England manager Sarina Wiegman and attacker Beth Mead faced the press ahead of Tuesday's EURO 2025 qualifier against France in Saint Etienne.

Here's what they had to say, as they seek to reverse Friday's night's 2-1 defeat to Les Bleues.

Wiegman on team news…

"Everyone who has travelled is fit. Everyone trained and everyone worked off the pitch after training so that's good. Mary Earps left so she can't play tomorrow but it is not too big an injury so we expect her to be back next camp."

Wiegman on Hannah Hampton stepping in for Earps…

"I have said all the time we are in a fortunate position that we have goalkeepers who are really good. Hannah is good on the line but of course her passing out is really good and we expect more of that tomorrow."

Wiegman on defending set-pieces…

"We have reviewed it. It's obvious that we didn't do well enough so again, we feel we have to do better tomorrow. That's what we're working on all the time in every aspect but now especially with set-pieces because we know that is one of France's strengths."

Wiegman on Ella Toone potentially reaching 50 caps…

"She is developing very well as a number ten. Of course, she is not the oldest yet and she has built from being a sub into a starter. She is improving every day and she played a proper game on Friday. We see her improvement all the time. She works really hard and is getting connected with the players around her, in and out of possession. She can score goals. Where you want to be doesn't happen overnight. That consistent hard work, reviewing performances and learning is important to her continuing to improve."

Wiegman on whether a draw in France would be a good result…

"No. We want to win, we always want to win games. And of course it would put us in a better position in the group. We feel confident we can get a good result tomorrow. France are a very good team. We want to have the ball more than they have. If we can keep the ball better we can rotate more. That makes it easier for us. We then need to execute better in the final third."

Mead on Friday's defeat…

"We're very frustrated by Friday. We've got a team of winners. Every day, everyone's fighting for a position in the team. Things don't always go right, that’s football, and there's nobody more frustrated than the players. We've analysed, we feel ready and we think we can put a good performance on tomorrow. We've had a target on our backs since winning the EUROs. People might say this is the group of death but you've got to beat the best to be the best."

Mead on the reverse fixture against France…

"It's a big challenge, two good teams playing against each other. If we look back at Friday's game it was fine margins. We let two set-pieces in, which is massively frustrating as we pride ourselves on defending them well. If we play the game we know we can play then we have no season not be able to beat this French team."

Mead on her goal on Friday…

"It's always nice to score for your country. I feel in a good place since my injury and I have built my confidence."

Mead on Leah Williamson and Millie Bright's partnership…

"They're both incredible footballers. I've obviously had the pleasure of playing with them over the years with England and at club level (with Williamson). We feel like we're in a good place and it's really nice to have them back in the team and playing again."

France in profile

Match Stats

● France have lost just two of their last 24 games against England in all competitions (W13 D9), however those two losses have come in the last five meetings. France will be looking to win three successive matches against the Lionesses for the first time since a run of three between 2013 and 2015.

● England won their first ever away game against France back in 1973 under John Adams (3-0) but are winless eight such matches against them since (D3 L5), losing each of the last two.

● The Lionesses have lost their last three games in France (against all opposition), having won each of their previous five such matches, all at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

● France have won nine of their last eleven games in all competitions (D1 L1), including six of their last seven, with the only exception during this run being a 2-0 loss to Spain in the UEFA Women’s Nations League.

● Sarina Wiegman’s 50th game in charge of England, against France last time out, ended in defeat. Indeed, the Dutchwoman has lost just five of her 50 games in charge of the Lionesses (W37 D8), with four of those losses coming in the last 12 games (W7 D1). The last time England lost consecutive matches was back in April 2021 under Hege Riise, with one of those defeats coming against France.

● France remain unbeaten in their last 32 European Championship qualifying matches (W31 D1) since a 1-0 loss to Iceland in 2007. Beth Mead's goal for England last time out ended France's run of 23 consecutive clean sheets in such matches. England are unbeaten in their last 14 away European Championship qualifiers (W11 D3), winning each of their last seven in a row without conceding.

● Last time out against France was the 38th time England have gone 1-0 up in a game under Wiegman but the first time they have lost such a match (W33 D4). Indeed, it was the first time the Lionesses have lost a game in which they had scored first since September 2019 against Norway under Phil Neville (1-2).

● Mead has 28 goal involvements in her last 14 qualifiers for major international tournaments (EUROs/World Cup), scoring 16 and assisting 12. Last time out against France however was the first time England have ever lost a game she’s scored in (P21 W19 D1 L1).

● Fran Kirby has either scored (2) or assisted (1) three of England’s last six goals against France, scoring and assisting against them in March 2018 (SheBelieves Cup) and netting a late penalty in a Friendly defeat in April 2021.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

How to watch or stream

Sarina Wiegman has named her Lionesses team to play France in their EURO 2025 qualifier on Tuesday evening.

Following last week's defeat to Les Bleues in Newcastle, Wiegman makes one change to the team which started there with Hannah Hampton replacing the injured Mary Earps in goal.

