Football Daily - Women’s Euros: Germany upset France on penalties

Episode Date: July 19, 2025

Katie Smith has reaction to Germany’s win over France at UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. She’s with Karen Bardsley, Vicki Sparks and Julien Laurens. Also hear from England’s Beth Mead and Khiara Keating.09:30 Julien Laurens joins the pod 17:45 Beth Mead INTERVIEW 27:15 Khiara Keating INTERVIEWBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Tue 2000 England v Italy, Wed 2000 Germany v Spain.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. deal ratings and price history. So you know a great deal when you see one. That's cargurus.ca, cargurus.ca. Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender. With seating up to eight, ample cargo space and legendary off-road capability, it's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at LandRover.ca. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. The Football Daily Podcast with Katie Smith.

At UEFA Women's Euro 2025. Welcome along to the Football Daily podcast as Germany complete the lineup for the Women's Euro 2025 semi-finals. They beat France on penalties here in Basel and will now face Spain on Wednesday night. England-Italy is the other semi-final on Tuesday. Live commentary of both for you on Five Live and BBC Sounds. Later on, we're going to hear from Chiara Keating and Beth Mead But let's first reflect on that dramatic win for ten player Germany over France Here's how it sounded at the end of the penalty shootout with Karen Bosley and Vicky Sparks Germany have done the near impossible. Their spot kick heroine, Anne Katrinberger, is at it again. They looked down and out in this game. After just 13 minutes, they had a player sent off,

but they fought, they dug so deep, they battled until the very end and Anne Katrinberger has sent them through at the last, with that save to the semi-final. It is one of the greatest performances, the greatest examples of digging deep in footballing history against all the odds from the record European champions. And it is bitter, bitter failure for France. Germany through to face Spain. Unbelievable. What a defiant performance from the Germans. I've been gripped since minute 13 when all all of that drama hinders going off, the way that they've seen this game out, France will be deeply disappointed. But the way this German team is celebrating, you see Julia Gwinn on the pitch,

just the support around Anne Katzenberger and her teammates just celebrating her exceptional performance this evening. There's so many storylines to pull from this, but Katie, where do we begin? Inexplicable. I think that's where we begin as Anne Katrinberger is mobbed by her teammates and rightly so saved two penalties, converted one herself, had multiple potential match saving moments, including one from an inexplicable fall backwards from her own player she's a two-time cancer survivor she has a tattoo on the side of

her neck to cover up the scars and guess what it says all we have is now and look at the moment, she has just helped her team create. Germany into the semi-finals and it is Bedlam, an elation over towards our left-hand sides where the fans continue to wave their giant German flags, the black, the red, the gold, saluting the all-green of Anne Katrin Berger who now runs towards them. What a night for the 10 players of Germany. Karibatzi.

That's just giving me goosebumps. All we have is now. She's been through so much. And you know, as she made that final save, she pointed to the fans as well. Clearly, someone very, very special to her is here tonight. And that's just a lovely lovely moment. She's been given the player of the match as well Vicky and after all the trials, the tribulations, the twists and turns it still feels like it comes back to her once again. Do you know what as well

there are so many players that could have been given the player of the match for Germany. I mean Jule Bram was absolutely outstanding, Elisa Zenz in the midfield, Franziska Kett, I mean they gave absolutely everything and had to limp off the pitch when they came off if they came off or push through to the penalties. But just thinking about Ann-Kathrin Berger, she spoke about her 92 year old granddad in the build-up to this game. He is my motivation to reach the final, she says, because he's a, this is her words, he's a very strict granddad, but he's also kind. But he said, well, I'm not coming unless you're in the final.

