Football Daily - Women’s Euros: Ella Toone vs Lauren James & ‘jigsaw Jen’

Episode Date: June 30, 2025

Ben Haines is joined by Ellen White and Jen Beattie ahead of UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. They reflect on the key talking points from England’s 7-0 friendly win over Jamaica. How much does that result mean? What about the Toone/James selection headache? And who will be the players to watch at the tournament in Switzerland?03:15 How much can you read into the Jamaica game? 06:45 When do the players know they are starting? 10:00 Toone turns it on, but James causes headache, 14:05 Were Jamaica the right opponents for England? 16:15 England overcome disruptive build-up, 18:30 What’s it like going into tournament mode? 25:35 Bonmati boost for ‘favourites’ Spain, 27:55 How important is it for hosts Switzerland to do well? 31:20 Norway are an ‘odd team’… 32:35 Who are the players to watch?BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Wed 1700 Iceland v Finland on Sports Extra 2, Wed 2000 Switzerland v Norway on 5 Live, Thu 2000 Spain v Portugal on 5 Live, Fri 1700 Denmark v Sweden on Sports Extra 3, Fri 2000 Germany v Poland on 5 Live, Sat 1700 Wales v Netherlands on 5 Live, Sat 2000 France v England on 5 Live.

BBC Sounds music radio podcast. This is the football daily podcast with Ben Haynes. Hello everybody and welcome along to the football daily. It's Euros week. UEFA women's Euro 2025 gets underway on Wednesday with comprehensive commentary and coverage on BBC Radio 5 live and on BBC Sounds. England beat Jamaica by 7-0 in their final war match on Sunday afternoon and the Lionesses will be defending their Euros crown whilst it's also a first major tournament for Wales women as well who share the same group as England and with me for today's pod it's your usual Women's Football Weekly gang back together, England's record goal scorer Ellen White and Scotland Centurion Jen Beatty. Hello, both

It's nice to be back as a three ball. This is good fun. Oh, it's lovely. Hi guys. How you getting on beats? You're right. Yeah, good. I wanted to congratulate you on your wedding though Haven't seen any pictures but congratulations mate. I hope it was the best day ever. Thanks Pad, it was great fun. Do you know what was really strange though? It's sort of, we'd got so into that bit at the end of the season where it's crunch time on everything. In the Champions League, the end of WSL, you kind of feel the intensity of all of that and then suddenly there's just no football for a bit, it's really really bizarre. What have you done, Ellen, with your bit of time in between? You can't just stop there and not talk about your wedding.

I thought you were going to go in and talk about it. I know, I can't. I don't want to hear about me and Jen. Congratulations obviously. You both look absolutely stunning, beautiful. Thanks so much. We had a really good time. It was really really good fun and I'm very excited now to get out to Switzerland and watch some Euros. Just pry it off again. That's as much as you're getting from me. Tell me, how have you two been? Have you been avoiding football? Have you been fully immersed, ready to get into the Euros? I've just been prepping and watching women's football, yeah. Same. I think you think it's going to finish and you're watching all these games and you

think you're going to have a big break and then you're like, oh no, there's so much prep to be done, so many teams are still going to be playing. Also Club World Cup's been on over here, that's been so amazing to watch, so there's still so much football happening but I am so excited that the Euros is almost ready to go. One little thing that came up this week, the Lionesses had their big picture done, Ellen. You know the one where they're all standing at different heights and different positions, looking in different ways, in their suits, ready to go. I wondered what Ellen used to make of this. Did you enjoy those days?

No. It's horrible. Not your cup of tea. What did you make of the black kit? It looks smart. I think it looks really cool. I think I just love the contrast. Obviously I love that our home kit is cool, like, proper traditional, but yeah, I think it just, it looks cool with like the pink and kind of that blue-ish down the side as well. Yeah, I think that looks cool, but I think the girls look great though in their smart outfits. I think they look really cool in that. But yeah, it is a bit awkward that. Good omen so as well.

