England women's coach Sarina Wiegman insists Ellen White deserves the same recognition as Wayne Rooney as the Lionesses' forward closes in on the national scoring record.

White was twice on target as England hammered Norway 8-0 as Wiegman's side recorded the biggest win in men's or women's European Championship history.

England also became the first team in any Euros to net eight goals as they sealed top spot and a place in the knockout stages.

While it was a successful outing in Brighton on a team level, White also moved just one strike behind Rooney's record 53 goals for England.

White was quick to insist that Rooney's benchmark is not her priority after the game, before online trolls posted unnecessary questions surrounding the validity of her record in the women's game.

Wiegman jumped to the defence of her star striker on Thursday as she spoke ahead of the group-stage clash with Northern Ireland, insisting talented ability is the same in the men's and women's game.

"I just talk to my squad and to Ellen. Everyone can have their opinion, but I think what she's done is amazing, really good," Wiegman told reporters.

"The player and person she is in our team – such an important role. What she has accomplished on the pitch and also off the pitch is really, really great, and she's so valuable for this team. So maybe I would say that to those people.

"It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman – if you're great, you're great.

"For her to have achieved that, and the success she's had over such a long time, that tells you everything you need to know.

"She's been fantastic for England for a very long time, so of course it's great to have her on my team."

White will hope to at least equal Rooney's record against Northern Ireland, who have lost all eight of their previous meetings with the Lionesses, scoring just two goals to England's 44 in the process.

England star forwards Beth Mead and Ellen White will be rivals on the opening weekend of the Women's Super League season after Arsenal were handed a testing trip to Manchester City.

Mead hit a hat-trick and White scored twice as England thrashed Norway 8-0 in their second Euro 2022 group match on Monday evening. However, eyes are already turning towards another WSL campaign, which begins on the weekend of September 10-11, as Arsenal and City look to dethrone three-peat champions Chelsea.

As well as Mead, Arsenal have England captain Leah Williamson and Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema among their rich player pool, while White is joined in City's ranks by the likes of England winger Lauren Hemp, former Lionesses skipper Steph Houghton and Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw.

Arsenal finished second in the table last year, a point behind Chelsea, with City third. Chelsea begin their quest for a fourth consecutive title when they host West Ham, while Manchester United travel to Tottenham, Everton host Leicester City, Brighton and Hove Albion welcome Aston Villa, and promoted Liverpool journey to Reading.

The penultimate round on the weekend of May 20-21 could be pivotal in determining the destiny of the title as Chelsea tackle Arsenal and City make the short trip to United for the Manchester derby.

Arsenal finish at home to Aston Villa a week later, City host Everton and Chelsea travel to Reading. Liverpool and Manchester United also go head-to-head on the final weekend.

Kelly Simmons, the Football Association's director of the women's professional game, said: "We really want to capture the momentum generated from the Women's Euros this summer, which will significantly help us take this league to the next level."

The emphatic nature of England's 8-0 win over Norway came as a surprise even to Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman.

The host nation of the Women's Euro 2022 spectacularly dismantled their opponents at the Amex Stadium in Brighton on Monday, with Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead (three), Ellen White (two) and Alessia Russo giving England an historic win.

It was the first time a team had scored seven goals in a European Championships game – in either the men's or women's tournaments – and sees England qualify from Group A as winners with a game to spare.

England were 6-0 up at half-time, the first time a team has scored as many in the opening 45 minutes of a Women's Euros game, just 24 hours after France became the first team to score five in the first half in their win against Italy.

"We didn't expect to make such a big win, but we played really well," Wiegman told BBC Sport, adding her thought in the first half was: "What's going on here?"

Speaking at a news conference, she continued: "Of course, the win, great win. The way we played, kept playing the way we did second half, kept the ball going. I'm really happy with the performance and to go through.

"It becomes easy when you're 2-0 up quickly, then we could use the momentum and play our possession game... You could tell the players enjoyed it on the pitch."

England scored twice more in the second period, with Russo bagging the seventh shortly after replacing White, who was among a number of players rested by Wiegman once the game was clearly won.

"Sometimes when you're 6-0 up, players try to do their own things, but we didn't. We kept together trying to do our own tasks," she added.

"I was a little surprised [Norway] didn't put more pressure on us. Pressure on the ball. They did play well second half. We just played our game and tried to exploit spaces."

Hat-trick-hero Beth Mead also spoke at a news conference after some celebrating, saying: "We were having a nice little sing-song... Amazing night, we deserve to enjoy it."

Mead has now scored 18 goals in the 16 games since Wiegman took charge, also adding 11 assists.

When asked where this form had come from, she said: "I couldn't tell you. I'm just enjoying every minute of my football. The way we're playing, it's just a pleasure to play with these players."

