Despite France's excellent form coming into this tournament, we are backing the Lionesses to gain a result against the in-form French side in a closely fought victory. England are one of the tournament favourites with odds of 4/1 to retain their crown.
France are heading into this tournament with eight consecutive victories under their belt, which include notable wins against the likes of Brazil, Belgium and Norway. Under manager Laurent Bonadei, Les Bleues' squad is filled with well-renowned names in Women's Football, most notably from Paris Saint-Germain.
Sakina Karchaoui has been in great form for PSG this season, providing eight goal contributions in 17 matches, including five big chances created and 0.7 shots on target per game. Another player who could damage England's chances is Chelsea winger, Sandy Baltimore. Baltimore finished as France's top scorer in the UEFA Women's Nations League with five goals and has featured ever-present for Chelsea last season.
The Lionesses will undoubtedly be feeling the pressure as one of the strong contenders for the tournament, as they look to retain their European Championship, following the success in 2022. England head into this tournament following a resounding 7-0 victory against Jamaica and with four wins in their previous six matches.
The one player we think will make a difference for England is Chelsea striker, Aggie Beever-Jones. The 21-year-old was England's top scorer in the UEFA Nations League, scoring four goals in five appearances. For Chelsea, Jones has scored nine goals in 12 league starts last season.
England's attacking potency gives them a slight edge in this fixture, as the Lionesses have scored first in seven of their previous eight matches, while also boasting a half-time record of leading at the interval in seven of their last eight matches. The recent meetings between the two sides suggest that goals are certainly on the cards, as neither side has kept a clean sheet in the previous four meetings, with over 2.5 goals landing in four of the last five meetings between the two teams.
