Women's Euro 2025 Power Rankings: England's Lionesses plummet after shocking Belgium defeat as impressive Spain remain the team to beat

Sarina Wiegman's side beat Germany in the final to win their first major tournament three years ago, but they are not the favourites for 2025

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  16Poland ⬇️

  Poland are in League B in this edition of the Nations League, meaning they are not testing themselves against elite opposition ahead of the Euros. That's a real issue given this summer will bring with it a first major tournament experience for Nina Patalon's side, especially because they are in a group which features eight-time winners Germany, 2017 runners-up Denmark and 2022 semi-finalists Sweden.

  Working in Poland's favour is the fact they have a genuinely world-class striker in Ewa Pajor, who has the potential to link-up nicely with Bayern Munich youngster Natalia Padilla-Bidas in attack, and some experienced heads in defence who have tasted the highest level of club football.

  Tuesday's draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina wasn't pretty but given the Poles had won all of their last seven prior to that, it's not a result that causes particular concern in isolation. More worrying is the fact that Patalon's side have struggled to really lay a finger on the elite nations when they've faced them and they will have limited time to improve on that before the Euros begins.

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  15Finland ⬆️

  Finland are one of the toughest teams to assess ahead of Euro 2025. They have a coach, in Marko Saloranta, who has never led a team at a major tournament, they too are playing in League B of this Nations League campaign and, more in their favour, they are in quite a kind group at this summer's tournament.

  However, recent results have not boded well for Finland's chances of making the knockout stages. Defeat to Serbia in February and a goalless draw at home to Belarus just last week were surprises, especially given this is a team that usually beats those they are expected to.

  Finland's reputation for not shipping many goals has remained in tact through this Nations League campaign, which is likely to be an important thing in a Euro 2025 group expected to be decided by fine margins, but they need to show more quality ahead of the tournament, particularly in the attacking third, if they are to come close to reaching the quarter-finals. Their pre-tournament friendlies, when they take on stronger opponents, are likely to give a better indication of what they could do this summer.

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  14Wales ⬆️

  Another nation set to play at their first major tournament this summer, Wales have shown some really positive signs since beating Ireland at the end of last year to punch their ticket to Switzerland. Their recent promotion to League A of the Nations League couldn't have come at a better time, allowing them to prepare according for a Euro 2025 group which includes England, France and the Netherlands, and they have shown they can hang with Europe's elite.

  The Dragons picked up a credible draw in Sweden this past week, having also got a point against Peter Gerdhardsson's side in Wrexham in February, and have only lost by one-goal margins to both Italy and Denmark in their other Nations League fixtures this year.

  Wales' young stars continue to turn up in a big way, with 20-year-old goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel the Player of the Match in Gothenburg after 18-year-old Mayzee Davies scooped up that prize against Italy a couple of months ago, and they've got some real experience to complement those talents, with the likes of Jess Fishlock and Hayley Ladd. Can they get out of the group stage? That might be a step too far, but they should at least be very competitive in Switzerland.

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  13Portugal ⬇️

  Portugal's stock has declined dramatically since the last international break. In February, they held European champions England to a draw and beat Belgium to go top of a Nations League group that also features Spain. However, in the last few weeks, they've lost two of their most important players.

  Kika Nazareth, the Barcelona talent who scored the equaliser against England, will miss the Euros with an ankle injury that has required surgery, while star forward Jessica Silva is out indefinitely with a damaged retina. The Gotham player lost vision in her right eye due to a haemorrhage that occurred after a ball struck her in the face during training and it's unclear just when she could return to action.

  Portugal got by admirably without their two best attacking players this past week, scoring three times in two games against Spain. However, conceding 11 goals at the other end meant that counted for nothing. It was a reminder that not only do they need to continue to adapt to life without Kika and Silva, but they also need to improve defensively if they are to get out of a Euro 2025 group which features La Roja, Italy and Belgium.

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  12Switzerland ⬆️

  When Switzerland beat France back in October, it felt like a big deal. Coming off the back of a credible draw with a talented Australia side, this felt like a big sign that the Euro 2025 hosts could take significant steps forward under the guidance of Pia Sundhage, who has stints with the United States and Brazil on her CV.

  However, that was La Nati's last win. A 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Germany followed, as have defeats to England, Norway and, getting their revenge, France. Their two other fixtures in that period were against Iceland. The first produced a goalless draw, showcasing defensive strength but an inability to get the best of their attacking talents. This week's 3-3 draw in Reykjavik was quite the opposite.

  Switzerland will be boosted in this summer's tournament by home support and their status as hosts has helped to land them a much kinder group than their ranking would otherwise secure. There is a lot of talent in their squad, too, with Barcelona wonderkid Sydney Schertenleib a name for the present and the future, while established stars like Lia Walti and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic provide experience as well as quality. But Sundhage needs to bring all of that together for this team to secure wins over Norway, Iceland and Finland to progress to the knockout stages. In three attempts against the former two in the Nations League, they've not done so.

