France Outclass Lionesses as England Stumble in Euro 2025 Opener

Defending champions England suffered a 2-1 defeat to France in their opening match of UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, raising serious concerns about their title defence.

The match exposed significant flaws in England’s game plan, with pundits describing the team as “bullied” and “overwhelmed”. Manager Sarina Wiegman admitted they "created their own problems," while defender Jess Carter confessed the team “played like they were a little bit scared.”

France took control early, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore both scoring in the first half. Despite a late goal from Keira Walsh, England couldn’t recover the momentum.

Tactically, the Lionesses were overloaded in midfield, outpaced in defence, and lost key one-on-one battles, suggesting they are not yet at the competitive level required to retain their crown.

The performance marked a stark contrast to England’s previous dominance, and the team now faces mounting pressure to regroup quickly ahead of the next fixtures.