England Women return to action on Tuesday when they face Sweden in a crucial Euro 2025 qualifier; Leah Williamson believes Three Lions and Lionesses fans should feel lucky at their recent successes in tournaments
Tuesday 16 July 2024 07:49, UK
Leah Williamson believes England fans should feel "very lucky" that both the men's and the women's team are delivering final appearances, despite the men's team losing to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
In the last three years, England's men's team have reached two European Championship finals, albeit losing them both, while the Lionesses won Euro 2022 and reached the Women's World Cup final a year later.
"We watched the team together last night and we wanted nothing more than for those boys to win," said Lionesses captain Williamson.
"I'm devastated for them, especially knowing some of them personally as well. What Gareth and his team have done in the last three or four years, reaching finals and bringing that dream closer to reality, I think we are very lucky as fans of England - men and women - to be in the position we're in.
"We didn't quite get over the line against a fantastic Spanish team. I know they will be devastated about it, it will take a while for them to get over it.
"But as a country, we've been blessed with those incredible tournaments. When those wins come and which I do believe they will, they will be even sweeter."
The England women's team have recent history of a final loss to Spain themselves, losing the Women's World Cup final 1-0 in December 2023.
Asked how long it took for them to get over the setback, England manager Sarina Wiegman replied: "First of all, it takes three weeks to get over it.
"It can go both ways of course. Because you have an opponent who wants to win too and has some qualities too. It's easier to accept a win than to accept a loss. That took a while.
"I start thinking about [moving on] very quickly, because after the tournament we had to move on quickly because we had other windows coming. You can't stand still for too long because you want to keep performing at the highest level.
"I give myself a couple of days. At moments it comes back and you go: I could have done this or that. Because you work hard every day year on year, and when you get so close you want to win it."
With Euro 2024 over, attention now turns to England Women's Euro 2025 qualification campaign, with the Lionesses just one positive result from sealing qualification for next year's finals.
Ahead of their final group game against Sweden, who lie just behind them, England know a point would be enough to seal safe passage through to the final, but defeat would put them in the play-offs.
Wiegman, however, is only focused on victory.
"We will never play for a draw, we play a match to win," she said. "When we win the game, we might even top the group too.
"Everybody expects France to win but you never know in football. We are approaching this game to win, we will see what happens in the France game to know what we need to do.
"[If we avoid the play-offs] you can prepare, play friendlies and prepare for the Euros. When you are playing the other [play-off] games, you're preparing too but you want to pick the games yourselves."
Wiegman says Gareth Southgate's England future is solely down to him.
The men's manager's position is up for discussion with the FA wanting to keep him on until the 2026 World Cup, but the 53-year-old could leave the post with his contract up in December.
"That's absolutely to him," Wiegman said when asked if Southgate should stay as England boss.
"I have a very good relationship with him. That is something for him to reflect on and the people at the FA. That's absolutely not something for me."