7-0 winning that away kit. How much can we read into it, Ellen, that game? I don't think you read too much into it. I think the main thing is just that confidence and momentum and building that going into the Euros. Obviously we're six days out and five days out. And it's just so much excitement, I think. And I think they needed it. They needed the game. They needed the fluidity, the connections, goal scoring, scoring lots of goals. And I think, you know,

the fans to obviously create that amazing send off as well for the team. So I think ultimately for Serena, I think it's probably posed a few questions as well for the team. So I think ultimately for Serena, I think it's probably posed a few questions as well for her, maybe for starting 11, maybe a couple of positions. But for the team, I think it's a really great confidence booster and excitement for facing France. You know what, let's jump right on into that because it's about a week to go for England. They're quite fortunate. Their first game against France, Saturday the 5th of July, that's an 8pm kickoff. Wales also in action on the 5th July as well. They start five against the Netherlands. But Ellen, just take me into that. You said questions

there. What is still up for grabs? Well, I think obviously I think there was questions over left back. I thought Jess Carter did well. She did an unbelievable block tackle in the box and absolutely just destroyed one of the Jamaican players, just like flipped her upside down. It was a great tackle, great defensive play. So I think that left back was kind of question mark with her and Niamh Charles.

So I think she's really put herself in the hat to potentially start against France. That number 10 position, I think has been really up for grabs as well. We've had Jess Park there, we've had Grace Clinton, we've had Ella Toon, and then Lauren James came on for 30 minutes and she was picking up some beautiful positions and obviously assisted

a goal as well. So I feel like those two were probably some question marks for me. I think the rest are pretty much, I think, set of who will play and who will start. I think Ella rest are pretty much, I think, set of who will play and who will start. I think Ella Toon put a name in the hat massively, scoring two goals, but yeah, I would say the number 10 and the left back position, number three, is probably the ones that Serena was maybe umming and ah-ing about, but you know, Ella Toon and

Jess Carter have really put themselves in a great position to potentially start. I couldn't agree more. I think it's definitely a game that England needed. I think over the past few games or even going back longer, the narrative around England has always been who's been missing and players not fit. So getting a game like yesterday, of course you could argue that could they have got a higher ranked team for a more competitive game, but I think confidence-wise and connections and just getting that free playing football I think was great for this team and for Stanway and Lauren Hemp to get more minutes under their belts as Lioness is going into a major tournament. I think, I just think if you're a Lioness in that dressing room now your confidence is through the roof

and you're ready to go for a major tournament. And look, yeah, you could argue Thun Carter, I thought Thun's finishing yesterday was unbelievable. Those two goals from edge of the box, side netting almost, both of them, that's what you need from that 10 position and that's what she can give. I think I would have Thun in there as my starter as the 10. I think Grace Clinton's obviously done unbelievably well but the two positions, I think Ellen's spot on, they're the two questionable ones. Then of course you have Chloe Kelly

and you're wondering how fit Lauren James is. So there's still question mark. I don't think it's as obvious as what we've seen before with Vigman's sides that are being so clear cut with starting 11s and subs coming off the bench. I think this is a very adaptable England team, which is also a great place to be in going to a tournament. Ellen, if you take us back to 2022, at what point did you all know, even if it wasn't said out loud,

at what point did you all know what the starting line-up would be for the first game? That's day minus one. No way, that late? Yeah. That's incredible. Well, that's every game. No one knew they were starting every game. Wow, I assumed that you would have a real...

Unless other people had different conversations, but you found out matchday minus one. So will that be the same again this time around, you think? I don't know. Well, obviously Serena's got her way of working and I think it will pretty much be the processes that she's worked with for this team for a number of years now. And I feel like it's worked well for the group and everyone has that clear understanding and I feel like she has that great level of communication everyone knows their roles and responsibilities but I don't think she especially 2022 I don't think she went into that tournament thinking I'm going to have the same starting 11 for every game I think it just happens to work well and obviously we had a great game plan that you know we executed and then it gave a chance for subs to come on and change the

game and that's what evolved and just developed as the tournament went on and I'm sure she's got a lot of different things up her sleeve of what will work and she's got a great talented squad and amazing people that can come off the bench. So yeah, I think she will change and adapt her squad as is needed, especially with anyone that has got niggles or anything like that. But yeah, genuinely, nobody knew the start in 11 until match day minus one, I think. Is that a team meeting then, where she goes, right, and this is how we'll be lining up for tomorrow?

