As England’s players packed up their belongings and said their goodbyes to friends and family at Leicester’s King Power Stadium, ahead of flying to Switzerland on Monday, Sarina Wiegman and her coaching staff started to consider the biggest question that remains ahead of England’s opening game. After a sparkling 30-minute cameo against Jamaica in their Euro 2025 send-off, just what part will Lauren James play against France on Saturday?
The biggest relief, first of all, is that James is fit enough to feature: after recovering from a hamstring injury that saw her miss the end of the club season at Chelsea, the forward has been able to take part in every England training session over the past two weeks without any issues. James received her first minutes since the end of March off the bench against Jamaica, and immediately looked at ease, gliding on the ball as if she hadn’t missed a beat. Wiegman, however, said that James is still building her fitness towards the France game.
That suggests James is not yet at the stage where she can play 90 minutes, and it is likely to lead to England’s brightest talent beginning their Euros campaign on the bench. As the Lionesses showed in their 7-0 win over Jamaica, though, Wiegman is blessed with options and the competition for places in England’s team. Ella Toone took her chance starting in midfield with two goals. In front of her, Lauren Hemp and Beth Mead look to be favourites to start either side of Alessia Russo, but Chloe Kelly and Aggie Beever-Jones can both make an impact when Wiegman requires changes.
James is likely to be at the front of the queue, however, but it is the area of the pitch the 23-year-old is brought into that is likely to be a subject of debate among Wiegman and her staff. James was given a shot in the No 10 position against Jamaica, but she has mostly been used on the wing by Wiegman. James started on the left during the first half of England’s Nations League campaign, including the Wembley win over Spain, before suffering her hamstring injury, although Hemp was unavailable at the time. When Hemp, who Wiegman prefers to play on her natural side, has been fit, James has mostly started on the right.
That wasn’t the case against Jamaica, with Wiegman explaining that James in a central role was an idea she “wanted to try out”. Two years on from the World Cup, the reason James is still yet to nail down a set role within the England team is that she can play anywhere across the front four positions: her abilities and level in possession validate the idea that England should be trying to get James on the ball as much as possible. But Wiegman has so far resisted making James the heartbeat of her team.
It was different against Jamaica, given that England’s opponents were depleted and were seemingly content to allow the Lionesses as much time on the ball as they wanted. “We know next week we have to take our game to the next level,” said Wiegman, who said her team were set up to be more “open” than usual given how England expected to dominate the ball. Against France, with their midfield three and a shape that more mirrors England’s, Wiegman will need to prepare for a far more even, far more tactical contest. Naturally, the game state and whether England need more creativity or need more control will also influence any second-half changes.
Perhaps the clue to James’s starting position is the quality of her inswinging, left-footed deliveries from the right, and the languid way she can create such bend and dip from an almost standing start. Against Jamaica, it set up an easy goal for Russo, and could have provided another for Mead, and left former England international Karen Carney’s jaw on the floor as she watched for ITV. “She can do things I’ve never seen any player since Kelly Smith do,” Carney said. “She’s Ballon d’Or.”
England know they have a talent. Now it’s just up to Wiegman to decide when, and where, James can make an impact. “We know there is a lot of competition going on upfront and in midfield,” Wiegman said. “We’ll figure it out over the last couple of days.”
