The 2025 Women's Euros is fast approaching and we take a look at some of the best players that could make the difference for their respective nations.
The best players that grace European women’s football will be on show in Switzerland in July when Euro 2025 gets underway, with England defending the title they won memorably at Wembley three years ago.
But even among a huge pool of top talent, there are still some who stand out from the crowd, so here are five stars to keep an eye on, all of whom will hope to be celebrating a continental triumph in Basel on July 27.
Aitana Bonmati (Spain)
Spain’s Aitana Bonmati heads into the tournament as arguably the world’s best female player.
The Barcelona midfielder has had a trophy-filled career with the Catalan giants with the 27-year-old winning six La Liga Femenina titles, six Copa de La Reinas and three Champions League titles,
She was voted the tournament’s best player when she helped Spain beat England to win the 2023 World Cup in Australia and she celebrated being awarded the Balon d’Or Feminin in 2023 and 2024.
Her vision and intelligence are absolutely key for the favourites in the football betting and she will look to dictate play from an attacking-midfield role, so if Spain are to add the Euros to their trophy collection, Bonmati is set to be at the heart of the action.
Alessia Russo (England)
England’s final preparations for their Euros defence have not been completely smooth as coach Sarina Wiegman has had to cope with the surprise international retirements of goalkeeper Mary Earps, forward Fran Kirby and central defender Millie Bright.
However, if the Lionesses are to defend their crown, it looks likely that Arsenal striker Alessia Russo will have a big role to play.
She scored 12 goals for the second successive Women’s Super League campaign following her move to north London from Manchester United, and she was also an integral cog in the wheel as the Gunners claimed the Champions League, scoring eight times in the premier competition in European women’s club football.
Russo can claim to have scored 22 goals in her 50 appearances for her country and she looks capable of having a massive tournament.
Giulia Gwinn (Germany)
Germany were beaten in extra-time in the Wembley final three years ago and Bayern Munich’s Giulia Gwinn would love to get her hands on the trophy this time.
She is a captain who tends to lead from the front and one of her biggest assets as a player is her versatility as, while she is expected to be fielded at full-back, she is adaptable enough to play a key role in midfield and is also able to make her presence felt in the final third.
Gwinn demonstrated how she can affect things when she scored twice in the 4-3 victory over the Lionesses in October.
The extra responsibility of the armband has only recently been bestowed upon her, but it is one she should handle with gusto and it would not be a surprise if she emerged as one of the tournament’s top performers.
She was not on target for the Frauen Bundesliga champions last season but her record of 14 goals in 63 appearances for her national team suggests Gwinn can make her presence felt in Switzerland.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France)
France will believe they are capable of mounting a strong challenge and for that to succeed, Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto could be key.
She became her club’s top goalscorer at the age of 23 three years ago and has got back into the swing of things well after recovering from a cruciate-ligament injury.
Katoto is one of the top forwards in French football, scoring 12 goals in the league last season and she was also one of the big hits for the home side in last year’s Olympics when she scored five goals before the hosts were knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals.
Her tally of 28 goals in 35 appearances on the international stage suggest there could be plenty to come from her for Les Bleues.
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway)
Norway last tasted Euros success in 1993 and if they are to end their long wait for continental glory, they will need Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen to be at the top of her game.
Graham Hansen is a great all-round player whose passing accuracy and shooting can cause all sorts of problems for her opponents, while she is also effective when doing the dirty work as well, as her defensive qualities also shine through when needed.
Her value to the Norwegian effort is highlighted by the fact she has been voted her country’s top female player on four occasions and Graham Hansen, who has scored 93 goals in 184 appearances for Barcelona, has come to her country’s rescue on plenty of occasions as she has scored an impressive 46 goals in 105 international appearances.