Exactly, yeah. And are you waiting at that moment, just hoping to see your name on there? Oh yeah, obviously we've done run-throughs and everything like that, but you still want to see your name up there on the screen and have that definitive like you are going to be starting. But genuinely, every time I'm sat in there I'm like, please let my name be up there and be number nine. Honestly, I swear I did not know every single game

until that you were gonna play. But I guess that's quite helpful then, Bees, because it means that for those players now that maybe feel like they're on the periphery or feel like they're gonna have to fight to be included, there's nearly a week, there's still time, and there's still a chance to force your way in. Yeah, and look, I think Ellen's spot on, she might change and adapt and she might not...

there's so many different things that you can change, whether it's formation, personnel, so just because you don't start the first game doesn't mean you might not be starting the next game and I do think that'll be the difference going into this tournament, but no, look, players can assume and predict and look at training and be constantly guessing. I think that's a natural thing for players to do. But until your names up announced on that board, I was the exact same as Ellen, I would never assume anything until my name was on the board and the 11 was announced for the game the next day. I would never assume anything. And I think it keeps the group competitive, right?

You never want anyone to fall back on, from a substitute perspective and be like, right, I'm never gonna get a game here. The mentality has to be whether you start or come in for 10 or 20 minutes, you're locked in and you're ready to give whatever you can for your team and for your country, really. We saw Ella Toon turn it on, as you said, Jen.

She scored two wonderful goals. And I don't know about you, and I found myself sitting there thinking, I wonder what Lauren James can do to come on and sort of almost answer that. And then she gets the most sumptuous assist. And you're suddenly thinking, wow, she'll have another week in a potentially, can she turn Serena's head as well? I think she can definitely turn Serena's head but we know the talent that Lauren James has.

My question mark would be what I was thinking is, is she going to be as sharp as what we know she can be, you know, before she got injured, when she was playing for Chelsea, what she was doing for England before she got injured and she looked sharp. I think it's just minutes now. I think she won't, I don't think she'll be available to start, I don't think. I think Serena will say everyone's available to start but I don't think you would risk a Lauren James to start against France. You would have her to come on and maybe be a bit of a game changer like she did against Jamaica.

Just those pockets of space, the way she can just spin on her sixpence and like you say she just cut so sweetly and then that left foot she didn't even look like she was like bothered with it she just kind of went oh yeah there I am again with that across the roof side but Alessi was like thank you very much I've been in this position for the whole game and no one's passed it to me like that but yeah she's just such a talent is she and I'm so pleased for her that she's fit, raring to go. And it is a massive headache for Serena now

because like you say, she's got Elatun that's firing, scoring two goals. Lauren James that's come on and obviously assisted. Then you've got Grace Clinton with that physicality. She's scored a number of goals as well. Jess Parks come on and scored a number of goals. Obviously we know that winner against Spain. So that 10 position is quite an exciting one for England.

I'm wondering what you think off the back of what you've just said as well. So, Lauren James coming back, fitness is a big thing for Stanway, all these players coming back from injury, right, even Alex Greenwood, you could argue. So could you say that Lauren James is more suited to start like a Wales game, right? Where the game you could expect

is probably going to be played in half of the pitch where it's tight and it's not box-to-box running but it's where you need those like intricate quality players like Lauren James coming. I think if she doesn't start the first two games the Wales game is probably the perfect opportunity for her to get a start and to get like sort of that 90 minutes potentially if she doesn't start the first two. Yeah no potentially but then I was also thinking of that Netherlands game and they sometimes play well they play that box midfield and her being in those spaces that are just kind of wide of that I feel like or just kind of in behind the midfield in front of the defense would be quite exciting to watch as well but yeah I totally understand what you're saying in terms

