Women fired up for Euros by past pain

Mark Sampson believes that previous disappointment will be the biggest motivational tool available as England approach the women’s European Championship.

At the 2015 World Cup, his team were beaten by a last-second own goal in the semi-final against Japan. And the head coach suggests the lingering pain of that so-near-yetso-far defeat could be a critical factor in the forthcoming finals.

“That heartache we suffered in the World Cup absolutely will be a weapon we will use in this tournament,” he said, speaking at Wembley ahead of England’s warm-up game against Switzerland in Biel today. “Whether it be the experience of it, the raw emotion, all of it will be there, I hope, to push us over the line.”

England open their Euros campaign in Group D with a game against Scotland on July 19 in Utrecht. And it is not just the motivational spur of a previous setback that has convinced Sampson his team have a real chance of progressing.

“We’re in a much better spot than where we were in 2015, in every area,” he said. “At the World Cup, we had three players [Steph Houghton, Karen Bardsley and Lucy Bronze] selected for the team of the tournament. If we had three and we finished third, logic tells me we would need five or six in that final team to win. And I honestly believe we have that now.”

If he is right, it would represent a substantial turnaround from the last Euros in Sweden in 2013, a tournament in which England finished last in a 12-team round robin.

“Our ability to bounce back has been incredible,” he said. “In relation to mentality and athleticism, we have made huge strides.”