I'm not going to come to the quarterfinal or the semifinal. I tried to persuade him, but he's a tough nut to crack. After the opening match, she says he gave me a thumbs up, which is saying something because that doesn't happen very often I think she's gonna be getting another thumbs up tonight and maybe just maybe 92 year old granddad will be convinced to go to the semi-final against Spain because my word don't Germany deserve to be there that is one of the most remarkable performances I've seen from any side ever in terms of the odds being against them and we have to reflect on

the other side and say all of those questions about France's mentality still remain with the same answer. They just cannot do it at this level as the Germany players run over to their fans. The decibels go up tenfold as Nuskin leads the charge towards the fans. She almost falls over, I think, in sheer exhaustion, but also excitement and disbelief as what has just happened. Christian Book is sprinting as well.

The manager, all in black and arm raised towards their fans. And Katrin Berger, I've been watching. The media people are trying desperately to shepherd her over to the waiting cameras and microphones because she's the player of the match. Everybody wants to speak to her, but no, she is having a moment over there and the noise continues to rise while the France players, Karen, have been slinking away very quietly, heads bowed and it feels different to the Sweden-England penalty

shootout where, in so many ways, Sweden were the better side. France had so many advantages go their way, including a player more for so much of that match. And it's hard to know where the fault lies, apart from in their own camp. No, they blew it. I mean, you can't put it any more simply than that. They had loads of opportunities.

They had long spells of possession. They had obviously a player advantage as well. They just didn't have the quality that we're used to seeing from them. You know, the final pass was a little bit heavy. They couldn't seem to unpick that German block, and they were just continuing to try to get some success down in the wide areas. They couldn't beat their player one for one, like couldn't get any sort of combinations centrally and they really really really struggled. And a penny for the thoughts of Katrin Hendrik

who will be the most relieved woman in this stadium because it was her dismissal on 13 minutes for inexplicably pulling the hair of the France captain Grig Mbock inside the penalty area that saw her sent off after BAR squatted it. France got a penalty out of the bargain as well but my word didn't every player who was left out there for Germany put in the performance of their lives. Although when the elation of this wears off, Karen and I don't want to be the party pooper, there are implications for what happened to Germany tonight. AKA, she is not available.

Niskan picked up another yellow card, she is not available. So, they are playing the World Champions Spade in the semi-finals. It's still very much going to be a very, very difficult task. Yeah, not only that, obviously they've gone 120 minutes, they've gone to penalties, they're going to be absolutely knackered. I wouldn't be surprised if you see the physios on the pitch, like, chasing them down, getting them in the ice baths and things like that ASAP.

But yeah, you know what, let them enjoy their moment. It's been outstanding. They've done something I have never seen before as a player and it's nearly impossible what they've done this evening. And all of that is so true because an emotional high is one thing but a physical recovery is another. But if you don't have belief after tonight, Germany, I mean, what can Spain throw at them that is tougher than what they faced tonight? Yes, Spain can throw, you know, their performance at them.

Ballon d'Or winners. Very true. But in terms of, you know, again, just going against you in every single conceivable way possible, you know, not only just the record, the missed penalty as well. Yes, France had two goals ruled out for a slide and hit the bar really late on as well. You know, things went against France too. But whatever they face in that match against Spain, there is going to be no circumstance where at least mentally they think we can't come back from this. And I just want to say, like, I've got my eyes on Anne Katzenberger as well, and she's walking around just so much, you know, applause for her performance and the adulation from

the fans. And this is two outstanding performances from goalkeepers that we've seen most recently. Comes to mind was obviously Hannah Hampton's performance in that penalty shootout in that game throughout and, quickly from wrong, she won play of the match as well. So through a slightly biased lens, I'm so pleased to see goalkeepers get the credit that they deserve. The Football Daily Podcast with Katie Smith at UEFA Women's Euro 2025. So Germany booking their place in the semifinals against all odds, but we've got to get a French perspective on that disappointing result.

