Euro 2025: Sophie Ingle makes Wales squad after injury-hit season to lift hopes
Sophie Ingle missed the whole of the last domestic season after rupturing cruciate ligaments in a pre-season game.
Sophie Ingle missed the whole of the last domestic season after rupturing cruciate ligaments in a pre-season game. Photograph: Jayde Chamberlain/SPP/Shutterstock
Sophie Ingle has been included in the 23-member Wales squad for Euro 2025 in Switzerland after winning a race against time and recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament rupture sustained last September.
That knee injury sidelined the much-decorated 33-year-old midfielder, who will leave Chelsea this summer, for the entire domestic season but her return to fitness represents a significant boost to Welsh hopes of exceeding expectations in their first major tournament.
Advertisement
Related: Lots of England players helping own families with Euro 2025 travel costs
Rhian Wilkinson's squad – 30th in Fifa's rankings – have been placed in a tough initial group alongside the Netherlands, France and England but their capacity to cause an upset is boosted by the presence of their record scorer and cap-holder, Jess Fishlock, alongside Ingle in midfield.
Although now 38, Fishlock is still going strong in the United States at Seattle Reign and, as the undoubted star of the team, cannot be underestimated by even the best opponents. She and Ingle will be joined by her Reign teammate Angharad James, the Wales captain, in a formidable-looking midfield. The trio hold 432 international caps.
It also helps that Wilkinson, who is half-Welsh, is no tactical slouch. The 43-year-old former 183-cap Canada defender managed Portland Thorns to the NWSL title in the US in 2022 and served as a highly regarded assistant coach with Canada's and England's women.
Advertisement
Since her arrival in February 2024 Wales have only once lost by more than a goal but scoring freely can remain a problem. The hope is that this can be remedied by the return to full fitness of the prolific Crystal Palace striker Elise Hughes after her second ACL rupture.
Olivia Clark (Leicester), Safia (correct) Middleton-Patel (Manchester United), Poppy Soper (unattached), Charlie Estcourt (DC Power), Gemma Evans (Liverpool), Josie Green (Crystal Palace), Hayley Ladd (Everton), Esther Morgan (Sheffield United), Ella Powell (Bristol City), Rhiannon Roberts (unattached), Lily Woodham (Seattle Reign), Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign), Alice Griffiths (Unattached), Ceri Holland (Liverpool), Sophie Ingle (unattached), Angharad James (Seattle Reign), Lois Joel (Newcastle), Rachel Rowe (Southampton), Kayleigh Barton (unattached), Hannah Cain (Leicester), Elise Hughes (Crystal Palace), Carrie Jones (IFK Norkoping), Ffion Morgan (Bristol City).
Wilkinson, flanked by the Leicester goalkeeper Olivia Clark and the unattached former Real Betis defender Rhiannon Roberts, climbed to the top of Yr Wyddfa, previously known as Snowdon, on Thursday morning before naming her Switzerland-bound party from the mountain's summit. Squad announcements can rarely have been so innovative, or camera-friendly.
On Sunday the players will fly to Portugal for a week's training on the Algarve before arriving at their base in Lipperswil in north-east Switzerland, between Zurich and St Gallen and close to Lake Constance.
