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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Future bright for Lionesses as youthful squad can only grow stronger together

Sarina Wiegman will have a well-earned holiday when she arrives back from Australia, but it will not be long before she starts looking towards the future.

Whatever happened yesterday, Wiegman will have quickly turned her focus to Euro 2025. She is driven by a hunger to succeed and always targeting the next success.

"I don't think she'll ever lose the desire to win games in tournaments," says the FA's Women's Technical Director Kay Cossington.

When Wiegman and her coaching staff analyse this World Cup, they will realise they have a squad of talented players with their best years still ahead of them.

(The FA via Getty Images)

The average age of the squad Down Under was 25.9 and many of the key players are coming into the peak.

Keira Walsh was the oldest member of the midfield that started against Spain yesterday at 26, with Ella Toone 23 and Georgia Stanway 24.

Ahead of them were Alessia Russo, 24, and Lauren Hemp, 23. The attackers who came off the bench at half-time were Lauren James, 21, and Chloe Kelly, 25.

Add 25-year-old Jess Carter, plus England have captain Leah Williamson, 26, to come back, and it is easy to see the spine of the team staying together for the next two tournaments.

There is no reason for this squad to be broken up as they prepare for the start of the Nations League next month.

Six players in the squad are 30 or over, with Alex Greenwood joining them next month, but many of them having the potential to carry on for another four years.

Goalkeeper Mary Earps is at the peak of her powers, while Bright turned 30 today and, along with Greenwood, was excellent at the back during this World Cup. Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly, both 31, were the Lionesses' wing-backs during their run to the final and there is a debate if they will be at the World Cup in four years, but both have the hunger to keep going for now.

All of which should provide England with a sense of continuity until the end of the next two-year cycle, which is coincidentally when Wiegman's contract is due to expire.

There are young players knocking on the door, such as Manchester United defender Maya Le Tissier, but it should not be forgotten this squad was already missing Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Williamson. The depth of talent, and competition to break into the squad, is stronger than ever.

England look set for a few years, but the FA insist they are determined not to rest on their laurels and there is excitement around the current Under-17 squad. They came second at the Euros earlier this year and several players are tipped to have bright futures.

Arsenal forward Michelle Agyemang, who will spend next season on loan at Watford, is one to watch. Winger Ava Baker made her Leicester debut last season three days after turning 16.

"Clearly we're in a great period now but we're not resting on our laurels," FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said last week. "Everyone else is going to be investing, particularly in the women's game. It's really critical that we keep investing and stay ahead."

While Spain look to be the dominant force in the women's game, England should challenge to retain their European title in two years and look to go one better at the World Cup in 2027.

The question is whether Wiegman will be charge for all of that. She has committed herself to 2025, but refused to confirm yesterday if she would be in charge for another World Cup.

"Four years is a long time," she said. "We have a very short turnaround but we'll start in September with Scotland and the Netherlands in the Nations League to qualify for the Olympics.

"You want to improve all the time. That's what I see, this group of players are so eager to be successful so every next moment we want to be better."

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