Euro 2025 kicks off next month and England will begin their title defence without the trio of Euro 2022 winners Mary Earps, Fran Kirby and Millie Bright amid an unsettled build-up for Sarina Wiegman’s side.
Earps and Kirby opted to announce their international retirements prior to this summer’s tournament, while Bright, who captained the side to the World Cup final two years ago, withdrew from selection to take an ‘extended period of recovery.’
Wiegman will therefore know she must see new players step up into senior positions and in Ella Toone, she has a player who has a habit of delivering on the big stage.
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Toone on her big-game performances
During Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup, Toone became the only England player to have ever netted in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a major tournament.
“It just kind of happened,” Toone reflects to FourFourTwo when quizzed on her achievement. “I’ve got a name for myself for scoring in big moments and I like that – that’s what it’s all about, it’s about not crumbling under pressure, but about going out there and feeling confident in myself.
“When I went onto the pitch as a substitute during the Euro 2022 Final against Germany, I knew my role was to change the game and get us a goal, and that’s what I managed to do. It was an amazing feeling and one that will live with me for a long time, then I scored in the semi-final at the World Cup as well.
“It’s a good stat – you want to create huge moments and help your team to success.”
Ahead of this summer’s tournament in Switzerland, does her record give her the confidence to do it again?
“When you’ve turned up in big moments before, you have that belief that every time you step onto the pitch, in whatever game, you’ll make something happen,” she continues. “I definitely believe that when I step out onto the pitch, I can create moments and goals out of nothing.”
FourFourTwo then asks the Manchester United attacking midfielder if these kind of performances bring added pressure.
“I think so, especially when you’re not starting and you might need to come on and change the game,” she replies. “Sometimes when you don’t have a moment or the match is a bit tougher and tighter, you feel… not that you’ve let the pressure get to you, but like you’ve let people down, because you want to go out there and do what you’re known for doing.
“But it’s not always the case in football – you might not even get an opportunity to create something. It’s just about making sure that when you step onto the pitch, you’re ready.”
