England head coach Sarina Wiegman believes this summer’s Euro 2022 is impossible to predict with a number of teams having strong claims to be favourites.
The Lionesses take on the Netherlands, Wiegman’s home nation, in the second of three warm-up matches at Elland Road on Friday night, ahead of the tournament getting underway on home soil next month.
Wiegman led the Dutch to Euro glory in 2017 and also to the runners-up spot at the 2019 World Cup.
The former Netherlands midfielder, unbeaten in 12 matches in charge of the Lionesses, said: “I consider [England and the Netherlands] as two very good teams and of course we play a home tournament and the Netherlands have the trophy right now.
“But I think the game has developed so much that many countries are favourites, I think it’s going to be a very strong Euros.
“We have Spain, we have France, we have Germany, Sweden are always up there, Norway have always been strong.
“It’s really exciting to see what’s going to happen. It’s not easy to say who’s going to come through because it’s very equal I think.”
Wiegman succeeded Phil Neville as Lionesses head coach in September last year after Norwegian Hege Riise had taken on the role on an interim basis the previous January.
It will be the first time Wiegman will face her own country as England boss.
The 52-year-old said: “It’s a very special game, obviously because I’m from the Netherlands and I worked with that team for many years.
“Now I work for England, so it’s a very special game for me and it’s nice to see the [Netherlands] team again. At the end, it’s just a game, but a special game.”
England beat Belgium 3-0 at Molineux last week and, after facing the Netherlands, take on Switzerland in Zurich on June 30 before they open the Euros as hosts against Austria at Old Trafford on July 6.
Wiegman added: “I think the Netherlands are the strongest ones we play [in the warm-ups], the other ones are also going to the Euros, so they’re good opponents too.
“But the Netherlands have shown over the years they are really good opponents.”
