The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly - Who will win Euro 2025? Our panel make their predictions – Women’s Football Weekly

Episode Date: June 30, 2025

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Wrack, Tom Garry and Marva Kreel give a full preview to Euro 2025, with the tournament kicking off on Wednesday

This is The Guardian. In the 90s, my friend and fellow journalist Dom Phillips was at the centre of the UK's dance music explosion. By 2022, he had mysteriously disappeared in one of the remotest parts of the Amazon jungle with his friend Bruno Pereira. In 2025, so many questions remain. I'm Tom Phillips, The Guardian's Latin America correspondent.

Listen to Missing in the Amazon wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, everyone. I'm Tom Phillips. I'm a journalist and a journalist. I'm a journalist and a journalist. I'm a journalist and a journalist. I'm a journalist and a journalist. I'm a journalist and a journalist. I'm a journalist and a journalist. I'm a journalist and a journalist. costs. Switzerland awaits. We're bringing you a full preview of Euro 2025 with the tournament kicking off on Wednesday. Everything you need to know is packed inside this pod. Who are the favourites? Which players should you be watching out for? Who are the dark horses? Whose kit's on point?

You know, all the key stuff. Plus, we're making our predictions, so hold onto your hats. And that's today's Guardian Women's Football Weekly. What a panel we have today, Suszy Ratt, good morning to you. Did you clean your house? Er, it's getting there. It's getting there. You know, last minute bits today. Tom Garry, ahead of flying out to Switzerland, is also cleaning his house. It seems to be a theme.

It's catching on. It's just what we do, you know? It's how we roll. We work together on a Sunday night writing stuff for the Guardian and then by Monday we're just just copying each other, we love it. Marva Creel lives a far more glamorous life I would like to tell you because it's been an exciting time for you. Tell us first of all, hello by the way, before I then launch into a loving about what you've been up to recently. Tell us about this documentary that you've released with Copa90. It's called Finding the First South Asian Lioness. I can't wait to see it. Yeah it's been amazing and so it was meant to be like a 20 minute documentary,

it's turned into a 40 minute documentary so for those of you who have time please sit down and watch the whole thing but yeah it's just kind of a look at the history of South Asian football, the history of South Asians in Britain, history of women's football, how these different complex histories intersect. And then just how some of these players just that have kind of broke through these barriers. Some of the amazing things that they've achieved while we haven't had our first senior South Asian Lioness. One of the amazing things that some of these girls and these women are achieving and have achieved

and kind of giving them their flowers or as we call in the documentary giving them their laddus which is a nice Indian sweet and also just looking forward to the future and kind of what have been those problems, how are we addressing them. South Asians make up the biggest ethnic minority in the UK so the fact that we have that lack of representation in football is something that does need to be addressed but also there are so many people to shout out and kind of give them their love too. That's a hell of a lot to pack into 40 minutes. It was a lot and that's why we needed 40 minutes and not 20. I'm very much looking forward to it, it's on YouTube isn't it? Yes. Right let's kick off the preview pod or should I say second preview pod.

We don't do things by halves here at The Guardian. Euro 2025 starts on Wednesday. How on earth has that crept up on us this quickly? Let's take a look at each group who's shaping up nicely and exactly what we're looking for. Host Switzerland are in Group A and Norway, Iceland and Finland are along with them. Some people looking at it might kind of say it's the least difficult of the four groups that we're going to go through,

but equally it's probably one of the hardest ones to call as well. The 14th Women's European Championship is going to be a summit of emotions. That's the slogan that Switzerland are using. It's a major moment really though for women's football in the country, Suzie, isn't it? Yeah, huge. The attendances in the country have been going up because of the tournament coming. More people have been going to show up for some of the games. I mean, it's not got the most developed domestic team in the world, which is a little bit disappointing. And there's hope that that will kind of change with this

tournament in the country. I mean I think you know the problem is is that the team haven't been playing very well recently obviously they beat the Czech Republic recently but prior to that they hadn't won since October so there was quite a lot of hype when Piersonjáč came in but since then I think that's petered off a little bit because their form has been so poor and then obviously like loss of Ramona Bachmann as well to injury is a is like a massive blow like from a figurehead point of view as well so I just hope that the team doesn't disappoint to then have a bit of a knock-on impact on how impactful the tournament is domestically but they've sold so many tickets. I mean, they've sold more than 600,000 tickets, which is more than

they sold for the Euros in England, which given the size of the country and the scale of the tournament in the country and the stadium sizes is hugely impressive. Fair to say that Arsenal's Lea Volte is their key player to watch out for. Yeah, one of the problems is she's not necessarily played a huge amount of football for Arsenal this season. It's been a bit in and out of the side, but she's just so phenomenally good on the ball and such a key figure for them

from a leadership point of view as a captain as well as the technical qualities she brings to midfield. But it's just whether she's fully fit and ready to go in this tournament that is the big question mark because she had surgery at the end of last year and has been not like in amazing form since she came back. So you sort of hope that it all comes together for her at the right time and now ideally. But I am quite worried about Switzerland's chances in their home euros. You know, you can never underestimate the impact that a home crowd can have, but the home crowd has a big job to do, I