England: 1 Hannah Hampton, 2 Lucy Bronze, 3 Jess Carter, 4 Keira Walsh, 5 Millie Bright, 6 Leah Williamson (c), 7 Beth Mead, 8 Georgia Stanway, 9 Alessia Russo, 10 Ella Toone, 11 Lauren Hemp

Substitutes: 12 Alex Greenwood, 13 Khiara Keating, 14 Fran Kirby, 15 Jessica Naz, 16 Chloe Kelly, 17 Aggie Beever-Jones, 18 Grace Clinton, 19 Maya Le Tissier, 20 Jess Park, 21 Lucy Thomas, 22 Esme Morgan, 23 Millie Turner

Goals from Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo helped England to a sublime 2-1 victory over France in Saint-Étienne.

After falling to a 2-1 defeat to the same opponents in Newcastle on Friday, the Lionesses were dominant from the beginning with Stanway and Russo both netting in the first half.

Kadidiatou Diani scored a second-half penalty, but the hosts still suffered their first defeat in UEFA Women’s Championship 2025 qualifying while the victory moves England into a stronger position in the League A Group 3 standings with the final two games to come in July.

The result is also an important moment in history, marking France’s first defeat in 59 major championship qualifying games and England’s first victory away to Les Bleues in 51 years.

Sarina Wiegman made only the enforced change of Hannah Hampton for Mary Earps in central France, but England looked a side transformed from last week's encounter at St. James' Park.

Ella Toone had the game’s first big chance on six minutes, but her delayed shot was easily saved by Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.

France responded immediately as Diani was well-found by Sakina Karchaoui, who was playing out of position in the front three, but Diani hit the ball wide under pressure from skipper Leah Williamson.

The Lionesses’ fast pace in attack heaped pressure on the France defence with Beth Mead finding an on-rushing Russo who could only put her attempt over.

Mead then stung the hands of Peyraud-Magnin having been found by a wonderful ball from Toone but France were only safe for a matter of seconds.

In a goal full of bravery, Russo and Lauren Hemp held off two challenges from the home side before the latter found Stanway in space and she fired the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box in the 21st minute.

In a practice run for the second goal, Lucy Bronze hit a volley across the box and into the path of Russo’s whose header was well-saved by the France ‘keeper.

The striker did not need asking twice as Russo netted in the 34th minute, when her low header from a peach of a ball from Hemp gave the Lionesses a well-deserved cushion.

France looked for a response either side of the break, Amandine Henry sent her shot well wide before Wendie Renard rose highest to head a ball to Marie-Antoinette Katoto but she directed the ball the wrong side of the far post.

Hampton was much busier in the second half, coming out to shut down an attack before watching a long-range Selma Bacha attempt go just wide.

England showed they could still be dangerous when Toone poached the ball from Maelle Lakrar and attempted to catch out Peyraud-Magnin but the experienced keeper denied the Manchester United midfielder on her 50th cap.

France were then awarded a penalty with Williamson judged to have fouled Grace Geyoro which Diani fired home on her 100th appearance to set up a nervy final 18 minutes.

The game reached a frantic point as the seconds ticked away but Hampton was the calmest player on the pitch to tip Katoto’s attempt behind for a corner as England held on for a famous win.

England (4-3-3): 1 Hannah Hampton; 2 Lucy Bronze, 3 Jess Carter, 4 Keira Walsh, 5 Millie Bright, 6 Leah Williamson (c), 7 Beth Mead, 8 Georgia Stanway, 9 Alessia Russo, 10 Ella Toone, 11 Lauren Hemp

Substitutes: 16 Chloe Kelly for Mead 75’, 14 Fran Kirby for Ella Toone 90’,

Substitutes not used: 12 Alex Greenwood, 13 Khiara Keating, 15 Jessica Naz, 17 Aggie Beever-Jones, 18 Grace Clinton, 19 Maya Le Tissier, 20 Jess Park, 21 Lucy Thomas, 22 Esme Morgan, 23 Millie turner

Goals: Georgia Stanway 21’, Alessia Russo 34’

Yellow cards: Ella Toone 71’, Lucy Bronze 71’, Hannah Hampton 81’, Chloe Kelly 87’

France (4-4-1-1): 16 Pauline Peyraud-Magnin; 5 Élisa de Almeida, 13 Selma Bacha, 6 Amandine Henry, 2 Maelle Lakrar, 3 Wendie Renard (c), 11 Kadidiatou Diani, 8 Grace Geyoro, 9 Marie-Antoinette Katoto, 15 Kenza Dali, 7 Sakina Karchaoui

Substitutes: 20 Delphine Cascarino for Karchaoui 46’, 14 Sandie Toletti for Henry 46’, 22 Eve Périsset for Lakrar 73’, 23 Vicki Becho for Dali 90+2’, 17 Sandy Baltimore for Bacha 90+3

Substitutes not used: 1 Solene Durand, 4 Estelle Cascarino 10 Léa Le Garrec, 12 Inès Benyahia, 18 Julie Dufour, 19 Thiniba Samoura, 21 Constance Picaud

Goals: Kadidiatou Diani penalty 72’

Yellow cards: Kenza Dali 71’, Selma Bacha 79’