Heartbreak. And we're going to bring in Julien Laron. I feel a bit bad, Jules, doing this to you. How are you? Thank you, Katie. And I know you're meaning that as well. It's a tough one to take. I won't lie because when you're playing for so long with 11 players on the pitch against 10 and you are a team in form like the French, where going into this game you should not be losing in that position and already getting to the penalty penalty shootout felt like a defeat. To lose the toss for that shootout felt like another defeat. And then to see Majori missing the first French penalty, it looked like it was just written somewhere that we would not get past the Germans tonight and country burger in goal. So yeah, it's

a tough one to take. Jules, I mean, there's so much to pick out of this French performance, but one thing I just wanted to ask you about, Madri's penalty. I've never had this in a stadium before, I don't think. The fact that the music, the goal music, kicked in after Germany scored that first penalty. So, Madri's got to wait for all that to stop.

Then the referee's telling her to, you know, keep the ball on the spot for a while. But I really thought that was poor, for that to happen at a quarter-finals of a major tournament because we know that it's all about process it's all about keeping your focus and yeah it was a mistake from whoever was in control of the music to you know play the goal celebration when Germany scored that first penalty but you know these are the fine margins aren't they? Yeah you're right I saw exactly the same watching the game I was like what is going on here and Majra is maybe the most experienced

player in that team, certainly in terms of age, but also what she went through in her career and she clearly came on with the view on the penalty shootout to be the first-taker. And to have that, what I thought was even, I mean, not maybe worse, but as frustrating for her was that, as you said, the referee kept asking for her to replace the ball all the time and I'm sure the referee was clearly not happy with where the ball was on the spot. But that can't help you. And then even the run-out, I'm not sure exactly what she was trying to do and we could see that she was going to go across goal like that.

I think Berger had done her homework really, really well too in terms of who was shooting where and she clearly knew where Maju was going to go. Berger had done her homework really, really well too in terms of who was shooting where and she clearly knew where Masri was going to go but it was just the worst start that France really could have gone with and after everything that happened during the game in itself to go there and to miss that first penalty and even if France recovered in a way it just felt like they were playing catch-up from the beginning anyway. I mean it's one moment in a match full of them. Are you surprised that after Germany had that player sent off after 13 minutes, it almost seemed like fear crept over France because in the back of their mind, of course this

record of, you know, now it's eight of the last nine major tournaments they've gone out in the quarterfinals. They've been in such good form, as you say, won all 11 games in 2025. And suddenly they're thinking, if we don't win this, the pushback is going to be unbelievable. And everyone's going to question our mentality once and again. And all of the, you know, the narrative that has swelled around the French Women's National Team in recent years. It's almost like that weight of expectation just pressed them down and they couldn't handle it. Massively and the fact that it was against Germany and when you know the history between the two countries, men's and women's, historically,

socially, everything you want, I think that added even more pressure because as you said it's everything you say Vicky, but on top against Germany again because it's not the first time again in the two sides of the game, men's or women's, they are the bogey team really. It's just if you think about history and even Bonadie talked about it before the game, the bad memories that facing Germany for France just brings back to him. So I think that was a lot of pressure. But you can't lose a game like this when you're playing with 11 players against 10 for that long. It's impossible. You need to find solutions. You have players on the bench. And for me, the head coach, I know he's new. I know this is his first year. I know 2025 has gone well.

But for me, this is on him. This is a huge failure to have lost like that. Why is Baltimore not starting a game like this when Germany have no right back, when even they go to a back five because they fear so much the French wingers and the best one of all maybe or one of the two with Cascarino is on the bench makes no sense. Baltimore is not a player that can come on after 65 minutes to make a difference. That's not her game and her game is like she's there and she tires you as a defender against her. And the fact that Gaiouro didn't finish the game again is beyond me. The Cascarino got taken off so early in the way. It's beyond me. The

fact that he didn't make more substitutions earlier is beyond me. I actually didn't understand at all what Bonadier was trying to do in this game. And this is to do it. He was trying to do it. He was trying to do it. He didn't understand at all what Bonadie was trying to do in this game, and this is on him too. And we said at the start of the tournament in the previous we made even after