think. Yeah, it's going to be fascinating, isn't it? And this recent poor run of form, hopefully, with that crowd behind them, will turn it around for them. Speaking of teams that tend to have indifferent form, particularly when it comes to tournaments, a Norway perennial underachievers managed by former Wales boss Gemma Granger. They've got so many stars, probably the favourites as well to top the group Tom, but are we actually going to see their potential on a stage and are they going to start, key question, playing like a cohesive unit because that's certainly not what we see from them. Although we've

got these incredible players, playing together seems to be the biggest problem. And they lost 2-0 to Sweden last week in a friendly, which maybe suggests perhaps not. Yeah, Faye, this is the deja vu moment, isn't it? Norway on the eve of a tournament, all the potential in the squad, and yet the form's not very good, and they're playing the host again. And in fact, I know from the preview pod on England and Wales that you did the other day with Laura, you and Susie were saying that our predictions are always awful. But I'm going to I'm so confident in these predictions. I think we can predict for not just this tour, we can make for 2027 World Cup, 2031 and 2035, all those World Cups, Norway to play the hosts.

It always happens, right? That's my prediction. Group A, Norway will play the hosts. So, yeah, you're right. The squad's all there. The front four, four like is one of the best in Europe. Like if you look, talking about Graham Hansen, Reiten, Mournem and Hegerberg with options like Celine Bizet and Turland as well. Like attacking wise, they should be really dangerous. I'm concerned at the back. They haven't looked great at the back. You know, we're saying the favourites of this group and they sort of are, but they've drawn twice in the Nations League recently with Iceland who are in the group as well so there's not a lot in it. This is the golden opportunity to go deep because we know from the draw that from groups A and B one of the seven teams who

isn't called Spain is guaranteed to reach the semi-finals without having to beat a top nation to get there. For Norway therefore this is an absolutely golden opportunity that the drawers handed them. This has to be the time they deliver. The pressure is really on now. I want to see them play with the potential that they can do and but I'm sitting here thinking I'm not sure they will. I just haven't been convinced of what I've seen over the last six months in terms of the cohesiveness. I have to say in the Guardian's pullout at the weekend, previewing I have to say in the Guardians pullout at the weekend previewing the tournament, I did chuckle. For each team it's been written if they had a Swiss mascot who would it be and for Norway they would have the large Hadron Collider. A solid unit built on acceleration, intelligence through the middle and a god particle up front can turn lead into gold but not on a consistent basis could achieve stellar results or could just be hard to follow that did make me chuckle whoever came up with that let's look at Iceland Marva that

they're quite tough to break down actually aren't they they love a draw as well four from six in in 2025 but they've got some real notable talent, including Angel City's Swin des Jeanes d'Autier. Do you reckon they might actually be feeling quite confident that they can go better than Euro 2022 and actually get out of the group because this feels a relatively open group? Yeah, I think if there's ever a chance it's this group. In terms of the top two ranks with Norway and Switzerland, they are teams that they can beat. We talk about their draws in the Nations League, but those two draws are against Norway and

Switzerland. Talk about good preparation for this Euros group. So I think in some of those games they were maybe a little bit lucky. However, the way that Iceland play, they kind of know their faults and they know what they can do. So expect to see lots of long balls over the top to Jóns Dottir but when you've got a player like Jóns Dottir why would you not use that as a tactic? So lots of switching the ball out to her and she's one of those players that I

love because she actually delivers for her national team when you've got kind of pressure like that when you're sort of the main star it's very easy and she's only 24 so you kind of forget how young she is because she's been around obviously had those seasons at Wolfsburg as well but she she can cause so many problems off the wing so I'm excited to see them because I think they they could cause some problems in this group we know what what Norway can do in a negative sense and I think that that Iceland definitely can cause an upset here. Finally let's look at Finland shall we? Lowest ranked team in the group, 26th in the world they are. They lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in a friendly last week but lots of familiar faces for the fans of

the Barclays WSL. Susie tell me a bit more about them, they're managed by Marco Salaranta. Are they capable of causing an upset? And I just want to put a caveat in here that, and I promise this will be the last one I do because they've just amused me so much, their Swiss mascot would be Emmental Cheese because they're mild and cultured but full of holes. Yeah, these are really good. I think we should just read these out for the pod. Me too. Because they're the best bit. Yeah, are some familiar faces obviously they've got Coppola

and Gull, Coivisto, Summenen, Rantala, like there's a whole string of WSL players in there but I think a lot of it rests on the fitness of some of their key players like Natalie Kuika who you know has had phenomenal career for them like she's I think she won the finished player of the year award five times if she plays at the Euros at some point she should hit her hundredth cap so she's hugely experienced and important to the team but she's missed months and months of football in the build-up for injury you know it's sort of a similar to the Georgia stand-by Alex Greenwood Lauren Hemp like wait will they be back, will they be in? She's made the team but whether she's fit or not is sort of critical and then obviously as we know, Duterte Vantalla has been out since October and you know that really hampered Leicester's campaign particularly early

on, first half of the season, so whether these players can kind of come back and slot in and be impactful remains to be seen. They've not had the best run of form of late. I mean, they at least got a goal against the Netherlands in that friendly. But in terms of the Nations League, they finished second behind Serbia in their group. Not great given the quality of the group and they're the only team competing at the tournament this summer. But then prior to that, know did really well to reach the