of her maybe getting a full minutes against Wales and obviously there's no disrespect to Wales and the way they perform because it's going to be such a hard game. But potentially for her, it could be quite a low block, a mid block. So having someone like her picking up in those really nice spaces and she's got lovely through balls, she can manipulate the ball and she's quite patient in her play so she could be one of like a key person to unlock a defense or a midfield so I totally understand what you're saying that could be really exciting for us so yeah it's almost like France maybe she could get I don't know 30 minutes I don't know it's a tough one isn't it but then what could happen Elisun could have

the game of their life and need it and start and you just want to keep that momentum and that consistency or Grace Clinton comes in, do you mean it? It's such a headache and thank God I'm not a manager but yeah but it's so exciting isn't it that we've got England got so many kind of different options. Yeah camera cut a number of times to the bench and you do find yourself thinking oh they could come on and have an impact, they could potentially come on and have an impact, there's another headache there for Serena Vigman and I think one of the things that she's done so well

is she's always positioned it in the right way, hasn't she? She's always said, we're going to have our finishers that can come on and finish the game and impact the game, and our starters that will get us off to a fly. So it's never been, you are benched or you are a reserve. It's, you're going to come on and play your part. Just one really quick thing. So France played Brazil in their final Walmart match ahead of the Euros. They won 3-2, came from two goals down. Is that helpful for their melon, just having a slightly more competitive opposition? England coming to the tournament having beaten Jamaica very, very comfortably and very comprehensively,

but at no point did you ever feel that England were running at max capacity. Yeah, no, I did kind of think of that. Yeah, I thought, you know, France facing Brazil was a very tough opposition, ranked very high in the world rankings. We England have played them numerous times and had really tough games against them. So for France, that was an unbelievable friendly for them in the lead up to the England game and obviously for their mentality to come back from 2-0 down as well and they've gone seven games unbeaten in the run up to the Euros and now they're eight games unbeaten

against top opposition. So yeah I did kind of think could we have had a slightly different opposition to Jamaica and obviously it's no disrespect to Jamaica. I know Kaz Carley made quite a good point in half time just saying that Jamaica do offer that counter attacking football a little bit. We saw it maybe a couple of times what France could offer because they're so quick in the way they go forward. But could we have faced maybe a team that would pose more challenges to our defense, basically. So that was interesting.

But, you know, Serena's got her, you know, what she wants to achieve out of these friendlies and what she wants. And maybe she did want confidence and momentum going into this tournament because they have faced very, very good, highly ranked teams and a lot of European teams, obviously, recently. So to face someone completely different might have been a what she wanted To see what her team could face and what would happen in the game So, you know, there's there's obviously different kind of negatives and positives to come out of it Really one of the positives being that you get to go through the game and come away with

All of your key players have an impact to the game your key goal scorers getting on the score sheet as well, Jen. And then on top of that, there is this seamless feeling like we're ready to go. And I guess that's particularly important when you consider how disrupted the build-up has been with the likes of Mary Earp's retiring Millie Brightwood drawing from the squad, Fran Kirby's announcement as well. In a really short period of time. It did feel like there was a little bit of a storm there for Serena Vigman to weather. Yeah. And look, I think, though, I think the players and the staff handled that really well. I think I can't even imagine what media days would have been like in and around those camps. But I think, again, I think everyone said as well that everyone's glad that it was the camp before this one, right? So you can kind of put it to bed and now focus on

the Euros and the games are about to happen and now everything is about performance. Players have made those decisions whether it's Millie Bright, Mary Earps. In fact, they've made their decisions and everyone got the support they needed and you know, heard them and listened and understood everything. Now it's about game time. Now it's about, okay, you had how many? Six different scorers in the most recent game and that is an awesome place to be in. So you're spot on with Vigmin, who she starts, the finishers that come into the game.

That is so important and that is the confidence that this team needed. There has been injuries, there has been headlines, a lot of noise. Now, I think all the tactics need to be shutting out the noise and focus on performance and the opening game coming up. From my very first game, I knew that I wanted to be a goalkeeper. The buzz and the adrenaline that I got from it.