the England game that the one thing you wanted to do is change that mentality. And actually, you saw tonight that he tried different things through the last 12 months or so, but in the end, the mentality issues and the blockage is still very much there. Well, the one thing I would say on that, Jules, was I was impressed in the penalty shootout with how those younger players dealt with the pressure

moments. Jean-Francois, Ndongla, Samba, obviously ultimately having that penalty save, but still taking those moments on. But like you say, with the experience and perhaps the tactical nous missing from Bonadé to not put on the likes of Baltimore and start. It's going to go back, isn't it, surely to the questions that swirled around before this even started, aka why is Wendy Renard and Gignou Le Somer not here? And was

it the right call? And you remember when we were just before the England game all together in the stadium in Zurich, we said we would only know at the end of the tournament if this was the right decision from him to drop them so late, so soon before the tournament started. And I'm sorry but you can't prevent me from thinking that with Renard Le Sommier and Dali probably in the squad, on the pitch, maybe things would have gone differently. And I know it's easy to say now, with hindsight of course, you understand better things, but you can't have 20-year-old players, 21-year-old to take penalties in a shootout like this in the quarterfinals against a team

like Germany who are so strong mentally. For them, as we've been saying, it was a win already to get to the shootout. It was a win to be ahead in the shootout. I just think it's again that's on Bonadet and then the other question is why is Matteo not taking a penalty before Andong Gala, before Jean-Francois, before Sombat. She's the top goalscorer in the French league last season, the best player in the French league last season, she's an outstanding technical player and yet she doesn't take a penalty then. I just, I don't know, we should not be seeing those young players taking penalties in those shooters under that kind of pressure. Well the wait for a first major tournament final goes on for France. Jules, thanks for joining us. It's not been a great week for you, has it?

Sorry, we're just rubbing salt in the wound here, but thanks for joining us. I'm glad the season is over now, but thank you for all your love. When the final whistle went, it was just raw emotion. We had fulfilled dreams we'd had since we were kids. Getting to lift that trophy was the most special moment ever. This will go down in history as one of the best days in English football. UA for Women's Euro 2025. Here we go then. This is what it's all been building towards.

On Five Live and BBC South. and the sound of the VVC sounds. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3500 kg, a weighting depth of 900 mm and a roof load up to 300 kg. Learn more at LandRover.ca. The Football Daily Podcast with Katie Smith at UEFA Women's Euro 2025. So England against Italy is our first semi-final on Tuesday night. We're going to bring you live commentary on Five Live and BBC Sounds. So let's hear now from England forward Beth

Mead who says she's finally recovered from that Thursday epic semi-final against Sweden. Yeah, apologies for that one guys. I mean, with day two of recovery, I think sometimes, I think it's took a little bit of getting around that one. There was a lot of emotions. I think you had everything in the game that you possibly could have asked for. But I think it made it even more special at the end of it. I think that's why quite a lot of us were quite emotional at the end of the game. But yeah, it was very, very much crazy one to be a part of.

The nation has become obsessed with the note that Serena sent on. What was on the note? Yeah, we've seen quite a lot of memes on the note. It's actually very boring. It's very tactical, guys. So I would not... Obviously, I can't share the secrets, but of memes on the note. It's actually very boring. It's very tactical guys. So I would not Obviously can't share the secrets, but it was a tactical note. Maybe Something to do with formation people are gonna be so disappointed. I'm sorry guys. It's not like saying We saw a different side to Serena that night. She looked quite emotional in the huddle afterwards. What was she saying to you all?

She actually said something in Dutch I think she started singing a song in Dutch and half the people, obviously I'm a little bit more clocked on to Dutch than some players are. But yeah, I think you could really see her emotion and how much it meant for her to get through. And she's a manager that's done it a lot. But I feel like that feeling as a player, as a manager doing it, never ever gets old. And the way we did it, coming from behind, resilience to come back into the game,

you go into a penalty shootout that, yes, is arguably one of the worst that we've all been a part of. We can't lie about that, but yeah, I think we give her a few heart attacks along the way. Have you watched the penalty shootout back yet? Yeah, I have. I've watched it individually.

