sport news Women's Euro 2022 team-by-team guide ahead the tournament in England trends now
The return of tournament football is almost upon us with the eagerly-anticipated Women's Euro 2022 quickly approaching.
The summer tournament gets underway on July 6 at Old Trafford with hosts England taking on Austria, before coming to a conclusion on July 31 at Wembley Stadium.
For just the second time in its history, there will be 16 teams competing for the prestigious award, with Spain coming into the tournament as favourites.
Below, Sportsmail takes you through each and every team in the competition and assesses how likely they are to be crowned champions.
Holland won the competition in 2017 and will be looking to make it back-to-back triumphs
England
Who's the manager?
Sarina Wiegman - Guided Holland to Euros victory last time out in 2017, defeating England in the semi-finals en route. The 52-year-old was named Best FIFA Women's Coach for her 2017 triumph and also led Holland to the final of the Women's World Cup two years later, where they were beaten by the United States.
Wiegman became manager in September last year, and England are still to lose under her management.
They also won the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup - which included Euro favourites Spain - in February, and the Lionesses are going strong in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Who's the star player?
Ellen White's preparations were disrupted as she tested positive for Covid earlier in the month
Ellen White - The 33-year-old is England's all-time record scorer with 50 goals and the Lionesses will need her to be on form if they are to go deep into the tournament.
White is heading into her third European Championships, but her preparation has been disrupted after testing positive for Covid, meaning she missed their penultimate warm-up game against Holland.
The Manchester City star was the joint-top scorer at the 2019 World Cup, and notched an impressive six goals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
How did they qualify?
One of the perks of hosting the tournament is that your qualification is guaranteed. A down side to that, though, is a lack of real competitive football in the build-up to the tournament.
That's not been too much of an issue due to the ongoing 2023 World Cup qualifying campaign. England have won all eight fixtures to date, including a stunning 20-0 victory over Latvia. In fact, they have scored a whopping 68 goals and are yet to concede a single goal.
Chance of winning the trophy - 5/5
England are unbeaten since the arrival of Sarina Wiegman, who led Holland to Euro glory
Austria
Who's the manager?
Irene Fuhrmann - The 41-year-old took over in 2020, having previously been the assistant to long-serving coach Dominik Thalhammer, who led Austria to the Euro 2017 semi-finals.
Fuhrmann, who was capped 22 times by Austria as a player, had previously been in charge of the U19s side. In getting the job, Fuhrmann became Austria's first female manager, and she has since developed them into a seriously tricky side.
Who's the star player?
Nicole Billa - The forward is comfortably Austria's most important player, having scored a brilliant seven goals in eight appearances throughout qualifying. She's been equally prolific in World Cup qualifying, where she has 10 goals to her name in just seven games.
Billa, who plays her club football for Hoffenheim, won Footballer of the Year in Germany in 2021, having claimed the Golden Boot award in the 2020/-21 campaign. She failed to score in any of her five outings at Euro 2017, however.
How did they qualify?
Austria had never qualified for the Women's Euros before 2017 - where they reached the semi-finals - but they made it back-to-back triumphs by finishing second in Group G.
They did so in style, winning six of eight games, dropping points only in a draw and a loss against group winners France. In fact, the three goals shipped in their 3-0 defeat to France were the only goals they conceded throughout qualifying. Their points tally of 19 was enough to see them granted one of three best runner-up spots and therefore a place in the tournament.
Chance of winning the trophy - 2/5
Nicole Billa is comfortably Austria's key player, as she showed throughout qualifying
Norway
Who is the manager?
Martin Sjogren - The 45-year-old has been in the hot-seat since 2016, guiding Norway to the quarter-finals at the World Cup three years ago, where they were beaten 3-0 by England. That came after a more disappointing Euro 2017 campaign, however, where they went out in the group stages after losing all three games.
The big win for Sjogren is that he now once again has Ada Hegerberg available in his squad. She has been absent for the majority of his tenure, having quit the side in 2017 due to the federation’s treatment of the women’s team.
Who is the star player?
Caroline Graham Hansen - The forward bagged 10 goals as Norway topped their qualification group with ease. As one of many Barcelona players at the tournament this summer, Hansen is widely regarded as one of the best players in women's football.
The 27-year-old is known for her remarkable dribbling ability; no one completed more dribbles than her at the 2019 World Cup, despite Norway bowing out at the quarter-final stage. But it's also her consistency in front of goal that makes Hansen so important to Norway.
How did they qualify?
Norway, an ever-present in the Women's Euros, qualified for a joint-record 12th tournament by winning all six games in Group C. They scored 34 goals and conceded just the one.
They have won the competition twice in their history, in 1987 and 1993, also reaching the final in 2005 and 2013.
Chance of winning the trophy - 3/5
Barcelona's Caroline Graham Hansen scored 10 goals as Norway qualified comfortably
Northern Ireland
Who is the manager?
Kenny Shiels - In the role since 2019, having succeeded previous coach Alfie Wylie. The 66-year-old had previously led Kilmarnock and Derry City's men's teams, and has proven his worth since taking the job, guiding Northern Ireland to a first-ever qualification for a major tournament.
Shiels was heavily criticised in April after stating 'women are more emotional than men' following a heavy defeat by England. He kept his job after apologising, however, with captain Marissa Callaghan publicly backing the manager.
Who is the star player?
Rachel Furness - Not a difficult choice, this one. The 33-year-old - who could well be facing her one and only opportunity to play in the Euros - is Northern Ireland's top scorer in history (men or women), and also, unsurprisingly, their top scorer throughout qualifying with five goals.
She scored a crucial goal in their play-off first leg against Ukraine, but was made to watch from the sidelines for the second leg after breaking her ankle. Furness more recently played a pivotal role as her club side Liverpool earned promotion back to the WSL this season.