The dream was to always represent my country. Mary Earps, desperate to impress. I remember saying, I know I've got what it takes. And crucial save from us. You have to be obsessed. Mary Herbst with a super save. You just look at some of the saves that she makes. Not everyone can do that. I really had no idea really how far I would go.

England are undone at the dead. It felt like my world was ending. That was the moment. I was in pieces on the kitchen floor. You have to hit rock bottom to understand what you really want. like my world was ending. That was the moment I was in pieces on the kitchen floor. You have to hit rock bottom to understand what you really want. Mary would put herself in front of anything

and feel like she could stop it. I've done something that I'd always dreamed of doing that I never knew if I would get the opportunity to do. Mary Erps, Queen of Stops. Watch on BBC iPlayer. The Football Daily Podcast. With Ben Haynes. By the time some people are listening to this, England will have already touched down in Zurich. They will have already got on the plane, done the last goodbyes and sort of got into that mindset, Elen, of right,

we're arriving to the tournament. Just tell us what that's like when you go into tournament mode because even up until this point, when they're playing the last warm-up games, it can't feel fully real until you're on that plane and you're out there. No, exactly. It's obviously great to have the preparation at St. George's Park to get down to

what Serena Kana was looking for, carry on doing our philosophy, the culture, but then as soon as you step into the country that you're gonna play at or you know you're stepping off that plane or for us it was just stepping off the coach for the 2022 but as soon as you see the Euros coach or that coach that you're gonna be in in that country for that major tournament. It is just unbelievable when you arrive at that hotel, just the entrance that everyone gives you and just you see all the banners, just the rigmarole of the tournament basically

and it's like, right, we're in it now. This is it. And I feel like you've been talking so much with the media for weeks for the preparation camp and then when you step your foot into Switzerland what the girls are going to do, it's just another level then. The excitement to get started and get ready and get settled, it's quite indescribable isn't it Jen, to kind of when you step your foot in there and it's like this is real now. it's just so exciting and so fun. I feel like mine was even more heightened because it was my first tournament ever as well right 2019 World Cup of course that we made it to the Euros prior and missed out but that feeling of like we

talked about suits earlier on but that feeling of all of a sudden everyone's in a suit and this is a bit more serious and it's you know you're right the branding is absolutely everywhere and you've only seen it online and now that exposure to it, I think seeing it in real life, in real time, because ours was getting off the plane in Tunis and straight into it and playing against England as well, so there was a lot of noise around that. It was just amazing, it was some of the best memories and that feeling of, it just feels elevated in every single way, whether it's the excitement, the pressure, the branding, what you're wearing, everything is all Euros and it's everywhere.

And now there's so much protection around players and everything in that respect, but I don't know. I hope they're absorbing everything because it's an awesome feeling. Everyone has their base camp in Switzerland because it is quite a small country so that's also really exciting that when you're walking into your base camp what your country has done for you in that base camp is is quite ridiculous or quite exciting your rooms meal room I don't want to say games room, gym, training pitch, just everything is just so branded to your country and it's just so exciting, just those little extras that they that they do to make you feel at home. We had that at the Lensbury when we were in England for 2022

and it was just those little tiny things that they just add that special spice to a major tournament that are just amazing. Ells, what was your favourite part of Basecamp in 2022? The games room. Yes. It was so good. Do you know what it was? I was addicted to it.

It was like a chill out games room. I just played basketball the whole time. I must have done about five different puzzles like j jigsaws, right at the World Cup. I was obsessed. Obsessed, mate. Because it was like, just got me out of football. I absolutely loved it. I remember doing that eight-foot tower

because we were in France. It was exquisite. But I think, Jen, wasn't your hotel in Nice, didn't it have that incredible rooftop bar? Yeah, but we weren't there, Ben. We weren't in the bars. No, not at all. weren't in the bars. No, not at all.

