Emma’s predictions
Sweden and Spain, along with England, are my tournament favourites. My dark horses are Germany and the Netherlands, as well as the team people are not talking about nearly enough: France.
Players always tell me the Euros is a much harder tournament than the World Cup, because the quality gap between teams has become smaller, and what is exciting me is how many strong contenders there are.
The days of Germany simply pulverising teams, physically, at this level are over. That happened back in an era where it was professionals versus amateurs. Now we are going to be talking a lot more about tactics.
France have been somewhat hit and miss, but they have so much talent. Any team who can leave Champions Leaguewinning Lyon midfielder Amandine Henry at home must be pretty decent. They always seem to have a bit of crisis around them, though, and have underperformed massively. Yet they have a great spine and their striker Marie-antoinette Katoto is virtually unstoppable.
Spain have been together from a young age more than the others. The core of their group have played through the ages of 15 upwards, giving them more of a club-team experience, and the favourites have often played together the longest.
Sweden, the Olympic finalists, are a very experienced team; quite an ageing one. Just look at their core stars in Caroline Seger, Kosovare Asllani, Sofia Jakobsson, Fridolina Rolfo, Magdalena Eriksson and Hedvig Lindahl – those six have an average age of 32. There will be a lot of expectation on their shoulders: this is their time to win.
England. Sarina Wiegman knows how to take a squad to the next level and with Leah Williamson leading the team and Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Lauren Hemp peaking, this is their moment to seize.
England’s fortunes will depend largely on being able to top their group. The looming threat of Norway and Ada Hegerberg will be a challenge, and the meeting of the two nations could be the best match of the group stage.
Northern Ireland made history in earning their first qualification for a major tournament but will struggle to get a single point from their group, which features England, Austria and Norway.
Denmark. They failed to qualify for the last World Cup and are in the “group of death” with Germany and Spain. But they were runners-up last time and Pernille Harder’s ability cannot be underestimated.
Spain. With such a strong cohort of Barcelona players in their squad, it will be fascinating to see whether they can translate the attacking dominance they show with their club to the national team.
Vivianne Miedema. At the 2019 World Cup she became the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer. Though she did not have her strongest season with Arsenal, she always delivers for her country.
Norway’s Ada Hegerberg is no stranger to pressure after winning six Champions League finals with Lyon, but returning to her national team after her high-profile boycott will be a new level of scrutiny.
England. We should not be tentative about saying this thriving team has a huge chance of making history, with home support plus a world-class coach. It will not be easy but it is their best-ever chance.
This is their time. This squad has the depth and the momentum to go all the way at last, under the tutelage of a proven winner in Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to glory at the last Euros.
They did well to qualify but they are not going to go any further, realistically. The gulf in resources between themselves and the nations with longer-established, professional set-ups is vast.
Italy are not being talked about very much but they have a settled side that has improved a lot under an excellent coach in Milena Bertolini. They could reach the semi-finals if things fall their way.
Spain, just for the sheer quality of that midfield and their excellent possession-based style of play. The Euros has rarely seen a more technically gifted side. They are also in a fascinating group.
Alexia Putellas. Spain could go very deep into this tournament and the Ballon d’or winner will pick up a lot
of goals, even from midfield. She is a special talent and is never fazed by the limelight.
Vivianne Miedema has set such high standards that everybody expects the Dutch forward to be superb in every game. But she has had a long season on the back of the Olympics and this will not be easy.
Fiona Tomas
Spain. Given that their entire squad is made up of Barcelona’s dominant side, Spain can go all the way. Despite losing star player Jennifer Hermoso to injury, all
the indications are that this will be their year.
Runners-up. Save for their emphatic warm-up victory over the Netherlands, they have hardly had their mettle tested against easy opposition under Sarina Wiegman’s reign. It could end up backfiring on them at the crucial moment.
Kenny Shiels’s side have done exceptionally well to make their first major tournament, but they will crash out in the group stages. As a semi-pro outfit, they will struggle against the firepower of their professional opposition.
Norway. The return of Ada Hegerberg after five years in the international wilderness will be a huge boost to a Norwegian outfit who will be keen to make up for their disappointing campaign at the 2019 World Cup.
Iceland, who will play two games at Manchester City’s 5,000-seat academy stadium, a decision captain Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir described as “disrespectful”. Can her side back that sentiment up?
Ellen White. England’s ultimate big-game player has consistently stepped up at major tournaments and at a home Euros, expect the Manchester City forward to bring her shooting boots.
Denmark’s Signe Bruun. Having ruled out making a loan move to Manchester United permanent, Lyon’s Bruun must prove herself if she has any hope of signing a new contract with the French giants.
England are certainly good enough to do so but so too are at least three or four others. Sweden are my tip to surprise the big favourites. A big, strong side with experience in all the right areas.
It is a difficult prediction to make but Sarina Wiegman’s team are either going to lose in the quarter-final or win the whole thing in front of a sold-out crowd at Wembley.
They have done incredibly well to qualify for their first major tournament but that is likely to be as good as it gets this summer. Hard to see them winning a game in a group featuring England, Austria and Norway.
Italy, who are yet to win the tournament, are a far better side than they have been given credit for, but also watch out for two-time European champions Norway, who – ominously – are in England’s group.
After the 5-1 thrashing of Netherlands last week, England looked the real deal in terms of being title contenders, but Spain are the side who should play the best football. On paper they look very strong.
Ada Hegerberg has returned to the international fold following a five-year absence and if the Lyon striker – who has 42 goals for her country from 70 appearances – plays well, Norway can beat anyone.
Arsenal’s Leah Williamson inherited the England armband at a time when expectations have never been higher. Anything less than a semi-final place will be treated like a failure.