The Chelsea forward Lauren James has a foot problem and will not be available for England’s back-to-back Euro 2025 qualifiers against France, Sarina Wiegman has confirmed.
“No, not everyone is available for selection,” said Wiegman. “Lauren James didn’t make it so will not be selected. Jess Naz will be eligible. She had foot problems at club and we hoped she could build up for tomorrow [but she could not].”
The Lionesses play France at St James’s Park on Friday night, before travelling to Saint-Étienne for the reverse fixture in qualifying group A3 on Tuesday and the manager confirmed James would not make either match. “Of course it’s a disappointment,” added Wiegman. “She did everything and we did everything, but it’s just not good enough. Jess is ready. She has shown good stuff this week in training so we have to move on.”
Naz was on the standby list of four players training with the squad to keep them fit should there be any dropouts to injury, with the season over. She is the second player to be called up from it, after Maya Le Tissier was included following injuries to Niamh Charles and Lotte Wubben-Moy.
Meanwhile, the Southampton goalkeeper Kayla Rendell has dropped off the standby list and been replaced by Lucy Thomas. “It’s a little bit of a bigger group, of course, that has to do with this window and the window in July, and they’ve done well,” said Wiegman of those on the standby list. “What I said to them at the beginning of the week was: ‘You’re here now, you probably look up to some players, but now it’s your job to challenge them and to try and get from a standby place into the squad, so just go out there, be equal and play’, and also just enjoy it, and that’s exactly what they did. They’re like a sponge, they really want to take everything in.”
France’s manager, Hervé Renard, called England favourites for Friday night’s fixture. “No, we are not favourite,” he said, despite France sitting top of the group.
“When you are playing against the World Cup runners-up and the European champions you cannot be the favourites, but this is not important. Just to be sure, we are not here just to visit Newcastle, we are here to play a competitive game. It will be a fantastic atmosphere and even when it’s against you it’s also pushing you. We know the atmosphere in the English stadiums are amazing so we’re looking forward to this very interesting game.”
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The England captain, Leah Williamson, said in response: “I think if you go off paper then obviously we are the reigning European champions of this tournament. But it’s easy to forget we’re still in qualifying. A lot has changed. France have always been a top team despite having not won [it]. They are always tipped as favourites in many of their games as well. I see it as fairly even, to be honest. But if we have to take that label then we do. That’s been a consistent for us. We knew winning would put a target on our backs but it’s a nice place to be.”
Source: theguardian.com