Mead was also asked what she'd be doing with the match ball, jokingly replying: "My mum might try to steal this one from me."

If some felt England had been underwhelming in their opening game win against Austria, it would be fair to say that in their second clash, the Lionesses roared.

Their 8-0 demolition of Norway at the Amex Stadium on Monday did more than just extend the longest unbeaten run in their history. It made a statement that England are ready to challenge for the Women's Euros on their own turf.

When they went seven ahead, England became the first team in European Championship history – women or men – to score so many in a single game.

Sarina Wiegman has made an immediate impact with the Lionesses since taking charge in September, with the Dutch coach having now won 14 and drawn two of her first 16 outings, scoring a remarkable 93 goals while conceding only three.

There had been some big wins already in the tournament that seemed ominous for the rest, with Spain and Germany hitting four in their opening matches while France became the first team to ever score five goals in the first half of a game at the Women's Euros when they trounced Italy 5-1 on Sunday.

England beat that record a day later, with a ruthless display seeing them lead 6-0 at the break.

An early penalty from Georgia Stanway after Ellen White had been felled got them going, and from there it seemed like every attack ended up in the Norway net.

Lauren Hemp made it two from close range despite being initially judged offside, before a brace each from Beth Mead and White gave the crowd in Brighton quite a first half to witness.

This was the first Women's Euros encounter between England and Norway, and it was one Gresshoppene boss Martin Sjogren will want to forget in a hurry.

The visitors stemmed the flow of goals in the second half, although their opponents seemed to use the opportunity to rest their legs.

Wiegman did just that as she took off White, Rachel Daly and the impressive Fran Kirby, who registered two assists, before the hour.

England had another on 65 minutes, though, as Alessia Russo, who replaced White, headed home a Lucy Bronze cross.

Mead completed her hat-trick with nine minutes remaining, tapping home after Guro Pettersen had spilled a Kiera Walsh strike from just outside the box.

Mead, who netted the only goal of the game against Austria, has now been directly involved in 29 goals for England under Wiegman (18 goals, 11 assists), with Hemp nine behind after her goal and assist took her to 20 involvements (eight goals, 12 assists).

The crowd of 28,847 were in their element, with no hostility, no jibes, just support for their team, and the familiar tune of 'Three Lions' having more than one vociferous airing.

It would be too simple to put this down to an energised showing because they were in front of their own fans, though. England played some outstanding football and earned their goal bonanza.

They look like a completely different side under Wiegman and dismantled a team only three places below them in the FIFA rankings, having 25 shots in all, hitting the target with an impressive 15.

Norway, ranked 11th in the world, looked like a deer caught in the headlights at times, but the pace and accuracy of the passing and movement was on point from their tormentors throughout.

The Lionesses are through to the quarter-finals already as group winners and can afford to rest plenty in their final Group A game against Northern Ireland before returning to Brighton on July 20 for the last-eight clash, likely to be against Germany or Spain.

England went into the tournament as one of the favourites, despite not having won it before. Their improvement under Wiegman coupled with home advantage means they are fancied by many.

Of course, we have been here before with England. Flattering to deceive, raising hopes only to have them extinguished. We all know that England expects, often in vain.

It is too early to say this feels different, but ripping apart a relatively strong opponent in such fashion has to impress even the most stubborn doubter.

Their fans certainly believe, anyway.

England became the first team to score six goals in the first half of a game at the Women's Euros, just 24 hours after France had become the first to score five.

Les Bleues took a 5-0 lead into the break at the New York Stadium in Rotherham on Sunday against Italy, eventually winning 5-1.

However, the Lionesses went one better on Monday at the Amex Stadium in Brighton as they went 6-0 up before half-time against Norway.

In fact, England's first-half haul matched the most goals scored in an entire match in the tournament's history. Germany beat England 6-2 in 2009, while England were 6-0 winners against Scotland in 2017 – a record margin.

A penalty from Georgia Stanway was followed by a goal from Lauren Hemp and two each for Beth Mead and Ellen White as England ran riot over their Group A opponents.

A win would see Sarina Wiegman's side confirm their place as group winners, which would mean playing in Brighton again in the quarter-finals.

England's Ellen White insists she is relishing the pressure of leading the line at the Women's Euro 2022, but she knows she must improve her goalscoring form to keep her place in Sarina Wiegman's team.

White is England's all-time leading goalscorer, netting 50 times in 108 international appearances since her 2010 debut.

She finished as the joint-top goalscorer as England reached the 2019 Women's World Cup final, matching United States duo Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan with six strikes and taking the Bronze Boot, but has struggled on the domestic front recently.

