Sarina Wiegman has named her 23-person Lionesses squad for Euro 2025 in what has been an unsettling 10 days.

Two international retirements and the World Cup captain withdrawing from selection has not been the ideal build-up to the tournament this summer.

Getty

It has left question marks about what is happening inside the England camp as the Lionesses try to retain their Euros title.

Goalkeeper Mary Earps announced her sudden, and shock, retirement from international football after being told she would be back-up to Hannah Hampton.

Frank Kirby was then the second person to announce her retirement from England on Tuesday, after the Lionesses were knocked out of the Nations League with a 2-1 group stage defeat to Spain.

The Lionesses were hit with a further blow this week as Millie Bright withdrew herself from selection, citing physical and mental burnout.

That gave Wiegman plenty of selection headaches just hours before she named the final squad.

All three started every game when England secured their first major silverware at the home Euros in 2022.

There was some good news for Weigman as  three key players who had been long-term absentees with knee injuries – Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood – all came through England’s recent matches.

Lauren James is fit enough to be included in the final squad, despite recent problems with a hamstring injury.

The England boss also picked just five midfielders, while there were seven attackers in her final 23.

Seven players – Michelle Agyemang, Aggie Beever-Jones, Grace Clinton, Khiara Keating, Maya Le Tissier, Anna Moorhouse and Jess Park – will be appearing at their first major tournament.

Meanwhile, it will be Lucy Bronze’s seventh major tournament with England.

Four players will also be on standby for the tournament – Sophie Baggaley [Brighton & Hove Albion], Laura Blindkilde Brown [Manchester City], Missy Bo Kearns [Aston Villa] and Lucy Parker [Aston Villa].

They will stay with the squad at St. George’s Park from the meet-up on Monday, June 16 through to the day the squad travel to Switzerland on Monday, June 30.

England begin their Euro 2025 campaign against France on 5 July, before Group D fixtures against the Netherlands and then Wales.

Discussing her selection, Wiegman said: “I know this is an exciting day, for the players and also for our fans and it underlines that the tournament is coming soon. 

“Telling the players they have made the squad is always a great moment. They will all give everything to help us make the country proud. 

Getty

Getty

“This group is a very well-balanced mix of players with multiple tournaments on their CVs and also those that will make their tournament debuts. I am excited to see what we are capable of this summer.

“At the same time, I do feel for those that have just missed out. I can only name 23 but there are more players who have been so important to us on our journey to Switzerland. We would not be here without them.

“As we look forward, we still have a month to go until we play the first game. After some important rest, we will all be working really hard to make sure we are ready to go on 5 July.”