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  11Belgium ⬆️

  With less than seven months to go until the Euros, Belgium made a big call in January when they parted ways with long-time coach Ives Serneels. The 52-year-old had been in charge since 2011 and led the Red Flames to a monumental quarter-final at Euro 2022, but the federation opted to twist, rather than stick, by appointing Elisabet Gunnarsdottir, who gained a glowing reputation from her time in Sweden.

  Looking for a coach "to bring the team to the next level" is never a bad thing, but the timing was always tough on Gunnarsdottir and Belgium. She hasn't been given long to get to know the players, adapt to her first job as a senior international manager and implement her ideas before this summer's tournament.

  Fortunately, after some good early signs in her first camp, with the Red Flames 2-0 up against Spain until a dramatic late comeback from the world champions, Belgium made a real statement this week when they beat England, the European champions, 3-2. Again, they made a fast start, going 3-0 up inside half an hour, and this time they managed to hang on despite a late rally from the Lionesses. Game management will need to improve but it's clear this is a team that can cause anyone problems - especially if Tessa Wullaert, involved in all three goals against England, is fit and firing.

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  10Iceland ⬇️

  Despite representing such a small nation, Iceland have grown into a really solid women's national team over the last few years. With a squad that contains players at clubs like Bayern Munich, Inter and Wolfsburg, there is a lot of top-level experience throughout the team and Thorsteinn Halldorsson has done a good job of bringing all of that together since his appointment in 2021.

  There have been promising campaigns, with them holding their own in the last edition of the Nations League and only failing to qualify for the 2023 Women's World Cup due to a stoppage-time goal from the Netherlands, and some really encouraging performances in friendlies, such as the very competitive meetings with the U.S. just recently. A narrow 3-2 loss to France in February was another reminder of how they really do punch above their weight to go toe-to-toe with some huge nations.

  With them pooled in the kindest group possible for Euro 2025, there is even more reason to believe Iceland can take that next step, but they do need to be more reliable in beating that mid-level of team. Halldorsson's side have drawn twice with Switzerland in the Nations League, meaning they've not actually secured a victory since last July now. Playing elite nations like the U.S, Canada and France has contributed to that, but they'll need to get the winning feeling back before the Euros.

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  9Sweden ⬇️

  It's hard to know which side of the fence to land on after Sweden's first four games of this Nations League campaign. Wins over Denmark - who are in their Euro 2025 group - and a rising Italy side have been very encouraging, but two draws against a Wales side ranked some 25 places lower than them have poured cold water on any hype.

  Given Sweden's ability to turn up against those bigger nations, perhaps it's a good thing that they are in a group this summer with Denmark and Germany, as well as newcomers Poland. But it's hard not to be concerned about recent inconsistencies, and a lack of clean sheets. It'll be very interesting to see how they get on in the last two games of this competition, in rematches with Denmark and Italy, as they prepare for Peter Gerhardsson's final tournament in charge.

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  8Denmark ⬆️

  Another team under relatively new management, Denmark have been led by Andree Jeglertz since the end of last year's World Cup and they've been quietly impressive under the five-time Swedish Coach of the Year.

  In the 2023-24 Nations League, they finished just a point behind Germany, having beaten them at home in the campaign's opening round of fixtures. In Euro 2025 qualifying, only world champions Spain pipped them to top spot, with Lucia Garcia's stoppage-time winner in a 3-2 result over the Danes playing a big role in that outcome. In the 2024-25 Nations League, they opened with a 3-1 win away at Italy, who have been many people's pick as a dark horse in recent months.

  However, recent defeats to Sweden and Italy have been a reminder of Denmark's status as a very good team, but one still a step off the best. They have elite talent at their disposal, with Pernille Harder the face of the team, and it is up to Jeglertz to figure out how to use that quality to close the gap. After all, in a Euro 2025 group with Sweden, Germany and Poland, they're going to have to take points off the big guns just to get to the next stage. They've shown they can do that, but need to more consistently to be a real contender.

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  7Norway ↔️

  Whisper it quietly but Norway are surely nailed on to get out of the group stage at Euro 2025. Blessed with stars such as Barcelona's Caroline Graham Hansen, Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg and Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum, expectations can often be raised tremendously for a team that has endured so many underwhelming tournaments since reaching the final of Euro 2013. However, this year should be different.

  Norway will be favourites to top a group featuring Switzerland, Iceland and Finland, even if they have failed to beat both of that the latter in recent games. After all, a draw with Finland came during an adaptation period shortly after Gemma Grainger's appointment, while a goalless stalemate away in Iceland last week was not exactly a disgraceful result given some key absences and the fact the Nordic nation will be heavily tipped to qualify with them out of Group A.

  Could they struggle with the favourites tag? Perhaps. But it would be a real shock if they were to come up short on this occasion.

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  6Italy ⬆️

  Italy are such a wildcard going into this summer's Euros. After disappointing at Euro 2022 and the 2023 Women's World Cup, the Azzurre changed manager and Andre Soncin has spent the past 18 months making this team into a thrillingly dangerous but unpredictable one.

