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The 2025 European Championship is well under way, and the reigning champions will kick-off their campaign on Saturday, as 2022 winners England face a France team that has regularly reached the latter stages of major tournaments, albeit without ever having won one. Les Bleues look good coming into this summer, though, with them winning every single game so far in 2025 to mark themselves out as a real contender for the trophy in Switzerland.
It's not long since these two last met, as they were in the same qualifying group for this very tournament last summer. In that, they traded blows, with France winning 2-1 in Newcastle before England were victorious by the same scoreline in Saint-Etienne just four days later. Those recent meetings only emphasise the widespread belief that this instalment will be another extremely tight and competitive affair.
There is little room for margin for either team, too, as the Netherlands - as well as Wales - are also in this group. It means at least one genuine challenger for this Euros title is going to go out in the first round, making a good start in Saturday's game all the more important for the Lionesses. So, who will head coach Sarina Wiegman put her faith in from the start as England's title defence begins? GOAL takes a look at how the European champions should line up in Zurich...