How did they qualify?
Northern Ireland secured an historic first-ever European Championship qualification after beating Ukraine 4-1 on aggregate in their two-legged play-off clash against Ukraine last year. That came after they finished second, behind Norway, in their qualifying group.
In reaching the tournament, Northern Ireland became the lowest ranked team (43rd) in history to qualify for the Women's Euros. It was a remarkable feat for a side who lost seven of their eight 2019 World Cup qualifiers.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels apologised after stating 'women are more emotional than men'
Germany
Who is the manager?
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg - Given the role in 2018, after Germany's run of six successive Euro wins came to a rather abrupt end the year before. The 54-year-old, who had managed Switzerland for the previous six years, guided Germany to a World Cup quarter-final finish the following year.
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg knows exactly what it takes to win tournament football with Germany, having claimed the Euros title four times during her time as a player.
Who is the star player?
Lea Schuller - The forward, who has been compared to Marco Reus, comes into the tournament as Germany's in-form star, having recently been named the nation's Player of the Year. The 24-year-old scored 11 goals is as many appearances for Germany last year, also notching 17 for club side Bayern Munich.
She has also been prolific throughout World Cup qualifying, scoring 11 goals in just seven outings. Schuller will no doubt harness aspirations of claiming the Golden Boot award.
How did they qualify?
After their shock early exit at Euro 2017, alongside a quarter-final defeat at the 2019 World Cup, Germany comfortably qualified for the impending tournament as Group I winners. They won all eight games, scoring 46 goals and conceding one. Klara Buhl was their most potent goalscorer throughout qualifying with six strikes.
Germany have largely dominated women's football in recent history. They won six consecutive Euro titles between 1995 and 2013, with eight titles to their name. They'll be hoping to return to top form next month.
Chance of winning the trophy - 4/5
Lea Schuller has been compared to Marco Reus with the tricky forward tipped to shine this summer
Denmark
Who is the manager?
Lars Sondergaard - The 63-year-old has been in charge of Denmark since 2017, having previously managed in the Danish 1st Division for numerous men's teams. There is an expectation for Denmark to perform under Sondergaard, particularly after his predecessor, Nils Nielsen, guided them to the Euro finals.
Denmark failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup, however, having been defeated by Holland in a two-legged play-off clash. They are going strong in their current qualifying campaign, though, 11 points ahead of their closest rivals Bosnia and Herzegovina with seven wins from as many games.
Who is the star player?
Pernille Harder - No doubts about it, Harder is by a way Denmark's most important player going into the tournament. She has been a central figure in the Danish side since 2009, when she scored a hat-trick on her debut, and now stands as her nation's top scorer.
Harder, who plays her club football for Chelsea, was Denmark's joint-top scorer throughout qualification, alongside Nadia Nadim, on eight goals. Known as one of the greatest of all time, Harder won the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in 2018 and 2020 and has been named Danish Player of the Year award a record seven times.
How did they qualify?
Denmark, who finished as runners-up at the previous tournament in 2017, qualified for the impending tournament without trouble. They won nine of their 10 games, drawing the other, conceding just one goal and scoring 48.
As Euro regulars, they reached the final for the first time four years ago, where they were beaten by Holland. They'll be looking to go one step further, but even getting through Group B will be no easy feat. A potential quarter-final against England could await if they do.
Chance of winning the trophy - 3/5
Pernille Harder scored a hat-trick on her international debut back in 2009 and has been a central figure for Denmark ever since
Spain
Who is the manager?
Jorge Vilda - The long-serving 40-year-old has been in the job since 2015, with the side vastly improving under his guidance. Spain are yet to win an international trophy, however, and that will now be the target.
Vilda has been in the national frame since 2009, when he became the assistant manager for Spain's U19 Women's team. Since then, he's managed both the U17 and U19 sides.
Who is the star player?
Alexia Putellas - The Barcelona star, though not an out-and-out striker, occupying the No 10 position, is a serious goal threat and contender for the Golden Boot award. She scored 17 goals in 19 outings in the 2021-22 campaign and was named Ballon d'Or winner for her impressive performances.
She has just one international tournament goal to her name, though, coming back in 2013. It was Jenni Hermoso - the Ballon d'Or runner-up - who topped Spain's scoring charts throughout qualifying with 10 goals.
How did they qualify?
Spain were untroubled throughout qualifying, winning seven of their eight fixtures and drawing the other. They scored an impressive 48 goals, conceding just the one.
The Spaniards have certainly underperformed throughout their history, with their best Euro result coming all the way back in 1997, when they reached the semi-finals. They are the bookies' favourites to claim the prestigious prize this summer, however.
Chance of winning the trophy - 5/5
Spain have 2021 Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas in their ranks and come into the tournament as favourites
Finland
Who is the manager?
Anna Signeul - In charge of Finland is veteran coach Signeul, 61, who managed Scotland between 2005 and 2017. She took the Scots to their first-ever European Championships in 2017, where they claimed a shock win over Spain in the group stages. The victory wasn't enough to see them qualify for the knockouts, however.
Signeul will be concerned by her side's form coming into the tournament, with damaging results now seeing them in the mix for a play-off place at best in World Cup qualifying.
Who is the star player?
Linda Sallstrom - The 33-year-old will be key in Finland's attempt to go deep into the tournament. She is their all-time top scorer, and notched almost half of her nation's qualifying goals (24) with 10.
Sallstrom has been hampered by injuries throughout her career and last competed in the tournament back in 2009. She'll be desperate to be among the top scorers, but making it out of the groups will be a tall order.
How did they qualify?
Finland were economical
