By 90min | Created at 2024-11-29 15:43:20 | Updated at 2024-11-29 17:33:45
2 hours ago
England defender Lucy Bronze says the squad are relishing the opportunity to face one of their biggest rivals, the USA, in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Lionesses continue their preparations for Euro 2025 this week during the final international break of the calendar year. They have already faced Germany and South Africa in non-competitive fixtures and now conclude this run of games with a significant test against Emma Hayes' Olympic champions before facing next year's Euro hosts Switzerland.
England last faced the USA at Wembley in 2022 when they emerged 2-1 winners over Vlatko Andonovski's side. However, Saturday's opposition have come a long way since, with former Chelsea boss Hayes taking charge over the summer and guiding them to their fifth Olympic gold medal.
Speaking to the media on Friday ahead of the weekend's showdown, Bronze touched on the growing rivalry between the two sides and explained why it's the perfect test for the team ahead of another major tournament in the summer.
"I think, as long as I've been an England player, it's been one of the most exciting games to play in," she said. "We always play them in big occasions. There seems to be a rivalry that has blossomed out of nowhere over the past decade.
"And we know, no matter what players show up, what players are on the pitch, who the manager is even, it's such a competitive, high-level game. To win the Olympics, you have to be intense, have to be ruthless, you have to have that crazy mentality.
"I think that sums up the USA perfectly, so if we can go toe-to-toe with a team like that, see the mentality that it takes, learn from any mistakes that we make and learn from them, push ourselves and show what we're capable of, what we can do against a top team like that, it's going to put us in very good stead for the next six to eight months."
USWNT manager Emma Hayes / Joe Robbins/ISI Photos/GettyImages
The USA will be without a number of key players for this fixture as Hayes named a youthful 24-player squad to travel to Europe. The forward line of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith are all absent due to niggling injuries, and just 15 of the 22 members of the Olympic team have been included.
Meanwhile, Hayes has called up two uncapped players in Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and 20-year-old Utah Royals FC forward Ally Sentnor. The manager will, however, be able to call upon the experienced heads of Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan.
Hayes and Sarina Wiegman struck up a strong working relationship while the ex-Chelsea boss was still coaching in the WSL. However, Wiegman insists there is always a strong desire to beat those close to you.
"It's really exciting of course as we're going to play at Wembley in front of 85,000 people," the England manager emphasised. "We're playing the USA, who won the Olympics, and Emma Hayes is there.
"We used to collaborate and now we're opponents. In the football world, we're all one family, but we are absolutely competing tomorrow so I'm really looking forward to it.
"I think with friends, it's the same whether we play the USA or the Netherlands, you really want to beat your friend. Maybe even more than those who are not your friend."