With more than 2,000 Wales fans attending the team's matches in Lucerne (against the Netherlands) and St Gallen (against France and England), the tournament's lowest-ranked side are poised to be among the best-supported teams in Switzerland.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘A perfect storm': multi-club ownership, Crystal Palace and a looming court threat
In the waterfront offices of Uefa's House of European Football headquarters in Nyon, the legal team are preparing for an unwanted trip around Lake Geneva to Lausanne. Over the course of many internal meetings since Crystal Palace inadvertently provided Uefa with the toughest test yet of its multi-club ownership (MCO) rules by winning the FA Cup, it has become increasingly clear the ultimate arbiter on the issue is likely to be the court of arbitration for sport (Cas). 'We're going to find out if our MCO rules stand up to scrutiny as, one way or another, it looks like we're going to Cas,' says one source at Uefa, resigned to the issue of whether Palace can compete in next season's Europa League being placed in the hands of that Lausanne court. Advertisement Uefa has been liaising closely with Palace, with sources claiming the issue of John Textor's dual shareholding in the club and Lyon – who qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in Ligue 1 – was flagged by the governing body long before the 1 March deadline for resolving MCO issues. The American is in advanced discussions over selling his 44.9% stake in Palace to the New York Jets owner, Woody Johnson, which may help the club's cause, although there is no prospect of the deal being completed before Uefa has to make a decision. The case is emblematic of the confusion surrounding club ownership and the regulatory issues facing the sport, and Uefa has delayed a ruling until the related case of Lyon's financial problems has been resolved. The DNCG – French football's financial watchdog – is auditing Lyon's accounts after imposing a provisional relegation to Ligue 2 last year owing to the club's debt levels, with a final outcome expected next week. Relegation and a ban from European competition for Lyon would make Uefa's life a lot easier, although both seem unlikely. 'It's a perfect storm,' says a sympathetic figure at another club. 'Everything that could go wrong from Uefa's point of view has done. We have three clubs involved [Palace, Lyon and Brøndby, who are owned by the Palace shareholder David Blitzer], and two multi-club groups. There's a complex ownership group at Palace who don't appear to communicate very well, and a surprise FA Cup winner. Not to mention Lyon's financial issues. You couldn't make it up really.' Palace sources acknowledge they are working with Uefa amid belief on both sides that an accommodation is wanted, but two factors beyond either party's control could count against them. Advertisement First, Cas last month upheld Fifa's decision to expel the Mexican club León from the Club World Cup because they are part of the same ownership group as another qualifier, Pachuca. The owner, Grupo Pachuca, had attempted to park its León shareholding in a separate trust but this move did not satisfy Fifa or Cas. In another complication Nottingham Forest, who will be moved from the Conference League to the Europa League if Palace are kicked out, may go to Cas if denied that promotion. A source close to Forest's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, told the Guardian the Greek billionaire was opposed to many of the moves to regulate football and was prepared to take on Uefa. There are clear financial incentives to do so. Whereas Chelsea earned £21m in prize money from winning the Conference League in the past season, Tottenham's Europa League triumph could be worth well over £100m because it also delivered a Champions League place. Palace are worried the León ruling has set a precedent that could work against them. At Uefa there is a feeling that it would rather face Forest at Cas than have its multi-club framework tested in court by Palace. One figure at a European team with direct experience of multi-club contortions believes Uefa will give Palace every opportunity to pass muster, concurring that the governing body's regulations could be brought tumbling down in the event Textor and company mounted a challenge. An examination brought about by Forest would, they suggested, give the existing rules a far better chance of holding firm. Advertisement Confirmation by Cas this week of the League of Ireland side Drogheda's expulsion from the Conference League owing to a multi-club breach has heightened concerns in Nyon, but the cases are different. Drogheda had qualified by winning the Irish Cup last November yet their owner, Trivela Group, failed to meet Uefa's March deadline, and unlike Textor the American investors are majority owners of two clubs: Drogheda and Denmark's Silkeborg. Uefa had caused disquiet in some quarters by shifting that deadline forward from last year's June date. Some figures involved in club acquisition have expressed surprise that Drogheda were not able to win their case at Cas. 'Uefa are trying to be flexible, but the Fifa v Club León case is making it harder for them,' a source said. 