‘You really want to beat your friends’: Wiegman steels England for USA test | England women’s football team
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TThe prospect of the European champions hosting the Olympic champions is intriguing enough in itself. But add to that the triumphant return of Emma Hayes to Wembley and an England team that has room to improve after that loss to Germany last time they played at the national stadium, and this is much more than a friendly between the top teams in the world.
For an England team hoping to retain their European Championship title in Switzerland next summer, there is no greater test than testing themselves against the USA, who are No.1 and look completely rejuvenated since Hayes left Chelsea to take over management in May.
“Since I’ve been an England player it was one of the most exciting games to play in,” the right-back Lucy Bronze said. “There seems to be a rivalry that has blossomed out of nowhere in recent decades. And we know that no matter what players are on the pitch or who the manager is, it’s a competitive game at a high level.
“It’s a good level because the USA just won an Olympic gold medal. It takes a lot to win a tournament – we know that. To win the Olympics, you have to be intense, you have to be relentless, you have to have a crazy mentality, and I think that sums up the USA perfectly, so I think we can go up against a team like this, look at the mentality that’s needed. learn from the mistakes we make in the game, push ourselves and show what we’re capable of, show what we can do against a top team like this, it’s going to put us in a very good position going forward eight months.
The visitors, historically the most successful women’s international team, are unbeaten in their 13 matches under Hayes, winning 12 and drawing 0-0 against Costa Rica in July in a 40-degree heat wave in Washington. At the Olympics, they saw Germany twice, as well as Australia, Japan and the improving country of Brazil in the finaland Hayes was all smiles in the build-up.
England’s head coach, Sarina Wigmanspoke about her friendship with Hayes on Friday, but the Dutchwoman said: “Now it’s the same when we play against the USA or the Netherlands: you really want to beat your friends, maybe even more than when they’re not your friends. They are number 1 in the world. Emma Hayes, we’ve worked together and now we’re adversaries, whereas in the football world we’re actually a family, but tomorrow we’re absolutely going to compete.”
It will not be a full-fledged US country. Due to minor injuries, Hayes did not call upon his formidable front three of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, who have nicknamed themselves the “Triple Espresso” this year. Caffeinated or not, the USA will have a potent attacking threat no matter who lines up, with New Jersey/New York Gotham FC forward Lynn Williams among those ready to shine.
England’s forward line will also be lacking. Manchester City winger Lauren Hamp is out after knee surgery, while Chelsea’s Lauren James and Manchester United’s Ella Toon are also injured, potentially giving options to Manchester City duo Chloe Kelly and Jess Park or Manchester United’s 21-year-old Grace Clinton .
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England will also be without Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier, with Wigman saying the defender is going through concussion protocols and has only returned to the pitch for non-contact training. Of the eight players from both sides nominated this week for the 2024 FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award, a maximum of four will be available, including bronze.
Asked about England’s respect for the USA, the former Barcelona defender said: “You get that level [of respect] when every two teams or people have reached the highest level and understand what it takes to get there. As an English team, we always understood that the USA had to do so much to get to where they are. They are such a great team both on and off the pitch, it’s something we really admire them for and something they’ve inspired us to do as an England team after winning the Euros.
“Looking at what they’ve done, trying to change women’s football in America, we’ve had that opportunity in England as well, and somehow we’re both now different from each other in that way off the pitch. We are friends, we are rivals, we are a community, but at the same time we still want to fight each other. With England and America there is always a high level of ‘rivals’ but ‘respect’.
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