By Hannah Blackwell
Rhian Wilkinson has warned defending champions England that Wales will be armed and dangerous when they head into a Battle of Britain shoot-out at Euro 2025.
The Wales coach was reacting to the seemingly inevitable draw that landed Wales – playing at a major tournament for the first time – in a tough Group D against the old enemy, France and the Netherlands in Monday evening’s draw in Lausanne.
At 30, Wales will be the lowest-ranked team at the finals and will face three opponents inside FIFA’s current top 11, but Canadian coach Wilkinson’s reaction was bullish.
She said: “We are a dangerous team. Firstly, we have this underdog mantle, of course, as a first-time participant, but also how well the team is playing and how resilient they are, there’s every likelihood we’ll be surprising people at the tournament.”
It just had to be didn’t it?
England and Wales will go head to head in Group D at next summer’s #WEuro2025
They are joined by France and 2017 winners the Netherlands #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/HclMKVM0ZH
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 16, 2024
Wales and England famously met at the men’s Euros in 2016 when Wales made it all the way to the semi-finals, and Wilkinson knows the 2022 winners will represent a major hurdle to their hopes of progression when they clash in St Gallen on July 13 in the final round of group matches.
She added: “They’re the last winners, another team that with the excitement and growth of the WSL have had a lot of attention, have a lot of talent and a big player pool, so I expect a top England team there as well.”
The prospect of the two neighbours clashing in Switzerland will cause huge anticipation, excitement and the usual tribal expressions on an ancient rivalry in the build-up.
But while the match and the whole group may look daunting, Wilkinson, whose side will open their campaign against the Dutch in Lucerne on July 5 and then face France in St Gallen four days later, is relishing what lies ahead.
“I’m going to frame the draw, I’m going to frame it, I love that. Look at Wales up with some of the top nations in the world. That’s what we have always talked about.
“It wasn’t like we were hoping to pull off this miracle easy draw – there was no easy draw. Obviously our group is a challenging one, but I have been smiling from ear to ear.
“We asked for a challenge and we definitely got it.”
“I think there’s every likelihood we’ll be surprising people at the tournament” ️
Wales manager Rhian Wilkinson reacts to Wales’ #Euro2025 draw ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/daOwKPG8qg
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) December 16, 2024
Wales record cap holder and leading goalscorer Jess Fishlock said she had been “walking around with a smile on my face 24/7” since her side qualified for their first major tournament and she “can’t wait” for the Euros.
“We’re going to go there, we’re going to give everything that we have no matter who the team is, no matter what their history is,” said Fishlock.
“Two of these teams have won the last two Euros – what a great thing to think about when you go in there. We’re playing the best and I can’t wait.”
Rhian Wilkinson and Craig Bellamy . . . Two Outsiders with the Skills to Come in From the Cold
For England counterpart Sarina Wiegman, whose side get under way against France in Zurich on July 5, there is also the intriguing prospect of a clash with her native country the Netherlands, who she guided to European glory in 2017 and repeated the feat with the Lionesses five years later.
Wiegman told BBC Sport: “It’s just a fact. They’re in our group. I think we have a very interesting, exciting group.
“It’s a bit the same as the Nations League groups all the time. It’s very tough, very exciting and yes, for us July 5 it will start.”
Asked about the Wales game, she added: “We always approach the games the same, but first of all, congratulations to them, they qualified for the first time in history which of course is amazing and great.
“Yes, of course there’s some rivalry, I think, in a nice way when we go out on the pitch and I’m looking forward to that game too.”
Wiegman’s side avoided World Cup winners Spain, who were drawn into Group B with Italy, Portugal and Belgium, and 2022 runners-up Germany, who will face Sweden, Denmark and debutants Poland in Group C.
Hosts Switzerland will battle it out with Group A rivals Iceland, Norway and Finland for a place in the knockout stages.
The tournament will be played at eight venues – Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St Gallen, Lucerne, Sion and Thun – between July 2 and 27.
Meanwhile, UEFA has confirmed a huge rise in total prize money for the tournament to £34m.
A statement said: “The UEFA Executive Committee approved 41 million Euros in prize money for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, representing a 156 per cent increase on the figure from 2022.
“Participating national associations will now also distribute a guaranteed percentage of the rewards – between 30 per cent and 40 per cent – to their players for the first time.”
“We will be playing the best and I can’t wait” ️@JessFishlock reacts to Wales’ #Euro2025 draw which will see them play France, Netherlands and England ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/CQvPmTJxrB
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) December 16, 2024
