Every major tournament these days seems to have a so-called 'group of death'. It just so happens that the two home nations attending Euro 2025 - England and Wales - have both fallen into the tricky Group D. They're joined by 2017 champions the Netherlands and a highly-rated France squad. Can the Lionesses defend their 2022 crown? And how will Wales fare in their first major tournament? BBC Sport takes a deeper look at the four teams involved. Manager:Sarina WiegmanNationality:DutchAppointed:2021 Captain:Leah WilliamsonPosition:Central defenderClub:Arsenal Key player:Lauren HempPosition:ForwardClub:Manchester City Form:England missed out on top spot in their Euro qualifying group, coming second behind fellow Group D side France. Sarina Wiegman's side did, however, win their most recent meeting with Les Bleues. But question marks have been raised over their form of late, with a convincing 6-0 win against Portugal in the Women's Nations League sandwiched between defeats byBelgiumandSpain, although they did beat the latter in February. Tournament hopes:Expectations will be high for an England side who ended the country's 56-year wait for a major trophy - men's or women's - when they beat Germany at Wembley in the 2022 final. But, after reaching the final of the 2023 World Cup, the Lionesses have suffered a dip in form, plus a number of key players are in a race to be fully fit in time, while the absence of Mary Earps (retired) and Millie Bright (unavailable) means the squad is without some of its most experienced names. To make things even more uncertain, they've been handed perhaps the toughest group and even getting out of the group stage could be a big ask. Manager:Laurent BonadeiNationality:FrenchAppointed:2024 Captain:Griedge MbockPosition:Centre-backClub:PSG Key player:Sandy BaltimorePosition:WingerClub:Chelsea Form:France qualified for Euro 2025 as group leaders but they did suffer defeats against England and the Republic of Ireland during that campaign. However, they arrive in Switzerland on a hot run of form having won all six of their Nations League matches this year, conceding just two goals. Tournament hopes:France have generally been ranked among the favourites for each major tournament in recent times but they have always seemed to fall short, failing to reach a final at either the Euros or the World Cup. With a wealth of attacking and defensive talent, Laurent Bonadei's Les Bleues have lost just two of their matches since he took charge in August - to world champions Spain and, more surprisingly, Switzerland last October. Manager:Andries JonkerNationality:DutchAppointed:2022 Captain:Sherida SpitsePosition:MidfielderClub:Ajax Key player:Vivianne MiedemaPosition:ForwardClub:Man City Form:The Netherlands won only two qualifying matches but they finished level on points with top-placed Italy. They scored just four goals during that campaign but they were solid at the back - only letting in four goals. However, their last Nations League matches were not what they would have hoped for five weeks before the Euros - a 1-1 draw with Scotland after Germany had thrashed them 4-0 at the end of May. Tournament hopes:There has been an excitement around the Netherlands heading into Euro 2025 under Jonker, who will depart after the tournament andbe replaced by England assistant Arjan Veurink. The Dutch team have continued to develop a host of bright new talent with the likes of Barcelona's Esmee Brugts, as well as Chelsea's Wieke Kaptein and Veerle Buurman, while they still have the experienced stars like Vivianne Miedema and Sherida Spitse, who both contributed to their Euros success in 2017. Manager:Rhian WilkinsonNationality:CanadianAppointed:2024 Captain:Angharad JamesPosition:MidfielderClub:Seattle Reign Key player:Jess FishlockPosition:ForwardClub:Seattle Reign Form:Wales lost only one of their 10 games in qualifying for Euro 2025 but they were facing weaker teams in League B before they qualified for their first major tournament through the play-offsby beating the Republic of Ireland. They have struggled since making the step up to League A in the Nations League, finishing bottom of their group without a win. Wales did earn two encouraging draws with Sweden this year but they fell to Italy and Denmark in their final two group games. Tournament hopes:Getting through the 'group of death' won't be easy for Wales but they have become a very difficult side to beat under Rhian Wilkinson. Having recently impressed against the higher ranked sides, Wales will be keen to make an impression on their major tournament debut and be competitive in Switzerland.
England & Wales 'group of death' - Group D guide
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"Euro 2025 Preview: England and Wales Face Tough Challenge in Group D"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
The Euro 2025 tournament features a challenging Group D, often referred to as the 'group of death', which includes two home nations, England and Wales, alongside former champions the Netherlands and a formidable French squad. England, managed by Sarina Wiegman, enters the tournament with high expectations after winning the 2022 final against Germany, marking a significant achievement in women's football. However, the Lionesses have faced a dip in form recently, with mixed results in their qualifying matches, including a notable 6-0 victory over Portugal but also defeats to Belgium and Spain. Key players, including captain Leah Williamson and forward Lauren Hemp, will need to perform at their best, especially with the absence of experienced players like Mary Earps and Millie Bright due to retirement and unavailability. England's capability to advance in such a tough group remains uncertain, given their recent struggles and the pressure of defending their title.
France, led by manager Laurent Bonadei, qualified for Euro 2025 as group leaders, demonstrating a strong performance in the Nations League with six consecutive wins. Despite previous shortcomings in major tournaments, the French team possesses a wealth of talent and is considered one of the favorites to succeed this time. The Netherlands, under Andries Jonker, brings a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, although their recent qualifying campaign was less impressive, finishing level on points with Italy. Lastly, Wales, managed by Rhian Wilkinson, is making its major tournament debut after a successful qualifying campaign, although they have struggled in the Nations League. With a solid defense and a competitive spirit, Wales aims to make a significant impact in this challenging group, despite the odds stacked against them. Overall, Group D promises to be a thrilling contest as these four teams vie for advancement in Euro 2025.
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