Inside the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 Squad: Who’s In, Who’s Out, and What It Means for England

Here is your deep dive into the Lionesses squad, all these career stats, this last season and performance with the international team

We can’t speak about the lionesses without speaking about those not in the squad. There were some shocking breaking news stories in the weeks leading up to the Euro squad announcement.

England are without three strong leaders in the captain and vice captains for England and SuperFran, however Fran said said when she looks at the team, she sees no issues with leaders and sees many examples from Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Alex Greenwood, and Kiera Walsh, which were the examples she gave. Mary Earps immediate retirement came with speculation around her not being given the number 1 keeper slot. Fran Kirby's retirement was because she would not be heading to the Euros and was planning for this to be her last tournament, so she retired now instead of September. Interestingly, the English FA announced it would have a formal goodbye to Fran in the first game after the Euros, but the same was not said for Earps. Millie Bright removed herself from being selected due to a long season at the club, which saw her play every game bar one, so she needed this summer to reset, get a minor knee operation, and take care of her mental health ahead of the next WSL season.

The likely starting XI per the squad numbers is

1. Hannah Hampton
2. Lucy Bronze
3. Niamh Charles
4. Keira Walsh
5. Alex Greenwood
6. Leah Williamson
7. Lauren James (if fit)
8. Georgia Stanway
9. Beth Mead
10. Ella Toone
11. Lauren Hemp.

So let's break it down:

Goalkeepers

• Hannah Hampton
• Anna Moorhouse
• Khiara Keating 

Hannah Hampton has been officially honoured with the number one spot. When you look back at the headlines after the last Euros, it is rumoured that Sabrina Wiegman dropped her due to her attitude. But since going to Chelsea and working with elite players and managers, she has done her work and returned stronger than ever after winning three major trophies and two final wins. There are concerns about her ability to concede goals, but she is excellent with the ball at her feet.

Anna Moorhouse and Khiara Keating have not played a single minute for England, a concern going into a major tournament. The strong rumours are that the manager has to play one of these keepers in the friendly against Jamaica, so they have at least one cap under their belt. I would go with Moorhouse, who is in season and has experience and age to her, unlike Keating, who has not always played her best this season, plus Moorhouse holds the NWSL record for most clean sheets in a single season with 13, which is crucial when it comes to knockout football. Also, regarding squad number, Moorhouse is 13 and Keating is 21, so it's likely to follow that order of preference. However, Alessia Russo, a staple, is 23, the last number in the squad (though her number at Euro 2022), so I would take squad number selection with a pinch of salt outside the 1-11.

Defenders

• Lucy Bronze
• Jess Carter
• Niamh Charles
• Alex Greenwood
• Maya Le Tissier
• Esme Morgan
• Leah Williamson
• Lotte Wubben-Moy

A veteran in the squad, Lucy Bronze still has the speed and strength of a younger player, but she has experience way beyond her years. She is their primary right-back, and this Euros will be her seventh major tournament for England.

Leah Williamson, the Captain, is back on the international tournament stage after missing the 2023 World Cup due to her ACL injuries just months out from the trip down under. She knows how to captain a side to European glory and is the only England Captain to do that across genders.

Jess Carter is on a winning trophy streak halfway through her club season. She has won the Champions Cup with Gotham FC. She is a versatile option and equally adept at full-back or centre-back. She had a great working relationship with Millie Bright in that defence for club and country, but without Bright, she would not gel as well with the other players. Unlike most players in the squad, she is in season, so she is still playing high-level football for the club, which will be crucial.

Alex Greenwood is another crucial player who will come into this defence, especially without Millie Bright. She returned from a season-long injury and was able to return for City at the end of their season. She has experience and a great working relationship with Williamson in the centre-back positions.

Young talent, those who are the future of the Lionesses' defence- Niamh Charles, who has made some impressive appearances in recent games and has a strong overlap presence from the left. The likes of Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Lotte Wubben-Moy all provide the depth and flexibility across the defence. They will likely become strategic subs to give the likes of Greenwood, who is returning from injury, time to rest to ensure she does not re-injure herself.