I was in the jigsaw room doing jigsaws. Gen V just dominating the jigsaw room. One of the things that I've seen today has been quite cool. I've seen the Norway team have arrived. I don't know if either of you two have seen this on social media, but they very much had that experience that you're talking about. So they've got like a mini golf thing set up, they've been out on the lake already on inflatables. And it very much ties into what you were saying, Ellen, in that this bit at the beginning is

just absolute optimism. Because at that point, anything can happen. And I suppose that's quite crucial, right? In these first few days, can you build a bit of a bond? And can you build a bit of a buzz to make sure by the time it comes to game time, all 23 of you are totally aligned? Exactly. I think, yeah, it's building that togetherness, that foundation, that bond, that culture and that family-like feel, but getting it in the right amount, I think, as well, because obviously you've got three games, that's it. Three games and you could be out. So you've got to take it seriously at the same time and I think I totally agree with what Jen said.

You need that time to switch off and do something for you that isn't thinking about football, mindfulness, whatever it might be. Everyone's so different. Someone could be running off doing something completely what you think is crazy, but for them they really need it. So it's having that right balance. But at the end of the day, you're there for one thing and that is

to obviously win football matches and get through to the qualifying rounds so I think it's really important and so exciting to to build your base camp in the right way and for everyone to have their calmness and what they feel is ready and what gets them prepared for the game and and have that excitement but ultimately when you get down to it, it's all about winning football games. I think it's also so important to mention that, okay, yeah, we had awesome base camps and games rooms,

but that was also in a era of football where we could quite easily go and walk along the beach and meet your parents if they were out visiting, and you could go to a coffee shop and you know fans might come up but they might not whereas nowadays with England's success and what they have and every international team to be honest your base camp you have security with you everywhere so the freedom is not there outside of base camp so base camp is your home really for this amount of time so it has to have the element of fun and being able to switch off. And of course, Ellen's spot on.

The balance will be there, but the freedom isn't there for like players as it used to be anymore. And I think it's so important to look after that side of like the mental aspect of being in a hotel room for X amount of time. Yeah, it's such a good point. There's been such significant changes.

I can remember, as you're saying, Jen, people walking down into Nice in 2019, entire teams in their full tracksuits just walking down into town and being able to do that, being completely free to just grab a coffee or I think both of your hotels are right on the beach. So if you wanted to, you could just wander onto the beach, which is... Yeah, we did. Yeah, we did. I met my mum and dad on the beach. And it was kind of a long time.

Just not an option for the lionesses this time around. Let's just have a little look elsewhere in terms of the tournament and preparations. Some really good news for Spain. Now if you haven't seen this, Saitama Bonmatie was taken to hospital in Madrid on Friday and was being treated for viral meningitis

but she has just been discharged. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner posted on social media. Thanks to everyone for the messages I've received and to those who've helped me these past few days. Fortunately, everything's going well and I hope to be back soon. So on the one hand, really brilliant news that she's doing well and she's making a recovery and hopefully will be able to feature heavily in the tournament. But when we were just talking there, Ellen, about build up and talking about trying to make things as seamless as possible, it's not ideal for Spain to be coming into this one with one of their best players not a full part of that build up.

No, and obviously we wish her well and hope she's back fighting fit soon and on the pitch because yeah, it doesn't obviously sound nice, nice but you know glad she's been released from hospital but yeah obviously she's one of the best midfielders in the world isn't she and she's key to the way Spain work the way they play from defense through to attack she's been wonderful to watch for Barcelona and Spain so you know it's it's quite a tight turnaround. You know they play their first game on Thursday, so I think obviously the priority is to make sure that she's 100% well and fit and ready and you know Spain have some unbelievable talent and players, but

yeah she'll be a huge miss if she isn't able to be a part or significant part of the group stages let's say, to start with, but yeah, obviously we're share well. Yeah, Spain, Portugal on Thursday night, 8pm kick-off, live commentary of that one on 5 Live. Jenna, is Spain still the favourites for you? I think so, yeah, of course I'll always be looking at Germany, you know, eight-time winners of the Euros.