White only netted four goals in 22 WSL appearances for third-placed Manchester City in the 2021-22 season and spurned several decent openings in England's 1-0 win over Austria on Wednesday.

She registered four shots totalling 0.49 expected goals in the Lionesses' Old Trafford opener, both match-high figures, but failed to find the net.

Yet White was bullish when asked whether her lack of goals was affecting her, telling a media conference: "No, I'm excited to be part of this England team.

"We've got some great talent, competition, and I'm loving every minute of playing for this team.

"Ultimately, my job is to score goals, of course. We've got some great wingers in this team and midfielders, backline, everyone. 

"I've got to be in the right place at the right time and hopefully, all the training I've done, [I] will help the team any way I can.

"I think there's always pressure to keep that number nine role. We've got some phenomenal talent, and it's super competitive, and I think that's really healthy, throughout the whole squad really.

"I think that's an amazing part of this team. We have 23 players that are so talented, and every single day in training it's super competitive and pushing each other and wanting each other to do well. I think it's a good headache for Sarina.

"She's super supportive and really helped with movement in and around the box, and the vision – she's been amazing on that front."

England take on Norway at Brighton and Hove Albion's AMEX Stadium on Monday and could clinch a spot in the knockout stages with a win, depending on the result of Northern Ireland's clash with Austria.

Meanwhile, White also offered her take on the team's request to Nike to change the colour of their white shorts due to concerns over players' periods, highlighting the importance of such conversations taking place in public.

"I think it's a really great conversation to have," she said. "We play football, we are on our periods, and definitely there has been feedback with Nike about the kit. 

"Our kit is lovely, but at times, when you are on your period, you do worry a little bit about that.

"It's important we are talking about it and made aware of what we can do to help support women when they are on their periods. It's a great conversation and one we need to continue to have really."

Sarina Wiegman is delighted to have the opportunity to take on Norway forward Ada Hegerberg at the Women's Euro 2022, declaring her involvement "so good for the women's game".

Hegerberg had been absent from her national team since 2017 following a dispute with Norwegian football authorities over the disparity in pay between their male and female sides.

However, the maiden winner of the Ballon d'Or Feminin has returned to the fold for her country in the run-up to this year's Euros, scoring a hat-trick in her first game back during a 2023 Women's World Cup qualifier against Kosovo in April.

Hegerberg – a six-time Women's Champions League winner with Lyon – did not net in Norway's opening 4-1 win over Northern Ireland but was highly influential and did provide an assist.

She appears to represent the greatest threat to Wiegman's hosts England in their second group game on Monday, but the Lionesses manager would still rather have one of the world's best players involved.

Asked at her pre-match press conference if she would rather Hegerberg was not playing, Wiegman responded: "Absolutely not.

"I think every player from that level, you just hope to be in the tournament because it's so good for the women's game.

"You want all the best players in these tournaments because that helps the game.

"It's so nice to watch and that's our responsibility, too, all of us, to get the best players on the pitch, so people that come to watch the games see the best players."

In Hegerberg's five-year absence from the national team, Norway crashed out at the quarter-final stage of Euro 2017 against England.

Wiegman has not noted any change in Norway's approach for Hegerberg's return but acknowledges she makes the side much better.

"I don't think [Norway] have changed that much," she said. "I think [Hegerberg] is just a quality player that makes the level of the team higher.

"When you put another player in, she fills in her role a little differently than the other one who will play there, and she does a pretty good job."

Spain remain among the favourites to win the Women's Euros despite losing Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas to injury, according to former European champion Hege Riise, who also expects England to impress.

Putellas, who has scored 27 goals in 100 caps for Spain, was ruled out of the tournament after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training, leaving La Roja without one of their star players.

The 28-year-old top-scored in the Champions League with Barcelona last term, scoring 11 goals in continental competition as well as 18 on the domestic front as the Catalan giants won all 30 of their league games.

Her injury is just the latest blow to befall Spain ahead of their opening match against Finland on Friday, with record goalscorer Jennifer Hermoso also ruled out.

But Riise, who won the Women's World Cup in 1995 and the Euros in 1993 during a glorious spell with Norway, for whom she made 188 appearances, believes other players may step up in Putellas' absence.

"I've been expecting Spain to go through a few times now. And then obviously they got an injury for the key player," Riise told Stats Perform.

"So that will be a setback, of course, but maybe the team now steps out and works as a team and not individually. 

"They still do have some key players that will manage to do well, and a lot of them are playing for Barcelona, so they know how to play and know each other quite well. 

"So, I think Spain this time around can be a threat. Germany I'm not so sure about, but hopefully we'll get some surprises."

