France (W) vs England (W) prediction, H2H and probable lineups - 5 July 2025
France
England
One of the headline clashes of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 group stage will take place on July 5 at Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, where France and England face off. I'm backing a bet on goals in this encounter, with solid chances for success.
Match preview
France arrive at Euro 2025 in excellent form and with lofty ambitions. Laurent Bonadey’s side cruised through qualifying, even finishing ahead of England in their group, and then delivered a flawless Nations League campaign, winning all six matches against Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland. The French squad also claimed friendly wins over Belgium and Brazil—an eight-game winning streak that inspires serious optimism.
However, the coach made some headline-grabbing decisions, leaving veterans Wendie Renard and Eugénie Le Sommer out of the squad. Despite this, France still boasts plenty of stars: Diani, Katoto, and Baltimore form a fearsome attacking trio, while Geyoro and Bacha control the midfield and flanks. The French regularly advance from the group stage at the Euros and reached the semifinals in 2022—and this time, their ambitions are at least as high.
England enter Euro 2025 as the reigning European champions and one of the most stacked teams in the tournament. Under Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses triumphed at Euro 2022 and now dream of repeating that success, despite some personnel losses. Several key players will miss the tournament—Mary Earps and Fran Kirby have retired, while Millie Bright declined a call-up for personal reasons.
Nevertheless, England still have plenty of firepower up front: Russo has hit form, scoring in her last two games, while Toone, Mead, and Hemp provide the necessary creativity. England thrashed Jamaica 7-0 in their final friendly and are ready for a stern test, despite losing to France in qualifying. The Lionesses are strong starters: they've won the opening match at the last two Euros and will look to keep that tradition alive.
Probable lineups
- France (W): Peyraud-Magnin, De Almeida, Mbock, Lakrar, Bacha, Geyoro, Jean-François, Karchaoui, Diani, Baltimore, Katoto
- England (W): Hampton, Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Carter, Stanway, Walsh, Mead, Toone, Hemp, Russo
Match facts and head-to-head
- France defeated England 2-1 in Euro 2025 qualifying.
- England have won their opening matches at the last two European Championships.
- France are unbeaten in their last 10 group stage matches at the Euros (6 wins, 4 draws).
Prediction
Two powerhouse teams, two attacking philosophies, two favorites in Group D—this promises to be a fiercely contested and likely even battle. France bring a winning streak, England the status of reigning champions. My pick for this match is “Both teams to score,” at odds of 1.83.
