Sarina Wiegman confirmed her excitement that the Lionesses will return to Wembley this month, with the addition of some new faces.
The England boss announced her last squad of 2025 today as the Lionesses gear up to face China and Ghana in the final international window of 2025.
Wiegman spoke to The Halfway Line about what it means to be back under the arch in England’s capital.
“It’s always very special to be here [Wembley],” the head coach said. “Of course, we go around the country a bit which is really nice too so that people from other parts of the country get the opportunity to come to the games.
“But, playing here for more than 80,000 people again, and with all the nice memories we’ve made over the last couple of years, it’s very incredible. We feel so much support. It’s just a very special place for us.”
Wiegman ‘excited’ about what Freya Godfrey and Taylor Hinds can bring to England
Wiegman also spoke about what Taylor Hinds, who received her second senior Lionesses call up for this camp, can bring to the side.
“I think her left foot, but she’s also right footed and she has some pace,” Wiegman praised of the Arsenal defender. “What I hope to see from her is that she brings something in possession and in attack. She’s comfortable on the ball, but also of course doing her defensive role well too. And can she bring that that all to an even higher level when she’s with us?”
Not far behind Hinds, London City Lionesses’ Freya Godfrey has received her first call up after an impressive couple of games in the Women’s Super League. Wiegman spoke about the decision to include her, praising the 20-year-old starlet.
“She’s done well, of course at the beginning of the season she was injured, and she came back and I think she came back strong. She’s done well for club and what you can see with the pathway from our U23s, you’re very close to our team.
“I want to see her in our environment. I think she brings something different, a young player of course. She was very excited and I’m excited too to see what she can bring in our squad.
“Her reaction was really nice. She went ‘wow’, a little bit flabbergasted I think but I just told her straight away, ‘go out, play football, enjoy yourself and show what you can do next week.”
Lauren Hemp is a player whose had spells on the sidelines with injury over the last couple of seasons, but she is now fit, and back in Wiegman’s squad. The England manager spoke about her importance.
“It’s really nice for her that she’s fit, I think she really enjoyed herself last weekend,” Wiegman said on Hemp’s heroic comeback in Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over their rivals United last weekend. “She’s an important player for us, with her, of course, left foot, her pace, the attacking attributes she brings to the game, so very happy to have her back.”
England prepared for the ‘different challenges’ China and Ghana may pose
England face China at Wembley Stadium on 29 November, and then Ghana at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, on 3 December, Wiegman spoke about what she hopes to gain from these fixtures.
“I’m really happy with the four friendlies we play this autumn,” Wiegman said. “We play opponents from different continents which is nice too because they give us different challenges.
“With China, an Asian country, they will give us different challenges than what Ghana will give us and we’ll get a lot of learnings as we did from of course, Brazil and Australia. Different opponents, different tactical and physical challenges for us which we need, I think to improve.
“We will also go to Southampton which is really nice because that’s where my very first game in 2021 when I came in was.”
The three-time European champion finished by speaking about how when key players are missing, it gives those with less experience a chance to catch up.
“What happens when these players aren’t available is that it always gives other players an opportunity to step up and players play at a high level at their clubs.
“For example, Esme Morgan played a great game this weekend with a huge amount of fans in the stands and that’s a high level. So I think at club level there’s a lot of experiences players have, so they’re used to that, this is absolutely an opportunity to step up for the players who are in the squad now.”