'Cas upheld Fifa's rules, which are very similar to Uefa's, so the precedent is there. The Cas ruling was based on the nature of the blind trust and the importance of the regulatory process – ie dates and deadlines. To put it simply Palace haven't complied, but Uefa want to make it work.' There is some acknowledgment at Uefa that elements of its MCO rules are not fit for purpose, although it would prefer to redraft them in Nyon than put them at the mercy of the court. There is nothing in Article 5 of Uefa's rules detailing whether Palace or Brøndby should be given precedence if both end up in next season's Conference League, for example. In ordinary circumstances it would be Brøndby by virtue of their higher league position, as stated in the rules, but Palace could also have a claim if parachuted in from the more prestigious Europa League. Advertisement Uefa's MCO rules have been in place without many revisions for 24 years, although one significant change was made 12 months ago when the regulations were relaxed to permit a club part of a multi-ownership group to compete in a different competition. Article 5 was drafted in 2001 after a legal challenge from Tottenham's owner, Enic, the first multi-club operation in the Premier League, after AEK Athens were blocked from taking part in the 1998-99 Uefa Cup because their sister club Slavia Prague had also qualified. The initial rule stated that 'control or influence' over more than one club was not allowed, but it was not tested until 2017 when RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg qualified for the Champions League, which led to the wording being altered to 'decisive influence'. What had been a rare occurrence is now an annual problem for Uefa, with Aston Villa, Brighton and Toulouse allowed to play in Europe during the 2023-24 season only when their owners put more distance between them and Vitória de Guimarães, Union Saint-Gilloise and Milan respectively. The same issue affected Manchester City and Girona as well as Manchester United and Nice a year later. The fact that neither Girona nor Manchester United joined their partner clubs in qualifying for next season's European competitions may have kicked a further conundrum down the road. Their respective ownership groups were allowed what was, in theory, a short-term exemption last season by placing one of their clubs' shares in a blind trust until 1 July this year. One club owner wonders how Uefa would have responded if those sides had reached the same tournament for a second consecutive year. It is unclear whether they would have been allowed to roll over into a further 12 months of blind trust holding. Advertisement Multi-club ownership is growing constantly; figures shared with the Guardian by the MCO Insights consultancy suggest more than 800 top- and second-tier clubs could be involved by 2030. That would roughly double the current number. By that point it would surely be uncontrollable by current rules. Simon Leaf, head of sport at the law firm Mishcon de Reya, believes Uefa and other governing bodies need clearer regulations to avoid being repeatedly taken to court. 'We are seeing an increasing number of clubs looking to use various legal avenues – in particular, competition law – to try to challenge regulations that they dislike,' Leaf says. 'This trend is likely to continue, making it much harder for leagues and governing bodies to regulate their competitions. 'On the Palace matter it is hard to have too much sympathy with Uefa given they already showed themselves to be willing to bend their own rules on MCOs last summer – and despite their efforts to strengthen the regulations since then, the bar has now been set. 'Either way, MCOs are not going away, and so football's governing bodies need to find a way to properly deal with these issues so that they are dealt with in the boardroom rather than the courtroom.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Euro 2025: Switzerland team guide – can Sundhage help the hosts make history?
Is this the year that Switzerland first reach the European Championship knockout stages? As hosts, they qualified automatically, making this their third consecutive Euros appearance, having first appeared in 2017. Advertisement On home soil, the pressure will be on and they have been drawn into what looks like a favourable Group A, featuring Norway, Iceland and Finland. Norway are favourites, but the Swiss — led by Swede Pia Sundhage, a former United States women's national team manager — will believe a top-two finish is entirely possible. Who is the manager? Sundhage's appointment in January 2024 was a clear statement from Switzerland that they were taking the assignment of being tournament hosts seriously. Sundhage carries with her an extensive pedigree of not only playing and coaching in the highest echelons, but of winning. The former USWNT, Sweden and Brazil head coach won the Euros in 1984 with Sweden as a player and was the tournament's top goalscorer. As a coach, she twice won Olympic gold with the USWNT and was the beaten finalist in the 2011 Women's World Cup. She led Sweden to the semi-finals at Euro 2013 and their first Olympic medal, taking silver in 2016. Advertisement Why did Switzerland — relatively unproven novices in international tournaments and with less star power than previous teams she has coached — appeal? 