I think everyone looks at it very differently, but you had your process, it didn't quite come off it's what can you do in case you need it for another time. So I very much reflect on myself as an individual, what I could have done better in the game, what I could have done better in execution and a lot of things and yeah you're always learning, doesn't matter how old or how experienced you are, you're always trying to develop and learn and be better as a player and that's my way of going about it. Some may never want to watch it again, which is also very understandable. I mean penalties across the board of the tournament are not going well. What is going on? We did say that. We watched obviously a couple last night, the Spanish players missing and

obviously playing with Mariona, I don't think I've ever seen her miss a penalty. So somebody has cursed penalties in this tournament maybe, but hopefully they're out of the way now and we can just score normal goals. Well, I wonder if England have watched this penalty shootout between Germany and France and got a few ideas, but lots of interesting thoughts there from Beth Mead. And I wonder, Karen, your experiences of watching back penalty shootouts

from obviously the perspective of a goalkeeper. But did you find that a difficult thing to do? Yeah, I think watching penalties back, you always are thinking, oh, what if I maybe waited a bit longer or maybe if I was a bit more, you know, if I took a step earlier, or perhaps if I was more balanced, you know. I think the question I always ask myself if I didn't save a penalty was, why didn't I

trust my instincts? Because typically they are quite right, you know. I think that's a really interesting question that I would ask myself all the time. What was it that kept me from trusting myself and my instincts, and what got me to where I am? So that was probably like the most frustrating question. Like for some reason I just changed my mind at the last minute, and as I got older and instincts and what got me to where I am. So that was probably the most frustrating question. For some reason I just changed my mind at the last minute

and as I got older and older and older, that was the thing that I stopped doing less. You know, it was just like, okay, you've done this before, you know the triggers, you can see what someone's approach or the way they open their hips or close their hips tells you, trust the research and the preparation that you've done and just go. Because penalties can be such an emotional experience and someone for England who seemed

to keep their head better than anyone else was Lucy Bronze. She was one of the few who scored her penalty, unlike Beth Mead. And it was so interesting hearing her thoughts after where she said she'd been watching the keeper, saw her diving early so she knew to smash it down the middle. And talking of memes about the note that was being passed around in the second half that Beth Mead mentioned there, there was one answer from Esme Morgan earlier, Karen. She said, oh, well, on the note, it just said, save us goat, as in the greatest of all time. And I passed it to Lucy.

Yeah, no, that's really funny. It's good for Esme. She's always good for a good comment into but now I spoke to her actually about that afterwards I was like what was on that note. It's just like to be honest I don't really remember like I was already on the pitch I kind of knew the formation was gonna be the changes and then she just kind of handed it over and like obviously she's not gonna tell me what was on the note, but yeah, like

Lucy bronze was unbelievable in that game, wasn't she? She was so determined to, again, will that result into existence? Everything she did was just for the team. She was up and down the pitch. But I think the thing that was a bit different from the France game was that control. She looked really calm, although she was like fired up. She kind of knew exactly what she needed to do when she came up. Absolutely huge. And she back post. And then you're right, when she smashed that, that, that phenomenal penalty,

I think it just gave the team so much confidence, didn't it? And they've all been talking in the aftermath, Vicky, Esme Morgan amongst them about how she just epitomizes everything that this, I'm gonna use it, proper England side want to be all about. Someone else, obviously completely crucial, is the captain, Leah Williamson, we had a bit of an update today on her state because she came off an extra time rolling her ankle, she's been using crutches

and wearing a protective boot. The words we're hearing is that England are very optimistic that she'll be able to start the semi-final and we know what kind of character she is but I just think in terms of how England have performed at the back and the changes and tweaks we've already seen, how crucial it might be that she does start. Yeah I think it's interesting as well that very optimistic line came from Esme Morgan's press conference when she was asked as the player who was put up more widely for the media today

