Defending champions England are among the favourites to defend their Women's Euros crown this summer, as huge expectation builds before the Switzerland-held tournament.
Sabrina Wiegman’s Lionesses are looking to bounce back following their loss to Spain in the 2023 World Cup Final. After a bumpy start to Euros qualifying, they are hitting top form at the right time, as a talented new side has begun to take shape.
With so many talented players vying for a spot in the squad, Wiegman has a tough task on her hands choosing her final group. But, according to respected former-player-turned pundit Courtney Sweetman-Kirk, one player is guaranteed a place in the side, and may well go on to be the player of the tournament this summer.
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk: ‘Alessia Russo has taken her game to a whole new level in recent years’
“I think Alessia Russo has emerged as a real leader in that number nine role,” Sweetman-Kirk tells FourFourTwo as an ambassador for the Utilita Girls Cup.
“I think it was a hard act to follow Ellen White in terms of both her goal-scoring ability and the way that she worked off the ball.
“That can be a struggle, following an act like that, with the weight of expectation of the number nine on your back. But Russo has been absolutely fantastic over the past couple of years and for her club as well. I was watching her in the Champions League earlier this season and she’s taken her game to a whole new level. She’s flourishing at the moment.”
Asked whether Russo could be the outstanding Lioness this summer, Sweetman-Kirk insists the Gunner could have strong competition on her hands from a clubmate.
“She could well be but I'm also looking at Chloe Kelly,” explains the former forward. “She had a rocky start to the season, but going to Arsenal – going home as it were, where she came through their academy system – she seems to be happy again.
“She’s enjoying her football and her relationship with Russo could actually be key for England this summer.
“They’re playing so well together. Obviously they already had that relationship with the Lionesses but now it’s growing even stronger at club level as well. So those would be the two that I'd be looking at to really impact it this summer in Switzerland.”
The Utilita Kids and Girls Cup tournaments create one of the country’s largest national football competitions for budding young football stars up and down the country, culminating in exciting finals at Wembley Stadium in front of thousands of fans before a major national final, as schoolchildren live out their dreams.