'That kind of feeling when everybody's coming together, that is unique,' Sundhage told BBC Sport in December 2024, referring to the advantages of being a host nation. 'So it was easy to say 'yes'.' How do they play? In a 3-5-2, with their wing-backs pushing high and wide up the pitch to spread the play. Sundhage has tried to encourage her team to be braver and to play front-foot football, particularly using width. That said, the back three is an attempt to keep Switzerland solid at the back against more technical teams. Who are their three most influential players? Arsenal's Lia Walti, together with injured Houston Dash forward Ramona Bachmann and Seattle Reign's Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, have been the heart and soul of the national side for years. The trio's quality on and off the ball is a level above the rest of the team, which can be seen as both a good and a bad thing. Former manager Inka Grings once called her team's dependence on the triumvirate 'damn dangerous' after a defeat in 2023 by Iceland — who are in their Euros group — for which Bachmann and Walti were not available. Advertisement Bachmann's absence here means there are opportunities for others, and this could be a breakout tournament for exciting Barcelona forward Sydney Schertenleib. What is their biggest strength? Never underestimate the power of home turf. While the pressure will be on for Switzerland to improve their mediocre tournament record, there is only one way to make diamonds (hint: starts with p and ends in ressure). Armed with Sundhage's experience, some youthful verve and a bit of luck, it is not impossible they could come up with something special. What weakness might other teams be able to exploit? According to Sundhage, Switzerland's greatest weakness is 'their mindset' and a consistent lack of belief they are world class. Another potential weakness: goalscoring. In Sundhage's 18 matches in charge, Switzerland's 25 goals have come from 14 different scorers (as well as two own goals), which seems on paper a nice spread of attacking firepower. Yet, in their six Nations League games against France, Norway and Iceland, they managed just four goals, three of which came against Iceland in one match. Advertisement At the 2023 World Cup, Switzerland scored just three goals in three group games but that was enough to finish first before losing against eventual winners Spain in the last 16. Any notable absences? Bachmann is the biggest loss, the anterior cruciate ligament injury she suffered in mid-June leaving her devastated. 'I'm heartbroken to miss the Euros, especially here at home in Switzerland,' she wrote on Instagram. 'This tournament was a huge goal for me, and I've given everything over the past months to be ready for it. To suffer a serious injury now, so close to the start, is incredibly hard to accept. Not being able to step onto the pitch and represent my country in front of our fans hurts deeply.' FC Koln midfielder Alena Bienz sustained an ankle injury heading into Switzerland's final Nations League matches against France and Norway in June. What is their strongest starting XI? How have they performed over the past 12 months? A positive start to life under Sundhage has been put into harsh perspective in the past seven months. A 1-1 draw with Australia was followed by a 2-1 win against France in October 2024, suggesting Switzerland were a team who could challenge the continent's best. Yet, a 6-0 thrashing by Germany in front of a record crowd of more than 17,000 in Zurich shortly after has led to a seven-game winless run, with Switzerland failing to score in five of those. Advertisement Switzerland are in an interesting position in that they have played two of their Euro 2025 group-stage opponents in the Nations League. Switzerland managed two draws with Iceland and lost twice against Norway, though their final Nations League match was controversial as Norway took a quick throw-in after a Swiss player put a deflated ball out of play, leading Switzerland midfielder Smilla Vallotto to accuse her opponents of not 'playing with 'fair play''. 'That motivates me for the next match. It's really not possible that they did that,' she told broadcaster RTS. What are they expected to achieve at these Euros? The draw could have been far more difficult. Switzerland will feel they have a chance of joining favourites Norway to progress to the knockouts and failure to do so will be a tremendous disappointment for the hosts. Did you know? Switzerland won the right to host Euro 2025 after they decided to turn their bid, held in front of the UEFA executive committee who cast the votes for hosting rights, into a rap. You read that right. Where everyone else used laser pointers and PowerPoint presentations, the Swiss FA were rapping. The rap flipped 'at least one voter', according to Tatjana Haenni, the former Switzerland head of women's and girls' football who helped put the bid together. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Switzerland, UK Women's Football, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Euro 2025: Finland team guide – can the underdogs produce another historic upset?