Riise did express her regret at missing out on seeing Putellas light up the tournament, however, adding: "In the women's game, when you have a world-class player, you want them in the tournament so the fans can see them in their own environment. 

"Obviously when she doesn't play you miss something, so you want the best player always to play in the Euros, World Cups and the Olympics."

Riise's own nation began their Group A campaign with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Northern Ireland at St Mary's on Thursday, and face hosts England next.

And while Riise believes Norway could test England at the Amex Stadium, she says the tournament experience of Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman could make the hosts genuine contenders. 

"I saw the opening game with England [1-0 against Austria]. First half, I think they were outstanding," Riise added. "But they should have scored some more goals, in the second half, they showed that they can be vulnerable as well. 

"But they haven't lost any games in a long, long time. So, the confidence that they have and the fans in the stands will help them to build on this. But having the fans there could be positive and negative. 

"The attention makes you more nervous, but I think they are in a good place now and Sarina Wiegman has been in the Euros final with Holland [in 2017], same in the World Cup final [in 2019]. So, she has the experience.

"For the Norway-England match, it will be close but player for player, England are better. Though a team like Norway can, if not beat them, get a good result."

England Women have asked Nike to change their all-white kit, as the shorts are "not practical" due to periods.

The Lionesses have worn their own strips over the past three years, having previously turned out in the same kit as the men's team.

But England players have now raised an issue with their white shorts.

Sarina Wiegman's side turned out in their home colours in their Women's Euro 2022 opener against Austria, a 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

But winger Beth Mead, who scored the only goal, revealed the team were concerned by the possibility of red spotting showing on their shorts during their periods.

"It's something we've fed back to Nike," she told The Telegraph. "Hopefully they're going to change that.

"It's very nice to have an all-white kit, but sometimes it's not practical when it's the time of the month.

"We deal with it as best we can. We've discussed it as a team, and we've fed that back to Nike."

Mead said she was "pretty laid back" about which alternative colour Nike might opt for, while Georgia Stanway added the concerns were forgotten as soon as the players took to the pitch.

"It's difficult, because we associate England with white," Stanway said.

"The home kit is unbelievable, it looks really nice. I think that's something that we can speak about as a full squad, as a group of girls.

"I think next year there is potentially a colour change going in. I think it's hard, because once you're on the grass, nothing else matters.

"I think we have a good doctor who likes to look after us. As soon as the adrenaline comes in, you could be naked and nobody cares. That's what happens when you're on the pitch, you forget about everything."

Lucy Bronze described Spain's setback of losing Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas as "devastating" and a blow to the women's game as a whole.

England star Bronze, who will become a team-mate of Putellas next season after recently signing for Barcelona, backed the 28-year-old to rebound from her crushing Euro 2022 disappointment.

Putellas, who has scored 27 goals in 100 international appearances, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training on Tuesday and will play no part in the tournament that began on Wednesday.

"For anyone who suffers an ACL, it's devastating," Bronze said. "My old team-mate [Lyon's Germany international Dzsenifer] Marozsan did her ACL just before the tournament, and I was devastated for her, and now Alexia as well.

"Obviously she's one of the best players in the world – the best player in the world right now – and one of my team-mates.

"For women's football, we want the best players on the pitch. I'm sure she'll get straight back to Barcelona, and they'll want to get her back on the pitch and fighting fit.

"I'm sure she'll be back playing for Barca as soon as possible, and the World Cup is still to come next year, so she's still got plenty of time and plenty of stages to shine."

Putellas' absence is a colossal blow for Spain, with the 28-year-old having top-scored in the Champions League with 11 goals last season.

Bronze, who has battled knee problems during her own career, is hoping for a clean bill of health in the England camp throughout the finals.

The hosts began with a 1-0 win over Austria at Old Trafford, in front of almost 70,000 supporters.

Bronze said the occasion was "huge", but it was a scrappy showing from England, with Beth Mead's first-half goal proving just enough.

"We know we can improve on that performance," Bronze said. "Especially under [coach] Sarina [Wiegman] we score a lot of goals and play exciting football and I don't think we did that at our best. We didn't quite click and didn't quite get in the flow.

"Ultimately, the best teams have to win even when they're not playing at their best, so we managed to show that which is a different side to this England team."

Beth Mead's first-half strike earned England a 1-0 win over Austria on Wednesday in the opening match of the Women's Euro 2022.

Playing in front of a crowd of 68,871 at Old Trafford – a new record for a match in this competition – much-fancied England failed to sparkle but got the job done.

The decisive moment arrived in the 16th minute when Arsenal forward Mead controlled Fran Kirby's lofted pass and lifted the ball over club-mate Manuela Zinsberger.

Austria defender Carina Wenninger appeared to hook the ball off the line and against the crossbar, but goal-line technology awarded it to give the host nation lift-off.

