England boss Sarina Wiegman has made it clear to her players she would prefer them to holiday in Europe rather than the other side of the world during their rest period between crucial Euro 2025 qualifiers this summer.
The Lionesses face back-to-back games with France at the end of May and start of June before further matches against the Republic of Ireland and Sweden in mid-July.
England are currently second in their qualifying group, behind leaders France. Only the top two countries qualify automatically for next summer’s tournament while the other two nations will face play-offs.
Wiegman’s players will get two weeks off after the second France game before returning to St George’s Park for a training camp at the end of June. Wiegman will allow her players to go on holiday but expects them to be ready to compete when they return.
‘I think it’s very good to have a proper rest. We can’t give any longer because we have to compete in July,’ Wiegman said.
Sarina Wiegman has urged England to holiday in Europe rather than the other side of the world
The Lionesses have a lengthy break between two sets of Euro 2025 qualifying fixtures
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‘My preference would be to stay in Europe and not go to the other side of the world. I want them to come in fit and fresh and be ready to start training. I think they’ll make the right decisions.’
England’s players will train at St George’s Park from June 19-21 and June 24-28, with the weekends given as days off. They will then travel to the Netherlands for a mini camp from July 1-5, which will include a behind-closed-doors game with the Dutch.
They will then return to England to prepare for their final two qualifiers. It means Wiegman’s players will be in camp for three weeks, despite not having a major tournament to prepare for, and the England boss admitted the scheduling has been challenging to manage.
‘It’s hard, we’ve known this calendar for a while now, we know it’s very challenging. Everything comes closer and things are new. We haven’t had this period where we don’t have a tournament but we do have a window in July, after the May-June window but the May-June window is shortly after the league finishes.
‘So it’s different, we find a way, this is how we approach it, but it’s hard because there’s no competition, except for the players from Barcelona [whose league campaign continues.
Chloe Kelly (left) and Mary Earps (right) shared snaps of their past trips to sunnier climes
Alex Greenwood is also among those to have used their free time to jet to a different country
Wiegman has admitted the scheduling, which sees the squad in camp for three weeks, is tricky
‘It was challenging, just like last year of course, what I said before, we had many conversations with clubs, good conversations, and it’s challenging, we all know players need rest but we also know we need to train to compete in July. So, with all the clubs we have a conversation and we come to this plan.
‘Players have some programmes with clubs, some are still playing, like Barcelona, players will come in stages with our training camps.’
Wiegman named a 24-player squad for all four fixtures, with four players on stand-by should anyone pick up any injuries.
Millie Bright returned to the squad for the first time since October after recovering from a knee injury.
It means Wiegman will finally be able to select Leah Williamson and Bright as a centre back pairing for the first time since February 2023. Williamson made her return to the squad from an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury in April.
England are currently second in their qualifying group and trail leaders France by two points
Millie Bright returned to the squad and Wiegman described her inclusion as a ‘great boost’
‘It seems like a long time, I’m very happy, she’s very happy,’ Wiegman said of Bright’s return.
‘She started playing again after a long period of injury and rehab. She has two more games so that’s good to see too, then she’ll come into camp and I’m very happy and so is she and it’s really good for the team.
‘It’s a great boost, this is what she’s been working for all the time, to compete with Chelsea, and then coming back into camp. Of course we always hoped she’d be back earlier, but she needed some more time, and I’m just really happy now this is the moment she can come in.’
There was also a first senior call-up for Chelsea striker Aggie Beever-Jones, who has scored 11 goals in the WSL season. Beever-Jones comes into the squad for Rachel Daly, who retired following April’s qualifiers against Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.
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