Never the winners, but capable of an upset or two against the right opponents, Finland's women's national team are seated in European soccer's mid-tier. The Helmarit (the Boreal Owls) shocked the women's football world in 2005, reaching the semifinals after drawing with Sweden and defeating Denmark, before falling to Germany in the penultimate match. As hosts in 2009, expectations were high, but they've yet to return to those elite heights. Under coach Marko Saloranta, they have qualified for this year's tournament via the playoffs, landing in Group A alongside Norway, Iceland, and hosts Switzerland. Ranked 26th in FIFA's standings, they won't stun crowds; however, they are not going down without a fight. Who is the manager? Saloranta has led the senior team since 2022 after briefly taking charge in 2017. He has also led youth teams and served as an assistant coach since 2009. The 53-year-old former player has worked with many on this squad since their under-16 and under-17 years and guided them through a difficult qualifying campaign. Advertisement Saloranta is a cautious, defensive-minded manager, unwilling to take too many risks, which could be good when results matter more than style. How do they play? Finland's game is exhausting for wingers as they are compact and disciplined. Expect a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 base. They like to press defensively and are sharp on the counter. Defenders push high, such as Chicago Stars defender Natalia Kuikka, who often joins attacks as she did in the qualifying play-off against Scotland. Overall, Finland are more territorial and take organization over flair, which makes them tough to break down, but against experienced attackers, they can be slow. Who are their three most influential players? Eveliina Summanen is their creative midfielder. She is a playmaker who sparks transitions and links defence to attack. The Tottenham Hotspur player recently returned from injury. Emma Koivisto is a defender with over 100 caps across WSL, Serie A and Damallsvenskan. The AC Milan player is a versatile option for Finland, having played both full-back and winger. Advertisement Natalia Kuikka has recovered from injury in time to make the squad and, if back to full fitness, will be a key dynamic defender. The 29-year-old currently plays for the NWSL's Chicago Stars FC. She was named Finnish Footballer of the Year in 2022. What is their biggest strength? The squad is strong as a collective and has an element of being an underdog, which they've taken advantage of in the past. They are known for playing with a compact defensive structure led by strong full-backs and an organised midfield that can make an impact on counterattacks. What weakness might other teams be able to exploit? A lack of creativity in midfield and attacking structure hurts this team. Against high-press or possession-heavy teams, they can be overrun, slowed, and starved of the ball. As the lowest-ranked team in Group A, they will come up against teams used to higher levels of competition. Finland have had a nice run of form heading into the Euros, but many of those wins came from competition in League B of the UEFA Nations League. Any notable absences? No major injuries have been reported recently, and the squad that featured in the May/June 2025 Nations League is expected to arrive in Switzerland at full strength. What is their strongest starting XI? How have they performed over the past 12 months? Finland's last year was a mixed bag. Of the 16 matches played, they won nine, drew four and lost three. They beat Italy in Euro qualifying (2‑1), they had a surprise draw against the Netherlands (1-1), but they also experienced multi-goal losses against Norway (4‑0) and Italy (4-0). They performed better in League B of UEFA Nations League, with five wins, one draw and one loss, but they still failed direct promotion due to a draw with Serbia (1‑1). Advertisement The highlight of their last 12 months was a playoff win against Scotland (2‑0) in December 2024, which earned them a spot at the Euros. What are they expected to achieve at these Euros? Saloranta is hoping for a better performance than the team's 2022 run, when they lost all group stage matches against Germany, Spain and Denmark. Their best hope is for a mistake from Norway or Switzerland to advance beyond the group stage for the first time since 2009. In Group A, they're underdogs among Iceland, two-time champion Norway, and hosts Switzerland. It will be tough for them to beat Norway, but with their defensive structure, they might find a result against Switzerland and a draw against Iceland, leaving them with four points to get out of the group if the stars align. Just getting to the tournament after the two-leg playoff with Scotland was a win for Finland. Did you know? The Helmarit recently mistakenly called up a retired 51-year-old player for their match against Serbia. Defender Nanne Ruuskanen missed the June 3 Nations League match due to a clerical error when team manager Outi Saarinen accidentally put Stina Ruuskanen's name, a player who retired 29 years ago, instead of Nanne Ruuskanen, a current player. Advertisement Saarinen apologised for the error via a formal statement from the Finnish federation. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Finland, UK Women's Football, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