tournament. The Holy Cheese is right, those holes are gonna be bigger if some of those like really talented players that have been out injured aren't able to slot back in comfortably. Okay so it still feels very very open which is what we said at the beginning all teams have fallibilities, all teams have a little bit of spark. So where is our spark going to be? Is 2025 going to be the year that the Guardian Women's Football Weekly team turn around their terrible predictions and get it right? Tom says yes. We're getting fist bumps, but then a prayer sign. I love that. That was a moment in emoji. What do we think? Who's getting out of the group? Norway will top for second. I'm going to say Switzerland. I'm going to

say the home crowd is going to do enough, but I actually don't think it will. But I can't decide between them. Right. That was some serious splinters in backside moment. Marva? Yeah, I'm going to go Norway and Switzerland as well. I think Norway is top of the group, but that just seems like we're just not learning from all the states, are we, to think that Norway are just going to like breathe and go through. I'm going to be confident and say Norway and Switzerland. All the logic says Norway, but I'll be controversial. I'll say Switzerland and Iceland to go through. Never underestimate what the host momentum can do. I do also, can I say, I think this

is one of the weakest groups we've ever seen in Euro's history. It makes it will be very close, great for the group because it's really going to be even and tight and dramatic, but I can't see anybody from this group going all the way. I know what you mean, but equally I like a group like this at the same time. I wouldn't have wanted Spain in this group steamrolling everybody. I like a bit of Jeopardy! Speaking of Spain, Group B. Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Italy complete Group B and actually the first three all faced each other in this year's Nations League as seems to be the case with many other groups in this tournament. All a little

bit of history repeating. Portugal got relegated from League A, you'll remember. Spain are world champions, they're Nations League holders, but their preparations were dealt a blow. Aitana Bonmatie was hospitalized with viral meningitis on Friday. We did get the news last night though that she has now been discharged and the Spanish Football Federation are saying that she's going to join up with the national team in the coming days. The squad headed to Switzerland yesterday afternoon and they've got Portugal in their opening group B game in Bern on Thursday. We've got no other information than that, Marva, in terms of how she is, whether she would be fit enough to play, what she's going to have to go through with the medical staff, for example, in order to get her into a place where she could play. How much of a blow is her missing to their

preparations? Are they still outright favourites? I do think they're still outright favourites even without Aitana Bormati but of course you cannot underestimate like what she brings to a team and obviously first of all we just hope like health-wise and her well-being. Obviously every player wants to play at a big tournament and I hope she kind of doesn't feel like she needs to rush back but obviously for all of, even whether you're England fans, whether you're as neutral as you want to see Bourn Matty play in this tournament, because just in terms of like what I love in a player, I just think Bourn Matty is just my favourite. I'm just an absolute fan girl of her.

If you're lucky enough to watch her live and not just on TV, because I actually think TV doesn't always do her justice because even in that Champions League final when most Barcelona players just didn't turn up, if you watched Bo Mati she dictates that whole game, she tells every single other player where to be, she already sees the vision of where she wants everyone for when she gets the ball so she really tells them where to go before she receives the ball and then when she receives the ball she rarely makes a mistake. She is just world class and yeah obviously we hope to see her at the tournament. However if there's any team that can cope with not having a world-class midfielder in midfield it's Spain. I mean even without her they've still got Pateas, they've got Patry,

they've got Caldento. It's just like all right right, guys, we get it, you know, we get it. So I think even without Bournmati, they are still favourites. And that just shows you the depth of their squads and just how incredible they are. I don't think any other team could lose a player like Bournmati and still be in such good stead like Spain will be. Yeah, it's scary, isn't it? Gold, by the way, is their Swiss mascot. I want to know who's Lindt Chocolate. I think I'll be Lindt Chocolate by the end of the tournament just like solid,

like you'll be able to slice me in half and I'll be hollowed out like an Easter bunny. They get the truffle ones though as well Suze, you might be alright. I'll be a Lindor for the Pope. Portugal started the Nations League brightly enough, fell away in the second half though. Heavy defeats to Spain, England and and Belgium but there's such a funny side Portugal because I still see them as a massive threat but Francisco Neto is still waiting to see if Kika Nazareth is going to be fully fit after being out since March. What can we expect from Portugal, Suzie? Yeah, I mean, Kika Nazareth is like a big question mark. I think there's quite a few

teams that have these injury issues of players sort of almost being back, but not quite. Obviously she had quite a serious injury, had surgery in March, ligament damage in her left ankle has made the team. And it's bit like a Lauren James in that you would sort of take them and take the risk on a player not being fit because they're so influential to the side. The fact that they got that, I would say really tactically astute draw against England in Portugal was a brilliant start to that campaign. They got the win against Belgium as well who turned over England. They made a good of account of themselves despite the four consecutive heavy defeats at the end. So yes, they were relegated to League B, but I think there was

like hope for them against some of the bigger sides. There's a little bit of uncertainty over the squad and like the readiness of it, but I think they would really like to kind of take the next step and get out of a group for the first time you know having made a few tournaments now and you know not done terribly but you know obviously not stepping up a gear yet and given that their domestic game is growing so massively and you'd like to think that that will start to see some of the impact of that and I think that's shown in some of the young players coming through as well. I know I said I wasn't going to do any more but I lied. I'm so going to do them through every single one because this one's brilliant. Absinthe for Portugal. Strong spirit, sharp and punchy but the good times don't always last.

