by The English captain Leah Williamson joked that before the quarter -finals of the Euro 2025 on Thursday 2025 she will not “remove” in the changing room with Sweden in Zurich.
The Swedish band “Do Your Mother Know” became a key route in the Williamson-packed changing room during the Triumphal Euro 2022 campaign of England, in which it was defeated 4-0 in the last four Swedes, which was easier to pry her by using the song.
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It was a tighter affair when she met in the qualification players for this tournament and pulled twice, including the goalless patts in July 2024, the England was sufficient to book a direct place in the final.
Some Swedish fans claimed that Abba was better than the Beatles, and therefore Sweden would defeat England, Williamson replied: “I don’t agree. I am afraid that it could be easier to dance, but no.
“I don’t think that will be on the playlist, but it worked in 2022, so I don’t want to completely ban Abba.”
The English central defender is preparing for a fight with the teammate of Arsenal Stina Blackstenius.
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In May the Swedish striker met Lisbon, where the Gunners increased the Champions League trophy with a 1-0 victory over heavy favorites Barcelona.
Blackstenius has already contributed two goals in this euro for Sweden to Group C with the winners of Group C, but is only one of the threats for what Williamson is a “very organized team” that “works for each other” and “deserves a little more recognition”.
Williamson and Blackstenius are Arsenal teammates (ZAC Goodwin/Pa)
“Stina is an incredibly powerful footballer,” said Williamson. “I think she is very intelligent with her runs, she is a tough player in this regard. I have celebrated her success with Arsenal and not so much now.
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“So we will see, but she is a great player and she has been for many years, so her experience speaks for itself.”
Despite their familiarity, an international tournament is a rare opportunity for club colleagues to fight it properly.
“It’s different,” said Williamson. “Obviously playing against each other in training (it is) perhaps in a drill with restrictions, but it is very rare that I will play against them in this area.
“So I enjoy it. I like stina, so it’s difficult to remove all of this and then just go on it and you don’t want to concentrate too much (on it).
“There are many different things that come into play when they play against a teammate, but I think I knew stina long enough because it is fun.
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“I know who she is and it’s time for us to concentrate on us.”
Williamson headed England in Wembley in 2022 in England, but missed the World Cup after he had violated an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April 2023, just a few months before the tournament.
She added: “I was part of this squad, and I will be proud to be part of this squad forever, but we don’t want it to be the only one.
“It’s a constant driver. You want to do more. You want to do more and more, and I want to say that I felt as happy as ever on that day, and that would probably have been enough for me, but the next day it crawls around and everyone wants more.”