England spent much of the game on top without extending their lead, which almost came back to haunt them when Mary Earps was called into action to deny Barbara Dunst.

The Lionesses, aiming to win their first major tournament, are now unbeaten in 15 matches and top Group A ahead of Northern Ireland's meeting with Norway on Thursday.

Maybe this time football really is 'coming home'.

Hosts England are widely considered among the favourites to win Euro 2022 as Sarina Wiegman leads the Lionesses onto the big stage, and they can be considered marginal front-runners for a wide-open tournament.

That conclusion is based on modelling from Stats Perform's Artificial Intelligence team, using Opta's data reserves to quantify each team's chances of winning the entire tournament.

Every match has been run through the Stats Perform Women's Euro prediction model to calculate the estimated probability of the outcome (win, draw or loss). This uses odds from betting markets and Stats Perform team rankings, which are based on historical and recent performances.

The model takes into consideration the strength of each team's opponents as well as the difficulty of their respective paths to the final, plus the make-up of the groups and any relevant seedings heading into the knockouts.

The rest of the tournament is then simulated thousands of times and analysed, providing the probability of each team progressing round by round and ultimately lifting the trophy at Wembley on July 31.

Spain have been widely portrayed as favourites, but La Roja might find it hard going in England. Here is a run-down of the AI results, and they might shock you.
 

MOST LIKELY CHAMPIONS

1. England (19.3 per cent)

Runners-up in 1984 and 2009, perhaps England's second European finals on home soil could bring about a triumph the Lionesses have longed to achieve.

They have such immense strength in their forward ranks that Ellen White, joint top scorer at the 2019 World Cup, is not assured of her place in the team. The likes of Ella Toone, Beth Mead and Alessia Russo could push White for the starting spot as striker, with three attackers set to feature in behind, as manager Wiegman looks to blow away the opposition.

England are given an 81.9 per cent chance of coming through the group stage to reach the quarter-finals, a 54.1 per cent shot at getting through to the semi-finals, and a 31.1 per cent hope of making it through to the Wembley trophy match. Their 19.3 per cent chance of carrying off the trophy means it is hardly a given that England will finish bathed in glory, and that is because the opposition is so strong.

2. France (18.5 per cent)

Les Bleues left Amandine Henry and Eugenie Le Sommer out of their squad, meaning two of their recognised stars will be conspicuously absent from Corinne Diacre's team.

Stats Perform's women's football Power Rankings puts France second on the global list, behind only the United States, but coach Diacre is dicing with danger by omitting proven performers. Should things go wrong, fingers will likely be pointing her way.

However, at the back France have the stalwart Wendie Renard skippering the side, while in attack the Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto should make a big impact on her first major senior tournament. They possess quality, notwithstanding the notable absentees.

France have Italy, Belgium and Iceland as Group D rivals and are given a 74.8 per cent chance of advancing and are rated 49.1 per cent shots to make in into the semi-finals.

3. Sweden (14.6 per cent)

FIFA ranks Sweden second in its own rankings, and the Scandinavians were only denied Olympic gold in Tokyo last year after a penalty shoot-out loss to Canada in the final.

They might lack superstar names, but the likes of Barcelona's Fridolina Rolfo, Milan's Kosovare Asllani and Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius are players to keep an eye on.

The Swedes are given an 84.2 per cent chance of reaching the quarter-finals – the highest percentage of all teams – as they head into a group that also features defending champions the Netherlands along with Switzerland and Portugal.

4. Germany (11.5 per cent)

The eight-time winners cannot be ruled out, but they are no longer the team that everyone fears. Starting off in the same pool as Spain complicates their task considerably, with Euro 2017 runners-up Denmark also in Group C, along with Finland.

Given that line-up, Germany are given a 72.8 per cent shot at finishing in the top two and reaching the quarter-finals, plus a 43.2 per cent chance of making the last four and  a 22.0 per cent prospect of getting through to the final.

5. Spain (8.8 per cent)

Some might scoff at Spain being given such a low rating, but they face the same problem as Germany initially, with no guarantee of escaping Group C.

Jorge Vilda's Spain are built on formidable foundations, with players from Barcelona and Real Madrid dominating their squad. Barcelona won all 30 of their domestic league games last year, but their players were knocked out of stride by defeat to Lyon in the Champions League final.

Having the likes of 100-cap playmaker Alexia Putellas in their ranks makes Spain an undoubted threat. However, she has suffered an injury on the eve of the tournament, and Spain have yet to triumph on the big-tournament stage. Like Spain's men before they found a winning formula, the women's football can be a joy to watch, but their efficiency in front of goal can be lacking.

