Most talented England squad can win the Euros on home soil, says Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith feels the current crop may well be the best group of England Women players she has ever seen in terms of talent and has backed them to deliver at the home Euros this summer.

The Lionesses last month won the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup on home soil following draws against Canada (1-1) and Spain (0-0) and a 3-1 victory over Germany.

That extended their unbeaten start under boss Sarina Wiegman, who had previously overseen six World Cup qualifying victories, with 53 goals scored and none conceded, after taking charge in September.

Asked if she could see the team winning this summer’s tournament, former England striker Smith told the PA news agency: “Absolutely. I think, if they don’t lose too many key players, they have a real good mix of youth and experience, and hunger within the side.

“I think the talent that they have is probably the best England squad I have seen ever, and I really believe that the opening game (against Austria at Old Trafford on July 6), the crowd gets behind them, then the world is their oyster. They have to go out and deliver and I believe they just really want to do it.

“They just have so many weapons going forward which I haven’t seen in previous England teams, and they have been consistent at the back. I just see greatness all over the pitch, and hopefully they can win it.”

When Wiegman – whose previous job as Holland manager included the side winning Euro 2017 and finishing as 2019 World Cup runners-up – took charge of England, they had lost nine of their last 14 games.

That sequence began with defeat to the United States in the 2019 World Cup semi-finals, a third successive major tournament last-four loss for the Lionesses, who were beaten by Wiegman’s Holland in the 2017 competition.