To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporter at St George’s Park5 June 2025, 16:20 BST55 CommentsUpdated 16 minutes agoEngland manager Sarina Wiegman says “there is no crisis” despite a chaotic 10 days which has seen three high-profile senior players either retire from international football in the build-up to Euro 2025 or withdraw from the tournament.Wiegman named a 23-player squad on Thursday for the tournament in Switzerland, which starts on 2 July, where England are defending champions.She will be without goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby, who have both retired from international football, while defender Millie Bright, who captained the side to the World Cup final in 2023, withdrew from selection to focus on her mental and physical wellbeing.The loss of three players, who have won a combined 217 caps, in such a short time has led to a potentially unsettling period for the Lionesses – and distractions off the pitch dominated discussions at the end of their Women’s Nations League campaign this week.”Yeah, of course, [it] has been hard,” said Wiegman. “I think there are three different stories and every story is one on its own. “[These are] players who have been with us for a long time, who I have been working with for a long time and so that’s hard.”But the Dutchwoman says she is happy with the atmosphere inside the England camp.”You [the media] see part of it, you are not in our environment all the time and I can ensure that the training sessions were really good last week,” she said.”I didn’t see anything [to suggest] that there were no connections within the team. I am really happy [with] where we are right now.”Wiegman had to address issues around player’s performance-related bonuses in the build-up to the World Cup and there was also heavy scrutiny on her decision to omit former captain Steph Houghton from the Euro 2022 squad in her first year in charge. “My experiences before is that there is always noise. We expect noise until we go into the tournament,” said Wiegman. “The difference is, between 2015 and 2017 to now, is that the attention and visibility of the women’s game has increased so much.”It seems like there is more noise but there’s just more journalists here. Which is right. It shows what we are doing. We have to deal with it and move on. Which we have.”‘I don’t go around the bush’Getty ImagesWiegman said she was feeling “good” despite it being a week full of difficult decisions and conversations.Kirby’s retirement followed Wiegman’s decision not to include her in the Euros squad, while goalkeeper Earps was unhappy at her position as number two. Wiegman said it is “part of the job” to endure those experiences but she can “move forward” to the Euros now.”Yes, those hard conversations are not nice. I know what players do and how hard they work to make the squad. It’s hard to give disappointing messages,” she added. “At the same time, I also had very nice messages to give so that gives me more energy.”After I have conversations with players, I always think, ‘OK, what went well?’ For me, it is really important that I am honest, that I treat people in the right way.”Sometimes, you have very good news and, sometimes, you don’t have good news – and I don’t go around the bush with that. “I just give that message, then I can’t always control how people respond to that. I just hope that they have the clarity to move on.”Wiegman also said part of the growth of women’s football, and the success of the Lionesses, has added increased demands on her players.Bright’s withdrawal has been a blow for England as Wiegman said the Chelsea captain would have been selected had she not ruled herself out.Asked when she was made aware of Bright’s decision, she said: “In the last couple of days I found out. It was sad and disappointing. “It’s not nice when you don’t feel well physically and mentally and I just hope she feels better soon. “England’s profile is growing. That’s life changing and very exciting but at the same time players are not robots. They have to deal with these things too. “That’s also why we’re trying to support them as well as possible on and off the pitch. Hopefully many players stay fit and healthy.”Head here to get involvedRelated topicsEngland Women’s Football TeamUEFA Women’s EUROFootballWomen’s Football

Getty Images13 minutes ago12 CommentsReferee Bobby Madley has said he “hates” the video assistant referee technology in football because it takes the “emotion away” from the game. Madley officiates matches in the English Football League (EFL) and is a fourth official for Premier League games.The EFL does not use VAR in regular league games, whereas it is employed across matches in England’s top flight.”As a fan, hate it, hate it. Love the Championship, love League One – I’m still a fan,” said Madley, who was speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival during an event on technology in sport.”I love League One because you score a goal, you look at the referee, you look at the assistant, he hasn’t put his flag up, it’s a goal.”It [VAR] takes that emotion away from it and football is a game where there could be one moment in the game, one goal, and that’s it.”To take that emotion away, to have to wait and wait, and what feels like an eternity, as a fan I’m not a huge fan of that experience.”More to follow.Related topicsFootball

Mauritian Kim Le Court beats Kristen Faulkner in a sprint finish to win the first stage of the 2025 Tour of Britain Women. The two riders worked well together along the Redcar coastline, holding off the chasing group with an advantage of up to 30 seconds.READ MORE: Watch Tour of Britain on BBC iPlayerAvailable to UK users only.