May lead to disappointment and regret. Belgium showed exactly what they can do against England in April, Tom. Where did their strengths and weaknesses lie? Yeah, really looking forward to watching Belgium play today. They actually beat Portugal 3-0 recently, so they've got a lot of pedigree in good form. I thought they looked good against Greece a couple of days ago as well when they beat Greece, and they've got two real star players in Villa and Janssen's, and they both scored against Greece as well so they go in with confidence. We know from the games against England how well Belgium can counter attack with the pace of Villa for example on the counter course. England massive problems in Leuven and I think they are they've got a really bright young coach in Elizabeth Gunhalsdottir who for like a week 18 months ago was briefly linked with

the Chelsea vacancy to replace Emma Hayes, which maybe just to be in that conversation probably tells you with a high regard that she's thought of and seems to have had a good start with Belgium. So they are a team that are capable of getting out of this group. I think they'll really fancy their chances. This is not a team making up the numbers. I think they're a decent side and I'm really looking forward to seeing if they can deliver on the big stage. Italy are actually having some really good form of late. Andrea Soncin's side beat Germany in December, finished second in their Nations League group. What are we expecting from them in the tournament? They've got Belgium on Thursday, Marva. How do you think that game's going to go? How are Italy going to do?

Yeah, I think it's a really interesting group actually because obviously Spain are miles kind of above everyone else but then the other three I think are really close in terms of quality and who can get that second spot. I think they actually improved quite a bit from the last Euro to the World Cup even though it was still quite a disappointing World Cup. But now from that World Cup to this Euro is I think they've massively massively improved. I just think as a whole they're much more defensively stable now, play free at the back a little bit more. Got Salva, Linaari in defence have been doing really well for them. They've got something that I think some other teams don't. This isn't just my Everton bias but Piermonte

up front when she does come on, the physicality that she brings and then you've got Garelli, obviously Garelli sorry, veteran in the game, but got, I think, 19 goals for Juventus this season, so she's not past it by any means and yeah, I think they'll offer something that other teams haven't quite seen yet. I think they're very good in set pieces, very good in the air. They're not a team that have offered too much in previous tournaments, but I think this is the tournament that they could actually come up and do something. I don't know if they'll do better than Belgium, but I think it'll be really, really tight between all three of those teams.

And Spain and Portugal taking on each other again. What do you expect from the game? Susie, will it have a different edge? Probably not. I'd expect a comfortable Spain win. As Marva said, the depth they've got, the quality they've got across that midfield means that you can be missing the two-time Ballon d'Or winner and just have your other two-time Ballon d'Or winner step in and step up. So if Portugal are able to score in that game, I'll be impressed, let alone get anything from it at all. So greedy, aren't they? Just a bit. just a bit,

but then you know they're not they're not European champions so you know. That's very true. I mean they will be in a month but you know. Oh wow okay we haven't even got to like proper predictions and Suzy Rack's gone hard, she's gone in straight away. This is where we know that we're cursed forever because I feel like everybody is going to select Spain to be the ultimate winners. I'm assuming you're all saying Spain to top the group. Okay so the more interesting prediction in that case is who's gonna finish second? I don't know as much as I've just said that I think Portugal have had a decent Nations League campaign, particularly at the start and look good. With Kika and Nazareth's fitness in doubt a little bit, I think that really, really

hits them hard. So I sort of think it's between Belgium and Italy. I'm going to say Belgium. Yeah, I'm saying Spain, Belgium. I just think Belgium have a little bit more experience in terms of the big games and against the bigger nations than Italy, but I think Italy and Portugal could give them a run, but I'll go Spain, Belgium. And I'll go Spain, Italy. Shameless plug for all of us here, but we've been joined at the

Guardian by Emma Hayes as a columnist for these Euros, and she's really hot on Italy. She thinks they're really improving. I'm going to cheat and use her advice. I'll go Italy to get through. Why would you not listen to Emma Hayes? That's it for part one. In part two, we're going to look at group C and D. In the 90s, my friend and fellow journalist, Don Phillips, was at the centre of the UK's dance music explosion. By 2022, he had mysteriously disappeared in one of the remotest parts of the Amazon jungle with his friend Bruno Pereira

in 2025 So many questions remain I'm Tom Phillips the Guardian's Latin America correspondent Listen to missing in the Amazon wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. So two groups down, two to go. That therefore, because I'm a mathematician, means we're halfway there. So Group C, the tournament full of tricky groups and Group C, no less difficult. Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Poland. Denmark have history in this competition. They reached the final in 2017 but I think it's fair to say they've

been inconsistent under Andre Jurglertz who's leaving after the end of the tournament. Pernille Harder is their, as most of us know, playmaker, all-round performer. What do they need to do though, if they're gonna mount a challenge to Germany and Sweden, Tom? They need to start conceding goals. They've had a chastening defeat to Sweden earlier in the month,

and defensively is my concern for them. We know they've got firepower going forward. You only have to think about like the likes of Pini Lahada, of course, but it's not shown under Jägerlerts that defensively they're consistent enough to keep those formidable sides of bait. I, the big question for now is how much damage that loss to Sweden has done. Likes are conceded six times mentally, psychologically, can they bounce back from that? We know that under Jägerlerts we'll try and play play a nice style of football, likes a good passing style, fairly unwavering