They have reached quarter-finals at the last two editions of the Euros, and are rated as 71.6 per cent likely to at least go that far this time around. Will they reach a final first? The AI analysis gives them just a 19.0 per cent chance of featuring in the Wembley showpiece.

6. Netherlands 7.2 per cent

Champions last time out when they hosted, the Dutch will believe they can defend their title, and the team's opener against Sweden will tell us a lot about their potential.

Englishman Mark Parsons has stepped in to replace Euro 2017-winning boss Wiegman, inheriting a group containing the likes of Vivianne Miedema, Lieke Martens and Danielle van de Donk, who are all potential stars of the tournament.

This time the Netherlands are given only a 64.6 per cent chance of advancing to the quarters, and a 15.8 per cent hope of reaching another final. A 5-1 pasting by England in a pre-finals friendly has cast doubt on whether they can be the same force as five years ago. If they fail to top Group C, a likely quarter-final with France awaits.

TITLE CHANCES OF THE REST (all figures are percentages): Belgium 4.5, Italy 2.9, Iceland 2.8, Austria 2.6, Norway 2.3, Switzerland 2.3, Denmark 1.1, Finland 0.6, Portugal 0.6, Northern Ireland 0.3

Anita Asante featured at three Women's European Championships, and big-stage experience makes the former England defender a shrewd judge of the teams that will go for glory this month.

The Euro 2022 finals kick off when England face Austria at a sold-out Old Trafford on Wednesday, with the tournament climaxing in the July 31 final at Wembley.

Spain start as many people's favourites, but defending champions the Netherlands, hosts England, France, Germany and Sweden are also firmly in the frame.

Stats Perform sat down with 71-cap star Asante ahead of the tournament getting under way.

The 37-year-old spoke of how a Dutch striker reminds her of the great Dennis Bergkamp, her hopes for England and belief in the Lionesses' Dutch boss Sarina Wiegman, and why Spain are such an exciting proposition.
 

Asante Asanta's verdict on...

... why England are serious trophy contenders this time

"I think England have a really great chance. We have a fantastic squad. They've got to three semi-finals consecutively [2015 and 2019 World Cup, Euro 2017]. So this is an England team that is competing at the highest level. Of course, they're going to have to challenge the Dutch, the French, the Spanish, who are also an ascending force, Germany with a kind of historic legacy of winning major tournaments. But I think they've got all the components to do that. And they've shown that in previous tournaments, it's just those fine margins.

"We saw with the men's Euros, just how the whole nation kind of stops, gets to a standstill. And it's all about the team and whatever everyone can do to support the team and put good vibes into the universe for them. Hopefully, we can emulate that and get a great mass of support behind the women's England team."

...Sarina Wiegman, champion coach with the Netherlands at Euro 2017 who now bosses England's Lionesses

"She seems a very assured manager. She really knows what she's about and what she wants to impart on the squad. In tournaments, you just never know what can happen with your squad: illnesses, injuries, lots of different challenges from outside. So you need everyone to pull together and have a good relationship as well in terms of communication.

"She wants the team to be confident in possession and that they really enjoy having the ball and utilising their threats. And that's the thing I've enjoyed about watching the England team."

... the mighty Spain team that could take Euro 2022 by storm

"You can see that they are a very fluid kind of team where they are very composed in possession. They don't really adjust the way they play to other teams, they're more the sort of team that go and take their games to the opposition. I think that's what we've seen domestically. And it's kind of what we're probably expecting with the Spanish national team as well, because a lot of those players obviously play in the national team as well. So they have a good understanding of each other from club level.

"I think, arguably, the biggest criticism may be that they maybe have lacked the kind of clinical finishes that we've seen with other European sides in like an Ada Hegerberg, for example, for Norway, but they are definitely an exciting outfit with incredible players. And obviously Ballon d'Or winners to look out for, so they'll definitely be hot contenders."

... the brilliance of Netherlands and Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema

"What can you say about Miedema? She's a prolific number nine, but we also know, she can play as a false nine and kind of as a 10. She has that versatility to her game as well as her vision. She can pick out passes that the other players and maybe even pundits don't see. So that's an incredible skill to have.

"In and around the box, she's lethal. Left foot, right foot, she can finish. But with her, it's the finesse. She kind of reminds me of that Bergkamp-esque finesse where she just chops players and you think she's going to shoot, and then she puts you on the floor and checks back in and takes a strike or slips someone in."

... the thrill of playing tournament football

"As a young girl, my ambition was always to play for England. Walking out the tunnel, getting in your shirt, playing in international competitions that are viewed globally, is such an incredible thing as a female athlete.

"It's all the young girls and all the younger players now who get to do that. They're really living a dream, essentially. And it's a fantastic thing that the younger generation have role models to look up to, to help them see that that dream can be a reality."