Getty ImagesEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporter at St George’s Park8 minutes ago25 CommentsSarina Wiegman has named Lauren James in her 23-player squad for Euro 2025 as England attempt to defend their title in Switzerland next month.Chelsea forward James has not featured for club or country since April after picking up a hamstring injury.But the 23-year-old, who has scored seven goals in 27 appearances for England, is a key player and manager Wiegman is willing to take a risk on her fitness.Teenager Michelle Agyemang is an exciting addition, included as one of seven forwards in the squad, despite making just one appearance for the senior team.England face world number 11 side France in their opening game on 5 July (20:00 BST) and also face 10th-ranked Netherlands and Wales in a tough group. The final will be held in Basel on 27 July.Full squadGoalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride).Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United. Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Manchester City), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City).Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal on loan from Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (Brighton on loan from Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea).Arsenal 19-year-old Agyemang scored a stunning goal 41 seconds into her debut in a 3-2 defeat by Belgium in April.Also included in the squad is Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway, who has played 60 minutes in the past week after returning from a serious knee injury.Manchester City duo Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp had knee operations this season but returned at the end of the Women’s Super League campaign to ensure their place in the squad was secure.It has been a chaotic fortnight for England with goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby announcing their international retirements, while 2023 World Cup captain Millie Bright withdrew from selection on Wednesday to focus on her physical and mental wellbeing.Nine players from the Euro 2022 squad are not included this time around with five having retired. Four players are on a standby list: Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley, Manchester City midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown, Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns and Villa defender Lucy Parker.They will stay with the squad at St George’s Park from Monday, 16 June to Monday, 30 June, when the rest of the squad travel to SwitzerlandHow important is James to England?James is undoubtedly one of the world’s most talented footballers and that was on show in her first major tournament at the 2023 World Cup.It was less than a year after making her debut and she put in two player-of-the-match displays against Denmark and China in the group stages, scoring three goals and providing three assists.She was then needlessly sent off for standing on Michelle Alozie’s back in the last-16 match with Nigeria, receiving a two-match ban. She returned for the final in Sydney, when England were beaten 1-0 by Spain.Her creativity, exquisite dribbling ability and brilliant long-range shooting technique makes her one of the hardest players to defend against.Wiegman often uses James as a winger, interchanging with Manchester City’s Hemp on the opposite side, but she can also play as a number 10.Her inclusion in the squad gives Wiegman more attacking depth, as well as a potential wildcard off the bench in the early stages of the competition.More to follow.Head here to get involvedRelated topicsEngland Women’s Football TeamUEFA Women’s EUROFootballWomen’s Football

Getty ImagesStephan ShemiltChief Cricket Reporter5 June 2025, 12:45 BST7 CommentsUpdated 5 minutes agoEngland selector Luke Wright stopped short of backing incumbent number three Ollie Pope after Jacob Bethell was included in the squad for the first Test against India.Bethell, 21, returns after missing the defeat of Zimbabwe while at the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Before that match, Test captain Ben Stokes appeared to suggest Bethell would make an immediate return to the XI when available. After vice-captain Pope made a sparkling century at Trent Bridge, Stokes clarified that he was referring to Bethell returning to the squad and claimed his earlier comments had been “twisted to suit an agenda”.Although Pope is still expected to retain his place at Headingley, Wright said: “We’ll get together when we get up to Leeds and announce that two days out from the Test.”We’ll consider everything: conditions, what has gone before. All of those considerations go into the melting pot.”Left-hander Bethell made three half-centuries in New Zealand at the end of last year, batting at number three after Pope slid down the order to stand in as wicketkeeper.Though he opted to miss the Zimbabwe Test in order to play at the IPL, he further impressed in the first one-day international against West Indies last week with 82 at Edgbaston.On the prospect of Bethell playing in the first Test, Wright said he is “very close”.Wright added: “It’s a great option to have. What a talent we all see in him. It’s a great issue to have, to have that depth in the squad.”What information do we collect from this quiz?Bethell could pressure opener Zak Crawley or frontline spinner Shoaib Bashir for a place in the XI but realistically it is a choice between the Warwickshire man and Pope.Former England all-rounder Wright rejected the suggestion that the lack of clarity around Bethell’s position could unsettle the established members of the squad.”Everyone knows before you go into any game there are always places up for grabs,” said Wright. “I don’t think anyone takes it for granted in international cricket. That’s the way it always should be.”You want a strong squad. They are all big lads who know what it is all about. There will always be speculation about what that XI will be. I’m sure the players will be very aware of what’s going on and how it’s going to look before that first Test.”Elsewhere, Jamie Overton returns to the Test squad for the first time in three years, but Matthew Potts misses out.Wright explained that England wanted the option of Overton’s extra pace, while Potts had fallen behind Sam Cook in the role of Chris Woakes’ new-ball understudy.It was also confirmed that Jofra Archer is planning to play for Sussex in their County Championship match at Durham, beginning on 22 June.Archer, has not played red-ball cricket for more than four years because of a string of injuries.He would have played for England Lions against India A at Northampton on Friday had it not been for a thumb injury.Instead he will look to play for the Sussex second XI, then the first team at Chester-le-Street, with a view to being available for the second or third Test against India.Related topicsEngland Men’s Cricket TeamSurreyWarwickshireCricket

Getty ImagesMatthew HenryBBC Sport journalist at Chester-le-Street28 minutes agoEngland opener Phil Salt will miss the T20 series against West Indies on paternity leave.In a dramatic week, Salt, 28, returned home from the Indian Premier League for the birth of his child and then returned to India to play a part in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s win in Tuesday’s final.He has now been granted permission to spend the week at home.Salt has been replaced in the squad by fellow wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who impressed in his new role opening the batting during England’s 3-0 win in the one-day international series.Smith is unlikely to play in the first of three T20s at Chester-le-Street on Friday, leaving Somerset’s Tom Banton or Surrey’s Will Jacks as the most likely partner for Ben Duckett at the top of the order.All-rounder Jacob Bethell is also in the squad and opened for RCB in the IPL.Friday’s series opener is followed by matches in Bristol and Southampton on Sunday and Tuesday respectively.Related topicsEngland Men’s Cricket TeamWest IndiesCricket