Midfielders

• Grace Clinton
• Jess Park
• Georgia Stanway
• Ella Toone
• Keira Walsh

We move to the midfield with the fewest players, with Grace Clinton and Jess Park acting as direct relief for Stanway, Toone, and Walsh. However, some forwards could be moved further back in the midfield for support.

While somewhat underrated and never given the praise she deserves because she does not score with the ball at her feet, Keira Walsh is divine. She is crucial in midfield for any club she starts at. Her time at Chelsea has not been on top of the wow factor, but then again, she won the domestic treble, so that can be dated.

Georgia Stanway scored the winner in extra time in the quarter-finals of the last Euros against Spain to put England through to the semi-finals. This is one goal to remember when we thought the journey was over before it started. She returns from knee surgery, so her minutes will likely be managed somewhat, but she offers a creative spark from deep midfield.

Grace Clinton is the queen of hugs. She’s young and energetic but also strong and feisty. At the same time, she will take no prisoners. She has a great box-to-box presence.

Another young talent is Jess Park, who will likely come on as a super sub rather than a starter. She is a young new talent on the international stage and has some flair on the wings. This is her first major tournament, but she has played in finals and Champions League football this year, so she is well-used to the pressure.

Ella TOOOONE is the super-sub. She scored the first goal in the Euros finals, which at the time put England ahead. She scores in those big, high-pressure games. This is her third major tournament in England. She also played at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

Forward

• Michelle Agymang
• Aggie-Beever Jones
• Lauren Hemp
• Lauren James
• Chloe Kelly
• Beth Mead
• Alessia Russo 

The forwards are the people who are likely to make the difference, the players who will get the love when they score and the hate if they don’t.

Alessia Russo has been given the 23 shirt, not the number 9 shirt of any number 1-11, which could mean she will play a similar role as she did at the last Euros as a super sub and then wanted the same shirt number she had last in 2022. The shirt numbers outside the top 11 are not so much a strict list of the first-choice subs. She has been consistent for Arsenal and has just one in the Champions League.

Which moves swiftly into Beth Mead, she was the first lioness to score a hat trick at Wembley she is also the Euros 2022 Golden Boot winner but since her ACL injury before the 2023 World Cup her game time and abilities have changed but she will still be crucial for England.

Another Champions League winner with Arsenal is Chloe Kelly she will likely make headlines on where she will be in club football from next season but on the international stage she is the gift that keeps on giving. She helped England win their first ever women’s major tournament and the first ever for both genders Euros and her celebration will go down in history as the coolest reaction. She has regained her form and love for football again for this Euros.

Aggie Beever-Jones, the second lioness ever to score a hattrick at Wembley after Beth Mead. She scored the Hattrick in 33 minutes in the Nations League match against Portugal in April. This also likely booked her flight to Switzerland this summer.

Lauren Hemp another Lioness who has had her club season riddled with Injury like her club compatriot Alex Greenwood she did make a return to the pitch at the end of the season and has played in the most recent England matches in the Nations league. She is very versatile winger option to feed in crosses into the box.

Lauren James unlike 2022 Euros it seems there’s a lot more players coming back from Injury she missed the end of the season due to an injury which got playing for England against Belgium. However she has worked really hard with to get back to fitness from her Hamstring injury and is creative on the ball and will find a goal out of nothing. I will praise her for her ability to deal with criticism and racism and let the football do the talking. This season, I have seen her work on her defensive skills and in all areas of the pitch to help her side.

Michelle Agyemang made the best first impression on England manager Sarina Wiegman. 41seconds after entering the game against Belgium in the Nations League she scored in her second touch and collected the ball and kept going to find England the equaliser. This goal put her in the spotlight and on the map for her country. This also likely booked her flight to Switzerland this summer.