Ian Wright picked out the USA as the biggest threat to England’s hopes of winning the next World Cup after the Lionesses successfully defended their European Championship crown on Sunday evening.
Sarina Wiegman’s side were once again forced to come from behind after Mariona Caldentey broke the deadlock for Spain, the world champions, in the 25th minute of Sunday’s nerve-shredding final in Basel.
Just as they had done against Sweden and Italy previously, the Lionesses dug deep and found an equaliser, with Alessia Russo heading home Chloe Kelly’s pinpoint cross to make it all square just before the hour-mark.
The two teams could not be separated after extra-time and it was England who eventually prevailed after another dramatic shootout, with the contest ending 3-1 in favour of the holders.
The Lionesses’ latest triumph represents the first time in history that an English team have won a major tournament on foreign soil, three years on from the side’s famous victory over Germany at Wembley.
‘No, I can’t believe it!’ an emotional Wiegman told BBC Sport in the immediate aftermath of England’s victory.
‘We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible.’
Asked if she was shocked to win the trophy for a second time on the trot, Wiegman replied: ‘Yes, yes.
‘I just can’t believe it. I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy.
‘It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponent.
‘From the first game it was chaos.Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.’
USA head coach Emma Hayes, who was on punditry duty for ITV, said she had greatly enjoyed watching England up close across the tournament and how they were being managed by Wiegman.
And while the ex-Chelsea boss admitted she was looking forward to the 2027 World Cup, she was keen to stress that the USA’s qualification was not a foregone conclusion.
‘I’m an international manager and I get the opportunity to learn from two of the best teams in the world, not just in terms of how they play but also how they’re being managed in all the things that come with tournament football,’ Hayes said.
‘I was English for 120 minutes, but these two to the right of me [Wright and Karen Carney] have abandoned me now that we’re talking about 2027.
‘Listen, I cannot wait for it but as we know, we have to qualify for these tournaments and the USA haven’t qualified yet.’
In response, legendary ex-England and Arsenal striker Wright insisted Hayes’ USA side were the overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy in two years’ time.
‘They’re the favourites, they’re the ones to beat. They’re so good, they’re so good!’ Wright said.
‘If we get anywhere near them I’d be really happy because they’re the ones, they’re major favourites.’
Despite their painful defeat, Wright is confident Spain will bounce back and be a ‘problem’ for opposition teams in 2027.
‘You can’t ignore France either, they seem to be really close,’ Wright added.
‘I don’t know what’s missing from them, but there’s something missing from them.
‘Spain as well, if you look from the forwards point of view, if they can get that centre-forward, because that’s what they were missing today.
‘If they can get that centre-forward to finish it off then Spain will be a problem.
‘They need to do that in the next two years, they need to find that. It might be enough time, it might not. But if they do find that forward then Spain will be a problem.’
Karen Carney, meanwhile, feels Italy could be a dark horse for the World Cup after their ‘exceptional’ run to the semi-finals in Switzerland this summer.
Asked if Italy could be in with a shot of the title, Carney replied: ‘Yeah, I think they were exceptional.
‘They’re just developing, probably, a little too soon for them for this tournament.
‘Every time there’s a European Championship, there’s a beacon and everyone is investing and getting better and stronger and every tournament we say that it’s the most competitive.
That’s the levels. It keeps growing and growing and that’s the way is should be. 2027 will be exceptional.’
Are the USA the team to beat ahead of the World Cup?
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Yes
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No