from his principles of wanting to play that nice style, he's not particularly likely to suddenly rip up the playbook and go fully direct, which I admire in many ways. But yeah, it's going to be interesting to see how they can, if they can bounce back from that really sobering result against their neighbours. Speaking of, they are always there or they're about. I just take myself back to Bramall Lane and that magnificent game in Euro 2022 with the much talked about Alessi Russo back heel goal. They're actually unbeaten since July 2024 Sweden. They reached the Nations League semi-finals as well, but end of an era for them because it's going to be Peter Gohaltsson's final tournament in

charge after eight years at the helm. It's also expected it's going to be the last hurrah for several of the playing squad as well so they're in a bit of a crux moment at the time but do you think realistically, Marva, they can go one step further and bring home a trophy. They won it back in 1984 but vastly different times then. I think they're still a really big team to watch out for. I think the fact that they've been so close over the last few tournaments just shows the pedigree that they have and you kind of look at them compared to a team like Norway for example where they've always

had real top talent but they're able to actually bring together as a cohesive team and get the most out of their star players. When you look at kind of Roelpho, Aslany, these are players that get the most out of them for their national team. And even players like Kifadri I thought in the Euro qualifiers, Sweden as a whole really impressed me and then you've got these other players coming through that can also do the job but yeah it is a transition at the moment obviously Aslani, someone I mentioned, is moving on now and I think we will start to see a different Sweden team over the next few years but they always do well I think you cannot count them out in terms of being a team that

could knock you out when it comes to the knockouts. We'll always be thankful for Sweden for that moment they gave us against the USA, I think, not just in terms of women's football history but women's football meme history. We can't thank them enough for all of that and I'm excited to see what they can do but I just don't think they've got in them now to go all the way compared to the last few tournaments. Germany on the other hand, looking in frightening form at the moment. Christian Wuchs' side unbeaten this year but without Lena Oberdorf didn't make it back from her ACL injury in time but the attack with the likes of Clara Ball, Lea Schuller and Laura Frygang in it it is quite frightening prospect in itself Suzie. Can they be stopped? Yes I mean I think you know yes I'm beaten this year but like two of

those games were against Scotland, no offense Scotland, big win over Austria and yes they got a you know decent 4-0 win over the Netherlands but they drew against Netherlands in February so you know they're not you know necessarily playing the biggest teams in that period of time so I think there's still question marks there. And Lina Oberdorf is such a massive loss to the side. They've had a bit of an interesting couple of years, haven't they? A lot of bandagerial turnover. Can we pull up Tom's World Cup prediction here? Didn't he predict Germany to win the World Cup and then they crashed out of the

group stage? So, you know, it's not always perfect on this time you've got Emma Hayes to lean on, which is not fair. And then they finished third at the Olympics. So they've been a little bit up and down. That said, you can never really write them off. The league has been dipping a little bit when you look at sort of, you know, how they're performing in Europe and stuff, as in um Bundes Liga teams have been doing in Champions League competition there's clearly a little bit of a shift there uh towards the English teams and Spanish teams and the French teams still so like there's been a little bit of dip there but I still think they could do something quite special even with all the turnover they've had like Like Barcelona, Spain, I don't think any team looks complete at the moment or like in peak form and I don't think Germany

are there yet but they do seem to have a project that is building nicely. But yeah, Oberdorf is a huge blow. Poland are one of the tournament's two newcomers along with Wales. Tough ask for Nina Petelon's team but they do have Barcelona's Ava Pio as their captain and star striker. Are they capable of causing a shock, do you think Tom? Yeah, I really want Poland to do well and I actually think they could. Can I just say that was really energetic? Yeah! I think Tom's on Poland's side. I love that there's another new face alongside

Wales. Actually, interestingly, Poland together with Finland are one of only two teams who've been playing most recently in the Nations League Tier B, who are in this tournament. So it means a couple of things. It means that they've not had particularly hard opposition in the last six months, but it means that they've been scoring a lot of goals. They've been picking up, I think they scored 16 times in their six Nations League games. They're kind of, they're going with confidence because of that. Obviously, so much of it is around their Barcelona star,

Peiore up front, who sort of, it feels so reminiscent of like Poland men being led by Lewandowski. But they're not a one trick pony. They have got Queen Kinga in goal of West Ham and I think she's going to be great. So it's not all about Peiore. Very difficult group. I just feel that they can go into this with completely nothing to lose at all. I would give them perhaps much more chance of producing a shock in this group than I

would say of Portugal producing a shock in group B. I just got a little sneaky feeling they might have some fun. Do you know what? You've convinced me on Poland. I'm now thinking Poland. I mean, not quite dark horses. Sorry, to clarify, I'm not saying they're going to get through the group. I just think they might get a result somewhere. I just love your enthusiasm for Poland. I have to say they do have the best Swiss mascot of them all they are the Swiss Army knife I know not the biggest weapon in the box but popular as we've just seen versatile plucky and compact

could spring a surprise there we go. Big up to the Poles fingers crossed they can do it yeah. Excellent all right well let's see what Marva thinks of the two games then There we go. Big up to the Poles. Fingers crossed they can do it. Yeah. Excellent. All right. Well, let's see what Marva thinks of the two games then. Denmark face Sweden on Friday and Germany take on Poland. So what do you think? I mean, I'm not going to go with any controversial opinions here. I think the 6-1 previously that we mentioned kind of gives you an idea of what's going

to happen in that game. Denmark have actually been like my dark courses in previous tournaments but I think this tournament they're just not for me so yeah I cannot see Denmark causing an upset there I think Sweden are coming into it in pretty good form as well. I'm gonna give Sweden the win there and then I think Germany and Poland well yeah there is some exciting things to look forward to with Poland I'd be very surprised if Poland cause an upset against Germany of all teams.

