Laken Litman
School Soccer & Soccer Analyst
Doug McIntyre
Soccer Journalist
From Ballon d’Or winners to high-scoring forwards to veteran playmakers, these are the celebs who’ll seize the headlines at UEFA Ladies’s Euro 2025.
Sixteen nations will purpose for glory at this version of the match, going down throughout Switzerland from July 2-27. You can watch all 31 video games throughout FOX Sports activities, culminating with the ultimate on July 27 at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland (12 p.m. ET, FOX).
What’s at stake for these gamers and groups? Lots. For England, it is about successful a consecutive Euro championship after seeing a few of their prime stars from the 2022 match retire. For Spain, a brand new piece of silverware to go along with the 2023 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup title would additional cement their legacy.
Every squad within the match has standout gamers, however these 10 stars – together with a number of these two co-favorite sides – would be the focus of followers and opponents alike. Let’s dive in:
Aitana Bonmatí | Midfielder | Spain
(Picture by Florencia Tan Jun – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: We noticed the frustration in Bonmati’s face after Barcelona misplaced to Arsenal within the UEFA Champions League closing earlier this spring, so you may guess that shall be a motivating issue for the two-time reigning Ballon d’Or champion. Not solely that, however the final time we noticed Spain on the world’s stage was the 2024 Paris Olympics when La Roja misplaced to Brazil within the semifinal match. Bonmati has received quite a lot of trophies – together with the 2023 World Cup – however Spain has by no means received the Euro’s earlier than and he or she shall be anxious to guide her group to a title. – Laken Litman
Kadidiatou Diani | Ahead | France
(Picture by VALENTINE CHAPUIS/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: In 2023, Diani received the Silver Boot on the Ladies’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In 2024, Diani was the highest scorer within the UEFA Champions League. However the 30-year-old ahead has by no means received a global trophy for her group, both at membership stage or with Les Bleues. This summer time represents her subsequent likelihood, and it’s a very good one: After Spain and England, France is the bookies’ subsequent favourite to assert the title in Switzerland. – Doug McIntyre
Caroline Graham Hansen | Ahead | Norway
(Picture by Molly Darlington – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: Hansen, who completed second within the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, is certainly one of Norway’s prime gamers proper now. The Barcelona winger – who, like Bonmati, shall be anxious to do nicely this summer time after shedding out on a Champions League title – is artistic, enjoyable to look at and doubtless a bit below the radar regardless of her dominance on the pitch. Norway has a robust group of gamers, which additionally consists of extra acquainted stars like Ada Hegerberg. But when this group goes to make a run at successful its first European championship since 1993, it’s going to take an enormous effort from the 30-year-old Hansen. – Litman
Chloe Kelly | Ahead | England
(Picture by Charlotte Wilson – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: Who might neglect that Kelly was the hero of the 2022 Euros? She scored the game-winning aim in further time to present England an exhilarating 2-1 win over Germany, and promptly ripped off her jersey in celebration. Since then, Kelly has been up and down for the Lionesses. However she’s just lately discovered her footing at Arsenal, the place she transferred this spring, earlier than serving to the membership win the Champions League. The 27-year-old ahead is enjoying extra confidently than ever and is anxious to assist England win a second title. – Litman
Clàudia Pina | Ahead | Spain
(Picture by Florencia Tan Jun – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: There’s a lot expertise from Barcelona enjoying in these Euros, it’s straightforward to neglect the Spanish membership didn’t win the Champions League title this season. Pina was one of many explanation why her membership made a run to the title recreation although, coming in as the highest scorer in Champions League with 10 targets. She’s had a while to relaxation and get well following a protracted and laborious season, and Spain definitely hopes she’s in prime type to be a menace in entrance of aim this summer time. – Litman
Alexia Putellas | Midfielder | Spain
(Picture by Florencia Tan Jun – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: The 2-time Ballon d’Or winner tore her ACL on the eve of Euro 2022, torpedoing Spain’s possibilities of successful its first continental title. Putellas returned in time to occupy a supporting position as La Roja received the 2023 World Cup, however one other knee harm prevented the Barcelona celebrity from collaborating as Spain claimed final yr’s UEFA Nations League. This summer time’s Euros, in different phrases, marks the primary main match for a totally wholesome Putellas for the reason that 2019 Ladies’s World Cup. – McIntyre
Alessia Russo | Ahead | England
(Picture by Charlotte Wilson – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: Russo is coming off arguably her greatest membership season ever – she helped lead Arsenal to a Champions League title and received the WSL Golden Boot (12 targets). Now, she’s trying to take England again to the highest of Europe by successful a second straight Euro championship. Russo performed within the 2022 closing, approaching as a second-half sub and was on the England squad that misplaced to Spain within the 2023 World Cup closing. Whereas the 26-year-old ahead remains to be younger in her profession, she’s received so much and if the Lionesses win all of it this summer time, she’ll be a serious cause why. – Litman
Lea Schüller | Ahead | Germany
(Picture by Sebastian Widmann – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: Schüller’s worldwide strike fee is gaudy, with 52 targets in 75 appearances for Germany. It hasn’t translated into silverware, nonetheless: the 27-year-old’s profession with the Frauenteam has been marked by close to misses, together with a bronze medal on the 2024 Olympics, one other third-place end in that yr’s Nations League and a heartbreaking loss to England on the Euro 2022 closing. If the Germans are to win their ninth European title this July (and their first in additional than a decade), Schüller will play a serious position. – McIntyre
Keira Walsh | Midfielder | England
(Picture by Charlotte Wilson – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: The Lionesses’ maestro is trying to lead the defending champions to their second consecutive European title. Walsh orchestrated England’s unforgettable Euro 2022 conquer Germany on dwelling soil three years in the past, however she struggled mightily within the 2023 World Cup closing loss to Spain. Now 28 and the Lionesses’ vice-captain, the Chelsea standout shall be extremely motivated to place that setback proper this summer time. – McIntyre
Daniëlle van de Donk | Midfielder | Netherlands
(Picture by Joris Verwijst/BSR Company/Getty Pictures)
What’s At Stake: The excessive level of Van de Donk’s 15-year worldwide profession got here in 2017, when she helped the Oranje win Euro 2017. However the Dutch couldn’t flip that triumph into pattern; they misplaced the World Cup closing to the US two years later, then bombed out of the 2020 Olympics, Euro 2022 and World Cup 2023 within the quarterfinals. The Netherlands didn’t qualify for final summer time’s Paris Video games. Along with her thirty fourth birthday approaching in August, this could possibly be her closing alternative so as to add one other main trophy earlier than hanging up her cleats. – McIntyre
Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand wrote for Sports activities Illustrated, USA At present and The Indianapolis Star. She is the creator of “Sturdy Like a Lady,” printed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Observe her at @LakenLitman.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports activities who has lined United States males’s and girls’s nationwide groups at FIFA World Cups on 5 continents. Observe him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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