Lionesses Diary - Day 10: Attention turns to Wales as Lionesses explore Zurich

As England turn their attention to their final Group D fixture against neighbours Wales, they have ramped up their training once more in search of qualification to the knockouts.

But when they have been allowed time off, the Lionesses have hit central Zurich to take a dip in the lake and do some of their own sightseeing.

Here is everything you need to know from day 10 at Euro 2025…

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Today in camp

With just three days to prepare for the next challenge of Wales, the Lionesses have been back out on the grass to implement the tactical tweaks necessary for a different opposition.

There were also media duties on Friday morning as Lauren Hemp spoke to the press about England’s rivalry with the Welsh and their attempt to build consistency as they aim for a run into the knockout rounds.

But away from their official duties, the players have also enjoyed some down time and have not been able to resist exploring the stunning setting of their Euros adventure.

An ethereally clear Lake Zurich has not escaped the Lionesses’ sightseeing efforts with many heading down for a dip - a far departure from the Thames that was on their doorstep at the Lensbury Hotel in 2022.

Lauren Hemp also admitted that the squad had been soaking in the adoration of travelling Lionesses fans while out and about in the city.

“Even walking round Zurich people are cheering us on and it’s great to have that,” she said.

“I’m lucky enough to have my family out here as well who are my biggest support system and it’s so nice to see them in times we have got off.

“Zurich is so nice, especially when we’re watching other games and you see so many fans walking about. It’s incredible to see and it’s nice to be involved in that.

“We’re so close to the city that if we want to, we can experience that.”

Trending topics

Aside from sightseeing, the Lionesses have also been making the most of leisure spaces at the Dolder Grand Hotel, with a clip of their basketball skills doing the rounds on social media.

It was trick shots galore on Esme Morgan’s TikTok as Lucy Bronze showed she was not just world-beating with the football, as she juggled three basketballs before shooting them all in the hoop.

Champions League-winning trio Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo combined to shoot three consecutive hoops over their heads while a nonchalant Keira Walsh scored from her sun lounger.

Lauren Hemp also got in on the action, dribbling the ball before netting a no-look shot, though it transpires the efforts were not quite on their first attempt.

“It was actually so funny because Hempo was doing her shot for ages and I thought to myself, ‘That can’t be that hard,’ so I did it and I did it first time,” Grace Clinton told BBC 5Live.

“She burst out laughing and then the next time she did it. I think she must have been a bit embarrassed. She was like, ‘I’ve got to get this now.’ But it did take a few hours of filming.”

What are the pundits saying?

A key tactical shift from Sarina Wiegman Wednesday’s victory over the Netherlands saw Ella Toone come into the starting XI in place of Beth Mead.

It meant Toone played in the number 10 role, while Lauren James was shifted out to the right and saw James bag a brace as Toone also got on the scoresheet.

Alessia Russo in front of them also notched a hat-trick of assists in the fixture and for Anita Asante it was the reprisal of the relationship between Toone and Russo that was the key to success.

“[Toone] played herself into the team after the added time against France in the impact she had coming into the game,” Asante told the Boots, Balls and Bras Podcast.

“The synergy she has with Russo is like telepathic. They just know each other, they know where each other’s going to be and where they’re going to find a pass to each other. That works really well.”

Quote of the day

“Our full focus is on Sunday and we’re really looking forward to it. You can feel the confidence in this camp running through everyone.

“We had a great result and we’re hoping for that exact result on Sunday as well. We’re going to do our best to play to our strengths and have that togetherness that we had as a team on Wednesday.

“It’s important that we take the things that we did so well against the Netherlands into the game against Wales.” - Lauren Hemp

Best of the rest

It was jubilation for the home nation as Switzerland secured a place in the quarter-finals of a European Championship for the first time in their history.

The hosts needed just a draw from their final Group A match in Geneva and dominated large periods of the proceedings against Finland.

But they appeared to have scuppered their own dreams in the 79 th minute as they conceded a clumsy penalty in the box which Natalia Kuikka fired straight down the middle of the goal to give Finland the lead.

It created 10 minutes of agony for the thousands of red shirts that filled the Stade de Geneve and extended to fan zones and bars across the country.

But two minutes into stoppage time, an impressive display by Geraldine Reuteler was capped by a fizzing ball across the box which was turned home by Riola Xhemaili to send Switzerland into ecstasy.

It was a deserved point and a fitting accomplishment for a country who are so far hosting a Euros to remember with records already broken.