... who she considers the favourites

"I have to say England. I actually really believe that we have enough quality in the squad to reach a final and hopefully build that belief as we go along in the competition to really get over the line. Hopefully that home support will give them extra energy throughout the tournament."

A year later than planned, the pandemic-delayed Women's European Championship takes place in England this month, at a time when the women's game is enjoying a popularity surge.

Barcelona Femeni packed out Camp Nou twice for Champions League games in the season just ended, in what was the most eye-catching sign of years of steady growth.

Many players who a decade ago would have needed part-time work to supplement their playing wages are now enjoying the trappings of being full-time professionals.

It means these players are physically sharper, more tactically astute, and skill levels are soaring skywards, making Euro 2022 an unmissable prospect.

Here, Stats Perform looks at seven players who could emerge as dominant stars of the tournament.

Alexia Putellas, Spain and Barcelona

Generally considered to be the world's best player, Putellas became the first Spain women's international to reach 100 caps on Friday when she played and scored in a 1-1 friendly draw against Italy. She runs the show for Barcelona, captaining the team, and delivered a flood of goals from midfield. She hit 34 goals across all competitions last season, including a four-minute hat-trick against Valencia, and in the Champions League she was named player of the season, despite her team's 3-1 defeat to Lyon in the final.

Irene Paredes, Spain and Barcelona

If Putellas pulls the strings in the opposition half, it will likely fall to Paredes to organise at the other end of the field, as favourites Spain look to keep it tight at the back. The Barcelona centre-back is set to captain Spain, who are seeking their first European Championship title. After joining last year from Paris Saint-Germain, Paredes helped Barcelona to a polished Primera Division campaign of 30 wins from 30 games, with only 11 goals conceded. Almost 11 years since making her debut in Euro 2013 qualifying, Spain will look for Paredes to lead by example.

Pernille Harder, Denmark and Chelsea

Harder is a serial winner at club level, having won four consecutive league and cup doubles with Wolfsburg before joining Chelsea for a reported world-record fee in September 2020 and adding back-to-back WSL and FA Cup doubles. The classy forward will create chances for others but is also a deadly finisher, scoring 68 goals in 134 internationals. Runners-up last time, Denmark will look to Harder to ensure they are in the mix again this month.

Ada Hegerberg, Norway and Lyon

Hegerberg is the returning Norway heroine, coming back into the fold in March after almost five years in self-imposed exile, having previously been upset by the national federation's treatment of the women's game. A true superstar of the game, the Lyon striker and former Ballon d'Or Feminin winner suffered an ACL injury in early 2020 that kept her sidelined for 20 months, but she is emphatically back now, as she proved when scoring in the Champions League final win over Barcelona – a 59th European club competition goal in her 60th such game.

Beth Mead, England and Arsenal

Once a teenage revelation at Sunderland, now at Arsenal, Mead had to wait until just before her 23rd birthday before earning a first England cap. In the four years since that debut, she has floated in and out of the team, with the Lionesses having serious riches with their attacking options. This could be the Whitby-born player's tournament, with Sarina Wiegman expected to include her in an attacking three behind a main striker. Mead has hit three hat-tricks for England in the last nine months and is also a highly creative player from the flanks. She is one of a handful of England attackers who could light up the tournament.

Vivianne Miedema, Netherlands and Arsenal

Mead's club-mate has enjoyed a stunning five-year spell in the English top flight, hitting a record 74 Women's Super League goals in 89 games. In May, the former Bayern Munich player agreed a new deal with the Gunners, and now she will spearhead the Netherlands' European title defence. Described by team-mate Jill Roord as "an absolute killer", Miedema helped the Netherlands reach the 2019 World Cup final and scored a record 10 goals at the Tokyo Olympics, despite the Dutch campaign ending with a quarter-final penalty shoot-out loss to the United States. Miedema surprisingly missed from the spot, so she is not perfect, but defences will fear her presence over the coming weeks.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto, France and Paris Saint-Germain

The PSG and France men's teams have Kylian Mbappe, and the women have Marie-Antoinette Katoto, a record-breaking superstar in her own right. Both are 23 years old, both have over 100 goals for PSG, and both could lead their country to trophy glory this year. Katoto became PSG's record scorer in the women's game last season, and last week agreed a new contract tying her to the capital club until 2025. There lies another Mbappe parallel, with PSG determined to keep the striker out of the clutches of rival clubs, knowing she is the sort of talent that could make an explosive impact on Euro 2022.

Five years after Sarina Wiegman's Netherlands team triumphed on home turf at the European Championship, Sarina Wiegman's England begin among the favourites to ... triumph on home turf.

