England’s Lauren James: Euros will ‘new era,’ not title defence

England star Lauren James has said this summer’s Euro 2025 campaign will feel like a fresh start rather than a title defence.

James, who made her senior international debut just over a month after the Lionesses won the title in 2022, has recovered from the hamstring injury which sidelined her since April in time for next month’s continental campaign.

“A fresh start, a bit like a new era … hungry girls wanting to do well,” the 23-year-old told The Guardian.

“It’s not really about defending a title because it’s a completely different team. This team’s got a lot of youth in it and this will be some people’s first big tournament,” added James, who has scored seven goals in 27 appearances for England.

England begin their Group D campaign against France on July 5, followed by games against Netherlands and Wales.

The tournament runs from July 2-27.