Women’s Euro 2025 Team Previews | Wales
The Welsh women’s national team are finally at a major tournament, but even with a daunting group ahead of them, should they enjoy the experience as they aim to begin their own legacy?
It took them fifteen attempts to reach a major tournament, but Wales finally achieved a spot last year when they qualified for Euro 2025 by getting through the playoffs vs Slovakia and Republic of Ireland. Their huge achievement now comes to ahead as they get ready for a big challenge that is sure to test them.
Despite the difficult task that is ahead, they may not be feeling too much pressure to try and give themselves huge ambitions. It’s almost a case for them to take the challenges they will face head on and see how they can learn and develop more with games against some tough opposition as they have been handed in the group stages for next month.
Even before they set up to face three of the top European international sides over these next few weeks, they will take some positivity from the fact that they have given a good account of themselves against other top nations in recent memory. 2025 has seen them draw twice with Sweden and put in decent showings against Group B competitors Denmark and Italy, even if they did end up losing narrowly.
Group D opponents and fixtures:
Netherlands | 5th July - 5PM BST
France | 9th July - 8PM BST
England | 13th July - 8PM BST
The level will be bound to increase come July 5th when they start their Euros tournament against the Netherlands, before then facing France who arguably could be even tougher. Then it will be the one they might be looking forward to the most against England, which might have an added layer of interest depending specific scenarios that may play out.
Squad:
Goalkeepers | Olivia Clark (Leicester City), Safia Middleton-Patel (Manchester United), Poppy Soper (Blackburn Rovers)
Defenders | Hayley Ladd (Everton), Gemma Evans (Liverpool), Rhiannon Roberts (Real Betis), Charlie Estcourt (DC Power), Lily Woodham (Seattle Reign), Josie Green (Crystal Palace), Ella Powell (Bristol City), Esther Morgan (Sheffield United)
Midfielders | Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea), Angharad James (Seattle Reign), Rachel Rowe (Southampton), Alice Griffiths (Southampton), Lois Joel (Newcastle United)
Forwards | Kayleigh Barton (Charlton Athletic), Ffion Morgan (Bristol City), Carrie Jones (IFK Norrköping), Elise Hughes (Crystal Palace), Hannah Cain (Leicester City)
Experience has been a bit of a theme across most of the squads for this upcoming tournament and the same can be said for Wales. Although it might not be in actual major tournament experience, but more in players who have played for their country so many times now that it is an amazing thing to see them get the moment of being out there in Switzerland for this big occasion to represent their nation.
For some of the Welsh veterans like captain Angharad James, their all-time top scorer Jess Fishlock, Hayley Ladd and also Sophie Ingle, it will feel like a culmination of the journey they have been on to get Welsh women’s football to a good standard, and also inspire the next generation to try and make Wales appearing at major tournaments a more consistent thing. Ingle’s amazing story in just being at the tournament following her recovery from an ACL injury is one that is sure to motivate her and her teammates to do well.
Speaking of the next generation of Welsh internationals, this tournament does provide a great opportunity to the likes of Ffion Morgan, Carrie Jones and Lily Woodham just to name a few. Players who will be aiming for this year to be the first of many international tournament appearances, plus also use the experience to develop their game even further as well.
Player to Watch - Jess Fishlock
Arguably the face of Welsh women’s football is Jess Fishlock and she will certainly be making sure that she can bring her qualities and experience to the forefront of this squad as the all-time Welsh national team’s top scorer prepares to finally represent Wales on the tournament stage in her long career.
The 38-year-old midfielder is good at controlling the tempo of games and providing a calm head to proceedings, with an invaluable amount of leadership as well which will be key to getting the ideas across on the pitch. It helps as well that she has goals and assists in her game as well. She still has her moments of world-class talent within her given how well she has done with Seattle Reign over the years scoring 43 goals in 217 appearances with the NWSL side.
It will be a proud moment for Fishlock when she gets to walk out of that tunnel during Euro 2025 wearing the Wales kit, singing the national anthem and then being able to lock in once that whistle blows. She’s achieved a lot in her career, and she will be sure to want to add being a part of the first Welsh women’s team to get a point at a major tournament to her achievements.
Manager - Rhian Wilkinson
Canadian coach Rhian Wilkinson took on the role with Wales having never worked in as a head coach of a senior international side. Her early experience was head coaching the Canada women’s youth national teams before becoming assistant coach their senior team and doing the same with Team GB’s Olympic team in 2021.
She would go onto have success at Portland Thorns a year later, when she led them to an NWSL Championship in her first season as a head coach of a senior club side, before resigning over there after it came out publicly that she and one of her players at the time had expressed feelings for one another.
She started her current job in February last year and Wilkinson has proven to be a great get for the Welsh national side. Formation-wise Wales have been very adaptable under Rhian Wilkinson, with the idea more about being efficient and also good on counter-attacking opportunities and making sure that they catch out opposition defences when the chance arises.
How will they do?
It might be safe to say that many won’t be expecting them to make it out of the group. They are in the so-called ‘group of death’ which is a little unlucky, but as mentioned previously it is also a chance for them to just enjoy the experience of being involved.
They aren’t necessarily a one-player team, which actually could be a benefit as the expectation will be more on them to a perform as a solid unit that ultimately will be trying to make themselves hard to breakdown and create chances with a counter-attacking threat.
A successful tournament for Wales is getting a point from one of these three group games. Anything more would be pretty unbelievable given the difference in quality and also vast amount of years in which Wales are behind their opposition in terms of development. These European Championships have to be the start of a journey for Wales that starts a legacy of their own, and creates the blueprint for more experiences like this in the future.