England & Wales Bid To Survive 'toughest Group Of All'

England and Wales are flying nan emblem for nan location nations astatine Euro 2025 this summer.

But nan 2 teams person recovered themselves paired together successful nan trickiest group, alongside nan Netherlands and France.

That intends 3 of nan 4 teams successful nan group are successful nan apical 11 of Fifa's world rankings.

Wales return connected nan Dutch (17:00 BST connected Saturday) successful a crippled you tin watch and perceive to crossed nan BBC, earlier England look France (20:00), pinch power commentary connected 5 Live and BBC Sounds, pinch unrecorded matter updates connected nan BBC Sport website and app.

But what makes Group D truthful difficult and who is astir apt to make it through?

Group D, according to Netherlands leader Andries Jonker, is nan "toughest group of all" astatine Euro 2025.

And Opta person backed up his claim, pinch nan stat experts' supercomputer predicting there's a 37% chance a Group D squad will triumph nan tournament.

That's 7% higher than nan second-favourite group.

"It's nan astir lopsided tie I person ever seen," shot journalist Tom Garry told nan Football Daily podcast.

"The last day script for England and Wales is that they could some beryllium retired earlier they play each different successful nan 3rd game."

England get successful Switzerland arsenic nan defending champions while nan Netherlands won nan erstwhile tourney successful 2017 - some were managed by Sarina Wiegman.

Both teams won each 3 of their group-stage games erstwhile they won nan title.

The defending champions person ne'er grounded to advancement past nan group shape astatine a European Championship.

"Straight from nan beginning, we request to beryllium really crisp and beardown but that's besides nan lawsuit for nan different teams," England caput coach Wiegman said erstwhile nan tie was made.

The Lionesses person won their past 14 group-stage matches astatine awesome tournaments while nan Netherlands are unbeaten successful their past 13.

Jonker said: "This is nan toughest group of each pinch 3 apical countries. We person to judge this and spell for nan situation and judge successful ourselves.

"We are not coming to participate, we deliberation we tin hit each country."

France person ne'er won a awesome trophy but they person an awesome group-stage record, progressing successful each of their past 8 awesome tourney appearances.

And Laurent Bonadei's squad person shape connected their side. They are connected an eight-game winning tally and person only conceded 2 goals since February while they past tasted conclusion successful December - to world champions Spain.

England full-back Lucy Bronze says Saturday's opening lucifer betwixt nan sides is not to beryllium missed.

"Both teams are afloat of breathtaking attacking talent and I deliberation it's nan crippled everyone is going to beryllium watching because it's surely nan astir breathtaking group crippled coming into a Euros," right-back Bronze said.

Les Bleues left-back Selma Bacha besides said she is "very happy" to play England first, adding: "That's going to put america consecutive into nan heavy of things for nan Euros."

However, this will beryllium nan first clip since 2005 that France person been astatine a Euros aliases World Cup without some Wendie Renard and all-time starring scorer Eugenie le Sommer, who were controversially near retired of Bonadei's side.

"The acquisition and nan magnitude of caps that Renard and Le Sommer person is perfectly huge," said erstwhile England guardant Ellen White.

"To person that wholly wiped from your squad is simply a really absorbing move to spell into this tournament."

Former Scotland defender Jen Beattie said: "They've evidently seen thing and made a large decision, and they were besides quoted saying 'insanity is doing nan aforesaid point complete and complete again and expecting different results'."

Competing successful their first awesome tourney and arsenic nan lowest classed squad successful nan compteition, Wales are not only nan underdogs for Group D but for nan full of Euro 2025.

"People tin telephone america underdogs and constitute america disconnected arsenic overmuch arsenic they want but our belief successful ourselves will beryllium nan astir important thing," said Wales guardant Jess Fishlock.

"I deliberation we will clasp it and we will usage it arsenic an advantage."

Despite their little ranking, Wales person shown they tin compete pinch apical teams nether coach Rhian Wilkinson, claiming 2 awesome draws against Sweden earlier this year.

"It perfectly terrifies maine playing Wales successful nan past crippled and trying to get points because it will beryllium specified a difficult game," White said.

"It will beryllium a European last for Wales. They've sewage enthusiasm, you don't cognize what to expect, they're competitive, nan fans are going to beryllium amazing. That's going to beryllium a really difficult trial for England."

However, history isn't connected Wales' side. Only 1 of nan past six teams making their debut successful nan Euros person made it retired of nan group.