I think that World Cup crash out has kind of made us almost forget about them slightly. But they've still got, you know, Schiller, Paul, Nusken, Gwyn, one of the best full backs in the world, I would say. So I would be very surprised if Poland pulls something off. But I mean, good luck to them. I'd love to see it. You know what? I'm going hard in. I'm going off, but I mean, good luck to them. I'd love to see it. Do you know what?

I'm going hard in. I'm going, well, I'm not going hard in because I'm going for a draw, but I'm going, I'm going for Poland to hold Germany to a one-all draw in that opening game. There you go. That's my terrible prediction. And other than that, I don't know if you've noticed, I've not given my predictions on purpose because they're always appallingly bad. Does everybody think it's a straightforward Germany Sweden

who's good but who's topping it? I'm gonna go Germany, Germany and then Sweden. I'll say Sweden to be different. Germany should win the group the really good guys yeah I had a stinker a couple of years ago but Germany are very very good they can win it they're really good that's not that's not the very good word is it really good you are a journalist right let's get to that group of death England France Netherlands and Wales make up group D you're not going to be able to take your eyes off of this one we went in depth with the Lionesses on Friday, Susie, but that was before last night's send-off game at King Power Stadium, which they won 7-0. Did we learn anything from it? Yeah, I mean obviously Jamaica are not gonna really

give England the sternest of tests. They're ranked 35 places below them and when I was looking at their squad coming into this game, four of their players are still at university in the States playing college football. So that's very much indicative of the golfing professionalism across international women's football in a way that we just wouldn't see in the men's game. If a team of Jamaica's level comes up against a team ranked 35 places above them in the men's game you know if a team of Jamaica's level comes up against a team ranked 35 places above them in the men's game they're still awfully professional so it's a little bit of an indication of sort of how far things have got to go and like

how uneven the development is around the world. That said there was you know a lot of great things to take out of the game from an England point of view in terms of like it was dress rehearsal right it was an opportunity for them to get into tournament mindset and tournament mode and like you know the fact they had VAR and things like that you know did post-match straight off the pitch and all of those kind of things were all to do that to give them like the feel of the Euros going into it so that they have a little bit of a run into that first game against France which is so you know challenging for your opener. So like that was great. Obviously, Ella Toon stepping up, scoring twice, you know, really justified her place when I think a lot of people

go, you know, why is it Grace Clinton in that midfield at start? I mean, whether she, you know, kind of starts the games throughout the tournament remains to be seen with Lauren James, you know, kind of now back from fitness and experimented in the number 10 when Toon came off and was very, very effective. LJ just looks so good. I mean, I watched her training last week. They had an hour and a half open training with a whole load of school kids there and stuff. And she looked sharp as hell. Like she looked like the best player on the training pitch. I look at the 2022 World Cup when they play, World Cup Euros, when they played Austria in the first game,

and it wasn't the best performance, but they scraped through and then obviously had Haiti in Australia, a game that, you know, again was not their best performance, but they got through. They don't have the chance to do that against, like, France. It's France. They almost needed this to hopefully kind of do the job of those games in like getting them warmed up to the tournament and I think hopefully it will have done that but yeah obviously that game is not going to be easy but yeah there were some great signs out of it I thought. I have to tell you England's Swiss mascot Toblerone. Oh I did read it. Gold wrapped icon, imposing shape, cut above its top tier confectionery rivals, travels well, happy in airports, notoriously hard to handle, but are cracks starting to show. France are fondu, by the way. Exciting

to onlookers but can get messy if there's a lapse in concentration, which you know, is interesting Tom, because actually they're never far from controversy, are they, France? We did cover Lauren Bonadar's decision to drop Captain Wendy Renard, Eugénie Le Somer, Kenza Dali as well. There's 450-odd caps between those three players. We talked about it in a previous pod, and it was a decision that did raise more than a few eyebrows. They've been in okay form recently, but maybe haven't faced the toughest of opposition which you could also level at England by the way but they they have so much trouble at major tournaments don't they are they gonna get over that hurdle do you think

or are we gonna have the same drama-rama that we that we seem to get with them they are arriving in really electric form. I mean, they just beat Brazil a couple of days back. I think the forward line is formidable. Couto, Diani, Ghioro is in great form. Should have scored a couple of goals as well. I think they'll progress actually from the group. What this group's gonna take out of teams in terms of the energy sapping nature of it.