Clara Bulls, one of my favourite players to watch in a forward line, is doing so well scoring and assisting. But I just can't take my eyes off Spain. Of course people might figure out how to play against them, but when you've got players like young players like Pina, along with experience of Puteus, I think Pina was unbelievable in the Champions League this year for Barcelona. Obviously missed out on the final,

but they still are my favourites. I'm going to come back to Pina because I do want to talk a little bit about her later on, Ellen. I know you were a huge fan of her. Let's just skip on to Wednesday evening, just the day before. Finland and Iceland go head to head in the first game, 5pm for that one. But then Switzerland are in action at 8 against Norway.

And that's really where we'll see the tournament kick into life. And I wonder, Elis, how crucial do you think it is that Switzerland make a good start and hopefully get out of their group, just in terms of the tournament itself, because I'm sort of comparing it to 2022 and the way that we saw the tournament grow here in England. Well, I'm also really excited for that game, because I'm covering that one. So I'm really excited to be doing that one. No, no, I totally agree with what you're saying. I think for the tournament, it will be absolutely amazing to continue the host nation,

to be able to get out the group and progress. They did amazing to get out the group in 2023 in Australia, New Zealand. And, you know, Switzerland have had a pretty tricky time in the Nations League and it was amazing to see them get that result against Czech Republic a few days ago where they won 4-1. They hadn't scored since April. So it was, I think for the fans and for everyone in Switzerland,

it was a huge buzz and a huge lift to see their team win and score four goals. And obviously they've played Norway in the Nations League they've lost twice to them but they've been quite close contest so this one's going to be a huge game for them Norway lost to Sweden in a friendly as well so I think this is going to be an amazing that they're saying it's an opening game obviously Iceland-Finland is the opening game but this is the the obviously opening ceremony but it's going to be huge for for Switzerland as the nation to get behind

this team and try and push them over the line because I think they've got a great chance to do something against Norway with the fans behind the atmosphere and obviously having that win against Czech Republic as well. So I'm really excited to watch it. Do you think that the atmosphere could make an impact from a Swiss point of view? For sure. I think the last year was we've seen home nations win it, whether it's been Netherlands or England. So we kind of have seen first hand how much a home crowd can really get behind you. And look, I don't think many people are expecting Switzerland to win it, but let's

talk about home confidence and playing in front of home fans and wanting to put on a performance. So I think it will massively help. I think, you know, whether you're in Switzerland's group or not, you don't want to be playing them at home in Switzerland. I've been there in a Scotland jersey and it was it was hard. Their fans are awesome and they really will get behind. So, you know, I think it's the old cliche that they will be a huge support for Switzerland no matter what. But look, I think they've also losing back. It will always be a big loss for Switzerland no matter what. But look, I think they've also, losing Bachman

will always be a big loss for them, but I think Alicia Lehman coming in, and I will say it, the marketing pull she has with bringing people in and getting people there to support, I think she's a massive player in terms of audience. So no, I think they've had a really tough time, like what Ellen said, but that game most recently, the 4-1 result was huge. We talk about confidence a lot with England. I think that was massive

for the Switzerland team as well. Particularly when you look at the fact that Norway on paper have just got so much talent there. They've got a number of players you think, do you know what, that's a match winner or that's a game changer. For Norway, it must be so frustrating having to come into this one and almost have a leveller in the fact that they're playing against the home nationals. Yeah, I think also it must be quite annoying because they must think we play each other all the time as well and then having to face each other in the opening game as well.

But yeah, Norway is such a... they're an odd team, aren't they? Because like you say, I look on paper and I just think wow, unbelievable talent. For instance, Graham Hansen, unbelievable talent. Obviously you've got Hegerberg up front, captain, you've got Reiton on the other side. It's just, their talent going forward is unbelievable. Manham in the 10 as well. It's just that defence I think is a bit of an issue for them and they're not scoring enough goals. So I don't know what it is. I'm not sure. I don't know if it's maybe the style of play, the personnel, just that continuity, the connections and maybe everything might click in this Euros.