about, you know, Lea Williamson's fitness. So it wouldn't surprise me at all if Serena Vigman had told Esme Morgan exactly what to say if you're asked about Lea Williamson. So let's see. But you know, she is huge, isn't she? And you know, I think it'll be really interesting to see if Leah Williamson is fit,

whether Serena Vigman will still make changes in that back line and might still bring Esme Morgan in to that back line for, you know, obviously this semi-final against this. We know that Jess Carter has struggled in two games. Jess won it left back against France but then it's into half against Sweden. Is Serena Vigman going to change things up? Is the starting eleven that started against Sweden where they were so lucky you know not to be further behind and

then of course Sweden missing three golden opportunities where they were a penalty away from going through and Chloe Kelly stepping up and scoring that penalty under pressure from England and then two misses from Sweden. But is that starting 11 in the quarter-final good enough to win both the semi-final and the final or is Serena Wigman at this point and we know she will change her starting 11 if she doesn't think it's working. We saw that when she made the change for the Netherlands game and brought Toon in and swapped Greenwood and Carter at left back at centre half. But is she going to now change going forward that starting line up with the aim of ultimately winning the next two games and winning the Euros?

I think it's a fascinating opportunity for Serena Wigman to kind of maybe tweak a few things because obviously Italy will be a different opponent altogether but I think the thing that was really interesting from Sweden was the way that they pressed Jess Carter obviously with you got two right-footed center backs haven't you and I think they were really clever about trying to push her onto her left foot and make her really uncomfortable and it her really uncomfortable. And it was really well coordinated. So I think you had Kosa, Varia, Slani,

I think, forcing her to her left. And then you had Ritinkanarit being ready to jump. And there were a few opportunities, I think, where Sweden maybe mistimed it. And England got quite lucky in the early stages of the first half, but then kept trying to make that pass and obviously got punished in the end. So perhaps it's not necessarily... Look, we tried Alex Greenwood there, left-footed, bit of balance. That probably wouldn't have happened if she was playing there to start. So I think that's kind of the question that you're

looking at. Will the Italian press be the same potentially? So I think now she might have that in her back pocket. Would you change it? Oh, you put me on the spot, haven't you? I think Esme Morgan did really, really well when she came on. She looked really confident. I think there was one loose pass when it looked like perhaps, was it Lucy or Leah Leah asked for the ball and she passed it and neither of them went to it. I don't know, it's a tough one.

I think Esme would be next up, but I don't know if she's gonna change it. Another star of that match was England's number one, Hannah Hampton, who was having just a remarkable day in terms of the penalty shootout but a bloody nose before that, several big saves. Before we wrap up this evening, we're actually going to catch up with England's back-up goalkeeper, Kiara Keating. Alex Greenwood has described her as a bundle of joy to have around, so let's hear what she's had to say.

We all have different roles in the team, might not be in the starting eleven but I'll do what I can to make sure this team wins the OROs again. So yeah, if I can help, I can help and I don't go out and try, I think it's just a natural energy thing but yeah, it's good. And just on the subject of penalties, 25 have been so far at this tournament, 12 have been scored. But I want to talk to you as a goalkeeper, what do you think that says just about the standard of goalkeeping in women's football overall? Because yes, we've seen some pulled wide, but we've seen some incredible saves at the same time. Yeah, I think sometimes keepers don't get enough credit.

Like people are smashing the ball at you from nine yards out. Like it's not the easiest job in the world, but yeah, I think the standard of keepers is getting so much better. People are pushing people that people put out the race a long time ago. So, yeah, I think it's great. And obviously the back backstage things that you don't see, like the analysis, like the hard work and training, the reading, the body language and stuff

all goes into it. But yeah, I think mainly the keeper standard is getting way better. We've heard about Hannah's heroics in the penalty shootout. We've heard about Lucy Bronze leading by example, Chloe Kelly coming up clutch once again. One person you've clicked with off the pitch,

Michelle Agin-Mang, it looks like. Talk to us about her because at 19 years old, to come on for her third England appearance and to score that goal, which without in the 81st minute when England aren't going to extra time. Yeah, I mean, Miesh is Miesh. I love her with all my bones. I think she's such a good person to have in the team.

