France Stuns England: Fallen Champions at Euro 2025

France Surprises England in the Start of Euro 2025

ZURICH, Switzerland – France’s national team starred in an impressive triumph over the current champion, England, by defeating them 2-1 in the opening match of Group D of the Euro Cup 2025 held in Zurich on Saturday. The team led by Laurent Bonadei has shown exceptional form in 2025, and proved it once again on a pleasant night in Switzerland. Goals from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore sealed the defeat of England, who managed a consolation goal at the end of the match thanks to Keira Walsh. England, considered one of the favorites for the tournament, was surpassed by France for much of the game, suffering a painful defeat under the direction of Sarina Wiegman. England managed to take the lead with a goal by Alessia Russo at 13 minutes, but the score was disallowed for an offside by Beth Mead. From that moment on, France dominated the game, taking advantage of England’s mistakes. Katoto opened the scoring after a cross from Delphine Cascarino in the 36th minute, and Baltimore extended the lead three minutes later, taking advantage of the English defensive confusion.

Despite the changes made by England in the 60th minute, France maintained control of the match, and was only threatened in the final minutes. Wiegman introduced Michelle Agyemang in the 85th minute, and her presence in the area generated space for Walsh to score.

England tried to tie the game in the final minutes, but they didn’t succeed. Now, they face a crucial match against the Netherlands, while France will seek to consolidate their position against Wales on Wednesday.

Errors Condemn England

Before the start of the tournament, England sought to prove that they were not only the defending champions, but also aspired to achieve something unprecedented: to win a major tournament on foreign soil. However, against France, the English team failed to display their best game. Mistakes were constant, with imprecise passes and ball losses in dangerous areas, which prevented the team from gaining momentum.

England’s European title defense began with a 2-1 defeat to France.The English midfield was exposed, while Cascarino and Baltimore took advantage of the spaces on the wings. Jessica Carter and Lucy Bronze had difficulty controlling the French attackers. France’s first goal, scored by Katoto, came after a failed pass from Georgia Stanway to Lauren Hemp, allowing the French counterattack. Bronze, out of position, facilitated France’s second goal, with a rebound that gave Baltimore the opportunity to score. Errors from key players like Mead, added to collisions between Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood, contributed to the French dominance. England, although reacted at the end, must correct these errors against the Netherlands to avoid an early elimination.

The Control of the Center of the Field: Key for France

The control of the center of the field was crucial for the French triumph. With two opposing offensive lines, dominance in the center of the field was fundamental to supply the forwards. The coach Bonadei chose to align Oriane Jean-François alongside Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui, a wise decision. Geyoro dictated the game, while Karchaoui’s movements created constant problems. Walsh and Stanway failed to influence the game, and Lauren James remained on the sidelines. France’s 4-3-3 formation always offered numerical superiority over England’s 4-2-3-1.

Baltimore and Cascarino: Lethal on the Wings

In addition to Spain, the main offensive threat in the tournament comes from the wings. Cascarino and Baltimore, in the match against England, were a headache for the English defense. Bronze and Carter found no solutions to stop their speed and skill. Cascarino, with an assist on the first goal, and Baltimore, with the second, shone.

France’s offensive trio stood out in the victory against the defending European champions.The French domain in the center of the field allowed the wing players to have a lot of ball in advantageous situations, taking advantage of the one-on-ones. Cascarino’s speed and Baltimore’s growth were decisive. Now they will face Wales on Wednesday, with the possibility of securing qualification to the quarter-finals.

The Risk of Lauren James

At his best, James is one of the most talented attackers in the world. However, after his hamstring injury in April, he had only played 30 minutes before the match against France. Although she showed flashes of her potential, Wiegman took a risk by starting James from the beginning. James had an early opportunity, but her shot went over the crossbar. Subsequently, a cross from her was not taken advantage of by Russo. James, a natural attacker, was limited in a system that usually uses her in a more defensive role. France cut off James’ spaces, dominating the midfield and leaving England vulnerable. James was substituted in the 60th minute, bringing on Ella Toone, who provided greater defensive solidity. Wiegman will have to decide whether Toone or Grace Clinton play in midfield against the Netherlands, and whether she keeps James or chooses Chloe Kelly on the wing, or if she trusts Mead.

Wiegman and the Pressure on England

Wiegman’s history in major tournaments is notable. After winning the 2017 European Championship with the Netherlands and guiding England to victory in 2022, they face an unprecedented situation. This was Wiegman’s first defeat as a coach in a European Championship. Although England has had success under her direction, in the 2022 European Championship and the 2023 World Cup, they started with difficulty, but managed to win by the minimum. That streak was interrupted in Zurich.

England’s coach, Sarina Wiegman, suffered her first defeat as a coach in the European Championship.England’s performance was not as expected, with errors, an unstable defense, and a scarce offensive threat. They only managed one shot on goal at the end of the match. England must improve for the match against the Netherlands, who arrive with optimism after defeating Wales 3-0. Now, England is obliged to win to continue in the tournament.

Geyoro Celebrates its Centenary in Style

Of the two players who celebrated their 100th match, Geyoro is the happiest. Alex Greenwood, the English central defender, will not have fond memories of this night despite achieving a special feat. Playing 100 matches for your country is something very special, and for Geyoro to enjoy it with a victory over England, the current European champions, was even better. The 28-year-old PSG midfielder made her debut eight years ago and has experienced all the disappointments, all the defeats in the quarter-finals, despite the fact that Les Bleues often had the status of favorites. He has cried more than he has laughed with his country. But he has also always given 100%, feeling great pride in wearing the number 8 jersey. On Saturday, he dominated the match again. He won all his duels, recovering five balls, more than anyone else on the field. For more than 90 minutes, he was the perfect centurion.