Georgia Stanway believes the defence of England’s European title starts now as they gear up to face Germany in a friendly at Wembley, a rematch of the 2022 Euros final. The midfielder, who plays for Bayern Munich and is set to face several of her club teammates on Friday, says England will use their upcoming friendlies to “hit the ground running” ahead of next summer’s tournament in Switzerland, having automatically qualified in July. Asked if England had “gone stale” since reaching the World Cup final in 2023, following losses to Belgium and France and narrowly missing out on Olympic qualification for Team GB, Stanway responded: “No, I think it’s natural to have a bit of a comedown after such highs. We won the Euros, we made the World Cup final, which was incredible. At some point, there’s going to be a plateau. The Nations League was a bit rocky, but our performances against France and Sweden, both top nations and potential Euro contenders, were exceptional. From that, you can see our style of play heading into the Euros.
I think it’s also good to acknowledge areas for improvement because now is the time to work on them. This is when we need to hit the ground running and focus on what needs fixing. This is the start of our Euro journey, and that’s what makes it exciting. We want to achieve what we’ve already achieved. We have to use these friendlies, the four before the new year, to see how we want to play and work on what we need to in training.
Stanway was speaking shortly after over 100 professional women’s players signed a letter urging Fifa to end its sponsorship deal with state-owned Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco, accusing Saudi authorities of “brutal human rights violations”. Fifa signed a four-year deal with Aramco, which is 98.5% state-owned, in April to sponsor the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Women’s World Cup in 2027. Stanway expressed support for her colleagues, stating: “On topics like this, we must stand for what we believe in. We must stand for women’s rights and continue to progress. The beauty of women’s football is that we often share the same views. If one person believes in something, others will follow. That’s what makes the women’s game special—we know what we deserve, who we are, and what we stand for.
The 25-year-old also praised the England men’s team’s appointment of former Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel, saying: “I think it’s great. I have a Norwegian manager at Bayern. It’s about finding the best person for the job. I had some experiences with Tuchel at Bayern; he was very invested in the women’s game. They were really nice people and only had time for us. I can only say good things about his personality.
Stanway has arrived at St George’s Park with four goals in seven German league appearances this season, helping her side top the Frauen Bundesliga and secure a convincing win over Arsenal in the Women’s Champions League. She knows her club-mates will provide a tough challenge: “With the Germans, you know what to expect. They’ll be feisty, robust, and want to get in your head. But they’re also technically great. I can speak for the players in my team, but when you look at players like Giulia, Klara, Linda, and Lea, they all pose a significant threat.
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