You know what you're getting with Miesh. You're gonna get hard work, goals. What is that, two and three? Yeah, she's a joke. I think Miesh always has that undenying confidence. She might not be the loudest one in the group or the one that's walking with her chest held high, but Misha knows what she has to do

and she's very good at what she does. So, yeah, we balance each other out. I'm the loud one, she's the quiet one. Kiara Keating there speaking to Neve Carr. And I'm not going to ask you, Karen, if goalkeepers are getting enough credit in this tournament because I think we've given it a lot this evening. I'll say it again, they don't, but they're getting more.

But actually the role of the backup keeper is probably one of the hardest roles within a squad, but maybe one of the most important? I think that's, yeah, very astute. I think, you know, you have to prepare as though you're going to be coming on at any moment. You know, the set pieces, you have to be as though you're going to be coming on at any moment. The set pieces, you have to be switched on to the game plan. Obviously, you have to physically prepare as though you are going to come on and play. When you don't, obviously you have to deal with that frustration internally.

But supporting your number one is so crucial to how they play, making sure they feel prepared, doing whatever you need to do to help them be at their best. So yeah, I know people take the mick out of goalkeepers quite a lot, particularly the second and third, but it's a union for a reason. It's so specific and so special what it is that they can do. And yeah, if you haven't got a good union, it could go absolutely sideways.

And just finally, let's give a final word to Michelle Agerwang, who Kiara Keating was talking about in glowing terms there, still just 19, tournament debut, came on and smashed in that equalizer for England against Sweden. It feels like she's been doing this for some time, and I just wonder if you feel she still has more of a role to play going into the semi-final.

I mean, she has really. Like when you watch her at the 23s, these are the types of goals that she scores. You know, I've seen her put them top in time and time again. I mean, ask anyone that works in that environment and they'll say the same thing. She's so mature beyond her years. And, you know, the goal for me that she scored in her debut when she came on against Belgium was unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it.

She's so composed, the positional sense and awareness that she has to constantly be a nuisance to a center back and be on their back shoulder and their blind spot. But again, the composure and the calmness in front of goal, her natural goal scoring ability, I still think she can improve. Obviously she's still quite young. You know, just, but what she's done in terms of framing the goal, getting in a good area, putting numbers in the box. And I think that's why, and I made this joke to Serena when I saw her at St. George's Park before the tournament, but like occupying both centerbacks with quality strikers just makes their life miserable. it's so so difficult to manage and I

think that's where yeah Sweden came apart really at the end of the day they just couldn't cope and just calm finish and just being in the right area at the same time she's so mature beyond your years. You've been asking Serena Vigman for two up front every time you see her. Well, she listened, didn't she? That's true. Let me do that again. So England against Italy, Euro Semi-Final coming up on Tuesday. Stick with us for that on 5Live. We'll bring you full commentary and on BBC Sounds.

Loads of buildup before that in the days to come. My thanks though to Vicky, to Karen and to Julian Laron as well. That is it for this episode of the Football Daily. And also right now, you can catch the latest episodes of Maisie Adams' Euros fan diary. Hello, Chris Jones here from Rugby Union Weekly. We're all over the Lions Tour of Australia, pre-match podcast, post-match podcast, on the whistle podcast from all the Lions matches down under. We also have a special Lions top 10 series with two greats of Lions rugby, Matt Dawson and Jamie Roberts.

And we've been ranking everything from icons to controversies. We've got moments, tours, tries. You're in the controversies, Matt. Jamie, you're in the controversies too? Indirectly. Indirectly, not your fault. It is all there. Two men who have been there, done it and won it on a Lions Tour. Get it now. Lions Top 10s on Rugby Union Weekly on BBC Sounds.