After winning the Euros again this past summer, attention will naturally turn to blooding younger players as Wiegman’s team tries to win the 2027 World Cup. And playing nations from all across the world, who have different game styles, is just what the Lionesses need.
On Friday, the Dutchwoman said: “We want to play countries from other continents because they challenge us in different ways. We know China is always a very disciplined team. They have a very good structure and they can play out but they can also play a little bit more direct. What we expect also is that they’re trying to challenge us in their tactics, so let’s see if they’re going to do what we expect them to do tomorrow. What I hope is that we have the ball a lot more than they will have and we can improve our own game too and also have a gameplan that fits the game.
“That’s what we had [younger players] last camp too. It’s also a natural thing, now it has to do with retirements and injuries, but I think it gives opportunities for players to show themselves and to see where they’re at. We have players in the squad that are already – even with the players in – competing for starting positions and competing for more minutes, so it’s really good to give that opportunity but players also get the opportunity also because they deserve it and because they’ve shown good performances.”
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