  Under his charge, Italy have beaten Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, with draws against Sweden, Norway - and Spain and the Netherlands again - adding to a growing portfolio that shows they can go toe-to-toe with Europe's elite. They're not beating these top sides every time they face them but their defeats are often close, with them always in these games.

  In a Euro 2025 group with Belgium and Portugal, one would expect them, based on recent results and performances, to progress along with Spain. But could a lack of games against those mid-range nations be Italy's undoing? The Azzurre been underdogs in so many of their recent outings that it would surely be beneficial to line-up challenges in their pre-tournament friendlies that are as close to those Belgium and Portugal will present as possible.

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  5England ⬇️

  With three months to go until the Euros begins, it's hard not to be concerned about the fitness of England's squad. Victory over Spain in February was incredibly impressive, especially given the players they were without, but are they able to consistently perform well game-to-game without important names? It's becoming difficult to ignore that question now.

  Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Georgia Stanway are all still yet to return from knee surgeries, with just one month of their club seasons to go. This past week, Chloe Kelly, Lauren James and Alessia Russo all withdrew from the squad, too, raising further concerns so close to this summer's tournament. Greenwood's wait to return raises serious questions at left-back, a position exposed brutally by Belgium in a 3-2 loss this week, while Russo's absence highlighted the Lionesses' dependence on her in the No.9 role.

  It's hard to know just where to place Sarina Wiegman's side until the squad picture becomes clearer but, right now, that lack of clarity is more than enough to move them down these rankings. The European champions are obviously good enough to beat anyone on their day but to go all the way in a demanding tournament like this, they need some of those key players back.

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  4Netherlands ⬆️

  It's hard to gauge just where the Netherlands are at right now. They don't have the toughest Nations League group and have made the most of that in recent games, recording three successive wins against Scotland and Austria, both of whom failed to qualify for Euro 2025, after starting the year with an entertaining 2-2 draw with Germany. A rematch with the latter at the end of May will be interesting to watch then, from the perspective of both sides.

  Still, it's hard not to fancy the Dutch this summer. They reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in their first tournament under Andries Jonker, and really should've beaten Spain there with the chances they had, and it feels like their star-studded team has improved in the time since, thanks to the continued development of young players like Esmee Brugts and Wieke Kaptein, and the return to top form of the talismanic Vivianne Miedema.

  Some pre-tournament friendlies against more elite nations would certainly help the Netherlands' preparations, though, given they are going into a group with England, France and Wales.

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  3France ⬆️

  Laurent Bonadei spent the latter half of 2024 fully getting to grips with his role as the new head coach of France, and a first head coach role of any senior team, with plenty of experimentation in his team selection allowing him to understand his squad and what system and style would best suit them. Through the first few months of 2025, it looks like he gathered plenty of useful information in that time.

  France have won all four of their Nations League fixtures, keeping three clean sheets. They're not in the toughest group in this edition of the competition, with all of Norway, Iceland and Switzerland all lower-ranked opponents that one would expect Les Bleues to beat. But beat them they have and that's all they can do at the moment.

  As with many nations taking part in this summer's Euros, it will be interesting to see who they line up as opponents for their pre-tournament friendlies, as not since a thrilling 4-2 loss to Spain in December have France played a real elite nation. For now, though, it's all going rather well for a team that is still yet to win a major tournament.

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  2Germany ⬆️

  Germany are in the same position as the Netherlands when it comes to the Nations League. After drawing with the Dutch, the eight-time European champions have comfortably won three games in a row against Austria and Scotland, putting all eyes on that rematch with the Oranje in May. Yet, one would place Christian Wuck's side just ahead of the Netherlands at this point, given some of the more promising signs shown just before Christmas.

  Germany are in a slightly kinder group at Euro 2025, too. Denmark and Sweden are good teams, but the former haven't done much at major tournaments since reaching the Euro 2017 final, while the latter have never got over the line in pressure moments, so often the bridesmaid and never the bride. Newcomers Poland complete Group C.

  That perception could well change before the tournament begins, depending how Germany fare in the next three months. Their chances would also be boosted if Lena Oberdorf, who suffered an ACL injury last July, was able to get back fit before the summer, given her status as a world-class holding midfielder.

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  1Spain ↔️

  Yes, Spain did just fall short at an Olympic Games where they were almost everyone's favourite and yes, there are still questions about how good a coach Montse Tome is after some of her decisions made a serious impact on that outcome. However, it's so hard not to make La Roja front-runners for Euro 2025.

  This past week was a good one for Spain, especially off the back of a difficult February camp. In that, La Roja were not only without Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro, but they had to play two tough games just a few days after Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault. After going 2-0 down against Belgium, they showed wonderful character to come back and win 3-2, before narrowly losing 1-0 to England.

  Two big wins over Portugal allowed the world champions to get back into their groove in April, with them flexing their muscles by scoring 11 goals across the double-header. There remain concerns in defence, where they've been leaky throughout Tome's tenure to date, but that is less of a problem when you have so much attacking talent.