And then the fact that from group D, you get so fewer days rest compared to teams such as Spain in Group B, for example, we can't underestimate how important that that is going to be the kind of lazy stat I have that will probably get me fired from the garden because it is so unscientific is that nobody's ever won the women's Euros who hasn't been in Group A or B. That's partly because the tournament wasn't expanded until relatively recently. But I think

a lot of it is because if you're in that group D, for example, you've got far fewer days to play the six games to win this thing. And then you add in the fact that this group is so difficult. I say for France, what I would say for England and Netherlands, is that's going to be so hard to come through this group, then go and play Germany or Sweden in a quarterfinal, then maybe go and play Spain and then still have the finals to come. It's a lot to ask in the heat. Then I go back to my point earlier, which was I wouldn't want either England, France

or the Netherlands in that Group A, for example. That's a really interesting point because it was quite a controversial decision from UEFA to choose the Nations League positions to be the seeding pots for this tournament because if they'd gone with the rankings, for example, you would never have had the Netherlands in pot three. And I think the Swedes might have been in pot three as well, because they finished third behind France and England, which also was, can we say that was a crazy qualifying group? France, England and Sweden were all in the semifinals and then they played each other

in qualifying. Like, make it make sense. Nothing makes sense. What it has done for UEFA is place a lot of emphasis and importance on those Nations League matches and I suppose the message then for the future is to everyone is to really embrace it. Like if you don't want to be in the position that the Netherlands are in right now because they're in pot three, embrace the Nations League, take it really seriously. I think Wales have got the strongest ever trio of opponents in a group stage at Euros anyone has ever had.

For their first ever tournament, that's their first major tournament, that is brutal. Susie, you wanted to say something? Yeah, I know what you mean about that Group A and new faces potentially getting into the knockouts and things like that and there is a lot to like about that and it can do a lot for the development of those nations and their domestic leagues and stuff but at the same time then I worry about the knockouts and them getting battered in the knockout stage and that's not a good look so it's that balance isn't it between wanting to see new faces reach the tournament but also

wanting them to be of the level that is capable of holding their own, even if defeat is likely in that knockout stage too. So I think there's a balance to be struck there and I don't think group A quite has it for me. As nice as it is that we're going to see, you know, some different teams up there. Marva, let's talk about the Netherlands. Big boost with Viviane Meiedemaar coming back. She scored two goals against Finland last week, so she's on 99 goals for her country.

I think it's safe to say we're probably going to see her score her 100. Although that's not that safe to say in this group actually. I was going to say she's easily going to get to 100, but maybe not actually. And you know, up and down results of late. Can they be the ones that put their stamp on this group? An injury-free, fit and firing Miramar changes like everything and changes the whole complexion of this group. I think if they don't have her, I wouldn't say comfortably because it is still a very difficult group, but I would say England and France would be favourites to get through.

But when you add Miramar to the complexion, I just think anything can happen. She's just one of those world-class strikers that can, and playmakers actually, that can kind of just create something out of nothing. And you only need sort of one moment in games like this in a tournament. So they're not quite the team that I think we've seen over the last few tournaments. I think obviously players like Van Der Donk, who were probably one of the best in her position for a long time, sort of slightly comes to the end of her career now. And as a result of that, I would say England and France, but you honestly cannot count out either of those teams, like anything can happen. And when you've got world-class talent like Rod, like Miedema, I'm still scared as an England fan

to come up against them. And we're just going to have to see what happens and pray. Yeah. As a Wales, Sisi, we obviously did that big preview on them on Friday but The Guardians Louise Taylor wrote a great interview with Jess Fischlok this week and Jess talked about their flexibility surprising people this summer. Do you think, you know, Laura McAllister gave a good case for them last week for sure. Have they actually done enough in the Nations League to show that they can compete in their first major tournament? I was totally all sold on the Wales bandwagon. Like Laura had me properly into the journey to the extent that I was searching for any

Welsh in my family history. There is none. There is some Irish so that means I should hate Wales really, given that they knocked them out. But I've tempered since in that it's just such a huge ask. I do think they can cause teams trouble but block fishlock out of the game and then I think you're onto a safe win. I do think they could cause England trouble, particularly if England have had a difficult first two games, then going into that final game against Wales, then it could be a little bit more dramatic. Home nations competing against

each other, regardless of the gap in quality, are always a little bit more tasty. But you would think that England would cruise it. I do think they can come away with maybe a point and at least a goal or two I do think that is feasible but yeah I mean I don't think we're gonna see anything hugely dramatic. Okay tell me about the drama of the opening games Tom. Wales against Netherlands on Saturday, England face France. What are we watching at the weekend? With England and France I think we're watching two teams good enough to be in at least semi-finals and I think that's one of the gains of the tournament. I think it'll be wonderful football. Serena Wigman has won every single match she's ever overseen in the women's Euros and don't

underestimate her. I think England can win this game, I really do. I've always said about how strong France are. All the players who were injured have come back to fitness at the perfect time for the Lionesses. I think they're arriving in a really good place. All the noises out the camp are incredibly positive and generally I think England win. Wales will make this a difficult game for the Netherlands. I think it will be tricky for the Dutch, but they should win. So I'll go for England and Netherlands opening wins, both quite narrowly, if that makes sense. Okay, so who's going through in the group? England and France.

Oh, England and France. I know England and Netherlands. I'm going England and France as well. England topping the group? Yes. Everyone's saying that. Okay, in that case, producer Sophie is getting out her notebook and she is ready to throw this all back in everyone's faces. Anyway, who is going to win the tournament? Marva?

Spain. Tom? I'll go Spain, yeah. They've got an incredibly good draw and they'll get a bit more rest from earlier in the group. They've got a great squad. Spain are the sensible answer. Just England and Germany are also very, very good. I'm going Spain though. I think Spain's the right answer. Stop talking yourself out of it, Suzie. Likewise Spain.

