Lucy Bronze joked with Lionesses boss, Sarina Wiegman, over her relationship with USWNT's Emma Hayes ahead of blockbuster Wembley clash.
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England to host the USWNT on SaturdayWiegman to face off against Hayes for the first time Friendships are to be put aside during the 90 minutes Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
As the match brings together two of the world’s top-ranked women’s football teams, with England holding the second spot and the USA reigning as number one, the war of words has already started between the two camps. While USA defender Emily Fox warned that Hayes is a serial "winner", Wiegman clarified that she is geared up more than ever to beat her friends in the USA camp.
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Talking to reporters, Wiegman said: "I think with friends, it's the same now, when we play the USA and when we play the Netherlands. You really want to beat your friends. Even more maybe then when it's not your friends."
Bronze, however, couldn’t resist a cheeky remark. Upon hearing Wiegman’s comments about friendships, she quipped, “I mean, I didn’t know Sarina had friends.” Her response elicited a humorous reaction from Wiegman, who replied, “I thought we were friends.”
Wiegman added: "It's really exciting, of course, we play at Wembley, there are going to be like 85,000 people. The U.S. won the Olympics, (they are) number one of the world, Emma Hayes there, where we used to collaborate and now we're opponents, whilst still in the football world we're actually one family, but we're absolutely competing tomorrow, so I'm just really looking forward to that."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
For England, the match serves as crucial preparation for next summer’s European Championship, where they aim to defend their Euro 2022 title. Although the Lionesses have enjoyed success under Wiegman, recent performances have raised concerns. Last month, England suffered a 4-3 defeat to Germany at Wembley in a game plagued by defensive errors. Four days later, they narrowly edged past South Africa with a 2-1 win, failing to silence critics who questioned their current form.
DID YOU KNOW?
In contrast, Hayes has overseen a dominant USA team currently on a nine-game winning streak. Saturday’s game will mark Hayes’ first return to England since she left her role as Chelsea’s manager last season to take over the U.S. national team. Her tenure with the USA has already been decorated with success, including an Olympic gold medal and her recognition as the 2024 Ballon d’Or Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