Everything might click and you just think, wow, that's the team we've been looking for. That's the team that everyone's kind of gone on paper and gone, wow, that's what kind of what we said when we looked. But yeah, I'm not too sure. But this is a huge game from a huge test for them to be facing the host nation and they have to get three points on the board really, if they need to progress out of the group, because that's what they've struggled recently in major tournaments is to get out the group. That one, that game eight o'clock kickoff on Wednesday evening, that's when the tournament

will really be in full swing and you can catch full commentary of that on Radio 5 Live and BBC Sound. Something fun just to finish up, one thing that I always used to try and do to El's Jen all the time, I think I probably did this about six or seven times over the course of her England career, I'd try and catch her at the beginning of the tournament and say to her How many guys gonna score and you're gonna win the golden boot and she would always Without you would make that exact noise and then sort of shake any like no No, I'm just gonna like try and do it for the team really I just want to be selected

Like see my name on the sheet. And then the interview would finish, start laughing and I'd see straight away that Ellen White was going to go and win the golden boot or go straight after that golden boot. So this time around it's quite nice because the pressure's off Elle so we can just have a little chat about the people that you can't wait to watch in front of goal. Oh yes, lovely actually. Yeah so who are you looking forward to watching from a striker's point of view? Obviously first and foremost Yalessia Russo. I don't want to put loads of pressure on her, but I've been there.

Good for her to get a goal against Jamaica, wasn't it? Definitely, because she was putting herself in some great positions. That thunderbolt she hit against the crossbar was outrageous. But yeah, for her confidence, so I'm looking forward to seeing her play. Lea Schiller for Germany, wow. She's been scoring a lot of goals recently. She's an amazing talent and obviously I feel like pop has always been kind of that number nine, that striker where she's kind of come into this now and been like no this is where I am, this is my role so I'm really excited to see her. Obviously Claudia Pina, I feel like she could have a huge impact as well for Spain.

And one of my favorites, Katoto for France. I love her so much. I think she is such an amazing striker. And she could just score a goal like that. So just a few there just to... Yeah. It's a really cool battle though for her, isn't it? There's a lot of really though for it, isn't it? There's a lot of really good striking talent, Jen. We haven't even mentioned Viv Meadema, I scored twice the other day. Oh my goodness.

Yeah, we have to, like... She's on 99 goals. She's so casual, this goal to cap ratio, to still... I said it throughout her Man City year this year as well. Whenever she came back from injury injury she would just score. She makes scoring look easy, which is the hardest thing to do in football. I'm sure Elle's would back me up on that, but no, so many incredible strikers. Pina when she's on the wing or drifting inside. Clara Bull mentioned her earlier. The assist in goal, we saw it with Beth Mead in 2022, the assist in goal ratio I think is going

to be well balanced across a lot of forwards. I have to mention Italy, Giarelli, Cantor, just signed a big contract out in the NWSL. I think they're the dark horses potentially in this tournament, but there's a lot of firepower and it's without a doubt going to be the most exciting Euros we've had yet. I hope we've sufficiently whet everyone's appetite for this now. Yeah. Because it is, I'm absolutely buzzing for this. So excited to get into it. It all kicks off on Wednesday and I guess the next time that we'll probably be all seeing each other will be well and truly underway.

So thank you so much to Ellen and to Jigsaw Jen. That's it for this episode of the Football Daily. The next round will be a Women's Euros special of the commentators view with Ali Bruce Ball, Conor McNamara and Vicky Sparks. We'll see you all next time. Big shout out to Jen. All I can think of is sore when he's like... Yeah, I literally...

Jen and her little fight. And he's like, strike. Football, a game of passion, rivalry and loyalty. But decades ago, beneath the cheers and the chants, lay a different kind of warfare called hooliganism. On a match day, everyone was your enemy. Everyone was going to kill you. We'll uncover the brutal, bloody battles where punching below the belt was a way of life.

It was just a day of making. It's a day you dream of. Join me, Tony Bellew, as we hear from those bruising for a fight in the name of the firms that they belong to. We hated them, we hunted them, we battered them and nothing got in the way of football. Something they called the English disease. They were destroying the football club, the game I love. Gangster Presents Hooligans.

Listen on BBC Sounds.