It's going to be Spain, isn't it? It's going to be really annoying, but it's going to be Spain. And I love watching them, so that's not annoying, but it's going to be Spain isn't it? It's going to be really annoying but it's going to be Spain and I love watching them so you know that's not annoying but it's going to be annoying from an England point of view. Okay Dark Horses, Marva. It's contradictory to what I said before but I do think Italy are Dark Horses even though I didn't fit them to get out of the group but I still think they're going to turn up and give a lot of teams a problem and I think they're just going to surprise us in the way they play.

I will say that France are a dark horse. I'm going to go Norway because they're due not being crap at a major tournament and that group like really lends them to having a really really comfortable group stage and then if they if they get out of the group as you would expect at as top of the group god it'd be so bad if they didn't wouldn't it god i mean you'd be writing them like they're obituaries big time as a like entire nation wouldn't you but if they top that group then they'll play the runner-up of the uh of the spain group which is probably going to be belgium i imagine so like even then their quarterfinal would be quite easy as well so like I don't mean they'll necessarily go further than that but I think they could do some nice things. Right, Marva so far you're winning the predictions because you're only the only one that's got the memo that these are quick predictions. Golden Boot! I'm going to go

tactically because I just think Spain will spread their goals across their team so I'm going to go Schuylah for Germany just because I've got a decent group and yeah and she's just a classic number nine so I'm going to go Schuylah. And I will go for Claudia Piena. I was going to go Piena as well, Piena too. Are you two sulking with me because I've told you your predictions are too long? Golden Glove, Marva. Catacole, boring answer but surely.

I'll go Catacole as well, but that's more... You wait for who's boring, because they always give the winner of that to the winner of the goalkeeper of the winning tournament. So if you're saying Spain to predict it, you probably need to predict Col as well for this. Yeah, Col, disappointingly. Like, it'd be fun to go for someone else, but realistically. Who's your player to watch, Marva? So mine is actually Sydney Schurtenlieb. I know Switzerland, we're not too sure on how

they'll do, but I just think she's a really exciting player for them, shown some quality for Barcelona, so I think she's just one to watch out for and see what she could do. I'll go also Swiss, Iman Benet, designed for Man City, technically brilliant midfielder, only 18, chance to shine, and Agui Viva-Jones, could be her tournament to do some cool stuff. Okay so how far this is this is this is the big one bearing in mind you've all picked Spain to win how far will England go and how far will Wales go? Wales I mean listen if they make it out the group stage then we all deserve to get our predictions wrong anyway so but I I just don't think they will so hopefully they still have a good tournament and you know don't like get battered have have a competitive in their group but I just don't think they will. So hopefully they still have a good tournament and you know

don't like get battered, have a competitive in their group but I can't see them getting out of the group and England my prediction is that if it goes the route that we've kind of predicted then I think it will be a semi-final exit to Spain is my prediction. Wales really hope I'm wrong but there's a good chance they might be out before they play England and England I Think I can see them playing Spain in the semi-finals and very narrowly losing maybe on penalties Yeah, let's go with that, but England can win it they really can Yeah, Wales aren't getting out of the group and I hope they can get a point off of someone I feel like that would be really good. But England, yeah, I agree with both Marva and Tom.

I think, you know, the second they come up against Spain, they will probably lose that game, but it's not a foregone conclusion. I just have a slight fear that they finish second in the group and play Germany in the quarterfinal and that then that is the exit. So I'm sort of on the fence between quarterfinals, semifinals.

Let's see how we get on shall we? I have to say I was reading Emma Hayes's pullout in the Guardian's guide to the tournament and she opened it by reminding us that if you rewind just two tournament cycles back to Euro 2017 there were actually no fully professional women's leagues in Europe. That's eight years ago and now there are 3,000 full-time players across the continent and actually it's so easy to forget that until you're reminded what an incredible journey women's football has been on and an incredible rise actually with the increased investment

in the game and she's so right as a result we're gonna see a higher quality tournament than we ever have done before so I'm really excited and obviously excited to have the best Guardian team on board bringing it all to you as well. By the way sign up for our bi-weekly Women's Football newsletter all you need to do is search moving the goalposts sign up and we have some brilliant writers bringing you fantastic stuff from out in Switzerland there as well. Panel you've been marvelous as ever, marvelous, marver. It's lovely to see you we shall check in with you throughout the tournament, take care. Take care, see you everyone in Zurich.

Tom I hope your house is clean enough before you fly out. Thank you, Auf Wiedersehen. Auf Wiedersehen, Susie are you going to bring me back some chocolate? I've got massive FOMO. I'll do the Limp Factory tour just for you, Faye. Thank you, it's got to be vegan though. Can't have dairy anymore. Honestly, they'll chuck me out. It's a pasta de l'arte kind of test for you and you failed that when you went to Portugal. Well no, I think you fail. That's true, that's true. Bring back a Swiss clock in that case. Not edible, but probably more practical.

It's been an absolute pleasure. Speak to you all very, very soon. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Danielle Stevens. Music composition was by Laura Iredale. Our executive producer is The Guardian. In the 90s, my friend and fellow journalist Dom Phillips was at the centre of the UK's dance music explosion. By 2022, he had mysteriously disappeared in one of the remotest parts of the Amazon jungle,

with his friend Bruno Pereira. In 2025, so many questions remain. I'm Tom Phillips, The Guardian's Latin America correspondent. Listen to Missing in the Amazon wherever you get your podcasts.