Wiegman's switch to coach the Lionesses has served as a key sub-plot to the tournament, which will put women's football in the spotlight throughout July.

It gets under way when England play Austria at Old Trafford on Wednesday, women taking the spotlight in a year when the men's World Cup unusually takes place in November and December.

Almost 120,000 spectators attended games when England's north west staged Euro 2005; however, the overwhelming majority were either at games featuring England, or at the final between Germany and Norway at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park.

That meant some games were sparsely attended, with just 957 spectators seeing France beat Italy in the group stages in Preston. This time, with the tournament boosted from eight to 16 teams since England were last hosts, over 500,000 tickets have been sold, meaning near-empty stadiums should be a thing of the past.

Here, Stats Perform looks at what to expect from the 26-day finals.

German dominance gives way as rest of Europe catches up

Germany used to be the queens of the Women's Euros, but their crown has slipped. After winning six consecutive titles, the Germans fell short at Euro 2017 when they lost to eventual runners-up Denmark in the quarter-finals.

It was all rather end-of-an-era stuff, with the rise of professionalism across Europe's most powerful and forward-thinking footballing nations only likely to be further in evidence this year. Germany, of course, are included among those powerhouses, but they have plenty of company now at the top table.

The Dutch hosts roared to glory at Euro 2017, with Vivianne Miedema scoring twice in a 4-2 victory over the Danes in the final, having demolished Mark Sampson's England 3-0 to reach that stage. Miedema joined Arsenal shortly before that tournament and has become the Women's Super League's record scorer while with the Gunners, the defining player of the blossoming WSL.

This is a tournament that was first officially staged in 1984, with Sweden beating England on penalties in Luton after the teams finished tied on aggregate after home and away ties.

From the second staging in 1987 through to 1997, the tournament was staged every two years, with Norway triumphing in 1987 and 1993. Germany – and West Germany in 1989 – otherwise swept the board and continued to do so when it became a quadrennial championship.

The mighty Germans dismissed England 6-2 in the 2009 final in Helsinki, with a Lionesses team that included Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, Karen Carney, Eni Aluko, Fara Williams and Casey Stoney overwhelmed. Another survivor from that match, veteran midfielder Jill Scott, features in Wiegman's squad this year.

Mighty Spain top list of trophy contenders

Spain are favourites with the bookmakers, and what a team they are, built on classic foundations of players from Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Their sensational midfielder Alexia Putellas could own this tournament, but the Spanish rise was checked by Barcelona's stunning defeat to Lyon in the Champions League final.

French outfit Lyon have been established titans of the women's game for years, but Barcelona looked to have surpassed them, winning all 30 of their Primera Division games last season in a display of their might. Yet on the biggest club stage of all, Barcelona, with their many Spain stars, were caught cold and slumped to a 3-1 loss.

That should give Spain's Euros rivals some hope, as should the blow that Spain suffered when star forward Jennifer Hermoso was ruled out by a knee injury.

There are plenty of credible challengers, with hosts England among them. Since Wiegman replaced Phil Neville, England have won every match under their new coach, including a 5-1 victory over the Netherlands at Elland Road in June, and they should be able to handle group games against Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland.

Expect the familiar European giants to contend. Women's football is gradually becoming big business, and the richest countries are building the best facilities and funding the game on a professional level, which is a far cry from how the game was a decade ago.

England go Dutch, Dutch go English, Scandinavians on a mission

France have left national team greats Amandine Henry and Eugenie Le Sommer out of their squad, so how they cope without that illustrious duo remains to be seen, while England are without long-standing former captain and defensive mainstay Steph Houghton, who was judged not fit enough by Wiegman after an injury lay-off.

The hosts have Barcelona's new recruit Lucy Bronze, another rock of their team for many years, while the likes of winger Lauren Hemp and strikers Ella Toone and Alessia Russo should announce themselves on the big stage. Not for the first time, England look forward-heavy, with question marks over their midfield strength. New captain Leah Williamson attended the last Euros as a fan, so this is a significant step up.

While England are coached by a Dutchwoman, the Netherlands are bossed by Englishman Mark Parsons, who had a long spell with the Portland Thorns before replacing Wiegman. The reigning champions are contenders again, given the presence of Miedema and the mercurial Lieke Martens, who has traded Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in the off-season. The thumping by England was a jolt, but don't read too much into that result.

Denmark's Pernille Harder and Norway's Ada Hegerberg are superstar strikers in teams that might cause a surprise, Sweden sit second in the FIFA rankings so rightly fancy their chances, and then you have Germany. The eight-time winners lack the star power of their rivals and must play Denmark and Spain in the group stage, but their squad is packed with experience, so count them out at your peril.