Women's EURO 2025: Players to watch on Matchday 1: Bühl, Putellas, Schertenleib, Williamson

UEFA Women's EURO 2025 begins on Wednesday with 16 teams competing for the title in Switzerland.

We pick out a player to watch from each of the four groups, from someone who knows what it is like to lift the trophy to another who was 15 when the last final was played in 2022 at Wembley.

Klara Bühl (Germany)

Germany were in that 2022 final at Wembley, falling just short of reclaiming the title they held between 1995 and 2017 with an extra-time defeat by England. Much of that squad is back again including left-winger Bühl, named in the Team of the Tournament despite missing the semis and the final due to a positive COVID test.

Now 24, her reputation has only increased since then, at the heart of Bayern München's recent Bundesliga domination and a 2024 Olympic bronze medallist. With Lea Schüller, Jule Brand and Linda Dallmann she is part of a Germany attack that comes into the finals on red-hot goalscoring form.

Alexia Putellas (Spain)

Alexia was all set to underline her status as the world's top player at EURO 2022 when she was ruled out on the eve of the tournament with an ACL injury. It was a long way back for the thrilling, hard-working and astute Barcelona midfielder but this season she has been in vintage form for club and country.

This is a rare competition that Spain have not won but Alexia, a late substitute in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final victory against England, did taste EURO glory at Under-17 level in 2010 and 2011. Fifteen years and more than 130 senior caps later, Alexia is ready to put on the show that Europe badly missed in 2022.

Sydney Schertenleib (Switzerland)

Schertenleib also came to the attention of Europe at WU17 EURO, when she was part of a Switzerland team that reached the 2023 semi-finals in Estonia with a surprise defeat of holders Germany. Several of that squad have graduated quickly to be part of Pia Sundhage's squad for the EURO 2025 hosts and Schertenleib, still only 18, now feels like a first-team stalwart.

A versatile attacking midfielder, Schertenleib helped Zürich win the U19 Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup against Lyon in 2022 and was soon in the first team. After a spell at Grasshopper-Club she was taken to Barcelona in 2024, making 22 appearances this season for the Spanish double winners, including three in Europe. In February she scored her second senior Switzerland goal – against Norway, who the Swiss face again on Wednesday in the Basel opener.

Sydney SchertenleibUEFA via Getty Images

Leah Williamson (England)

It was Williamson who lifted the Women's EURO trophy in front of a record crowd at Wembley three years ago. Like Alexia, after recovering from an ACL rupture, she tasted continental glory again this season in the UEFA Women's Champions League with Arsenal.

The road back from the injury which kept her out of the World Cup was long, but Williamson now looks the assured central defensive presence who won such plaudits in 2022, her positional sense shown to full effect as Arsenal shut out Barcelona in the Champions League final. With her regular England defensive partner Millie Bright missing Women's EURO, Williamson's leadership as well as defensive abilities will be even more crucial for the holders.