightforward of selections. Wiegman has put all her eggs in the Hannah Hampton basket, unintentionally ousting Mary Earps as a consequence.

The scrutiny on the 24-year-old goalkeeper, with no major tournament caps, as England’s new No 1 will therefore be unlike anything experienced before in women’s football in this country.

She will make her major tournament debut against France on Saturday as a nailed on starter, with Wiegman’s trust, but knowing the spotlight will shine brighter than it ever did on Earps’ rise – which was much more gradual.

Hampton’s growing stature at treble winners Chelsea will serve her well in that regard. Domestically, she represents the dominant force in the Women’s Super League and will benefit from the similarities between Sonia Bompastor’s style and that of Wiegman.

Hampton always had the edge with the ball at her feet. A passing accuracy in her own half of 92 per cent this past season eclipsed anything Earps managed in her WSL career. Youth has officially usurped experience.

Let’s hope the succession is met with reward not regret.

DEFENCE: Left-back lurch?

Assuming the backline picks itself from right-back Lucy Bronze to central defensive pairing Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood, the only hole to fill is at left sided full-back.

Bronze mirrors Niamh Charles well at Chelsea – they specialise in flank attacks – and that option brings energy and dynamism, if less defensive solidity. Jess Carter would offer more robustness as an authoritative 1v1 defender and a player that offers physicality in both boxes – in short supply given the absence of Millie Bright.

The left channel, in Wiegman’s usual blueprint, does benefit from the tireless work of Lauren Hemp, who can track and cover with endless enthusiasm and the Charles-Hemp partnership has promise because of it. Carter got the nod against Jamaica in England’s final warm-up game but question marks remain over her attacking repertoire.

Perhaps Charles is the willing runner when legs begin to tire in the second half of games, although, interestingly, Wiegman chose to swap her with Bronze when she arrived from the bench against Jamaica last week. At least the depth of choice is something Wiegman can treasure.

The Greenwood experiment never really took off and that option has since evaporated anyway. If Wiegman wants the defenders to do the defending and attackers to do the attacking, Carter is likely to be the one lining up to face France.

MIDFIELD: Walsh irreplaceable – rotate the rest?

Keira Walsh is the lynchpin of Wiegman’s masterplan. So much so that when the midfielder injured her knee at the World Cup in 2023, England had to change their tried and tested formation to cope with the loss. In Wiegman’s eyes, Walsh’s quality is matchless.

So if Walsh is the base, who are her preferred accomplices? The easy option would be to select dependable Georgia Stanway, but the growth and versatility of Grace Clinton is just as compelling. The 22-year-old has been in the WSL’s ‘team of the season’ for two campaigns running.

Now more refined and mature, her ability to put the ball at risk and operate in tight areas is arguably better than Stanway’s. Her numbers stack up out of possession, too. Last season she ranked second in the league for tackles won and possessions recovered in the middle third. She is a complete No 8 – who can transition seamlessly to No 10 if needed.

As for the No 10 position itself, Ella Toone has proven herself worthy, not least because of the relationship and understanding she shares with starting striker Alessia Russo. Toone has now scored nearly as many goals (21) as Stanway (22) in an England shirt, and the latter is the nominated penalty taker.

Wiegman only named five players under the heading of ‘midfielders’ in her 23-player squad, opting instead to pack the forward department – fine in theory, except if injuries occur. This is the area of the pitch England cannot afford to compromise.

Each of the five named – Walsh, Stanway, Clinton, Toone and Jess Park – have a crucial role to play in tight rotation if the Lionesses are to make their third major tournament final in a row.

ATTACK: Alessia and Aggie can absorb responsibility

To be a successful No 9 is to accept the responsibility of the role. Russo has scored 23 times in 51 caps which is an honourable return. She comes into this tournament off the back of a stellar season for Arsenal – and is a newly ordained Champions League winner. Her scoring capacity will be all the better for it.

Beyond Russo, England have a queue of capable deputies. Aggie Beever-Jones has enjoyed a breakout season with Chelsea and Michelle Agyemang is a fun wild card pick. Every tournament squad should be embellished with a raw teenage talent, bursting with fearlessness and eagerness to impress.

Beever-Jones scored nine goals from 12 WSL starts domestically last term, and has notched five in eight appearances for England. It’s unlikely she will start but rather assume the role Russo triumphantly did at Euro 2022 – impact sub.

What compliments particularly well is the Chelsea starlet’s point of difference. She is comfortable on either wing and has exceptional speed, able to drift out wide and burst inside like an old-school wide forward would.

“She scores goals very easy, such quick feet, tight on the ball. She plays relaxed,” Wiegman said of Beever-Jones’s 33-minute hat-trick against Portugal in May. She could be a real weapon if England are stuck for a spark, or require unpredictability from the bench against tougher opposition.