Leah Williamson felt anxious leading up to England's European title defense against France, having missed the 2023 World Cup due to injury. She is excited to represent her country again, noting significant changes to the team since the 2022 win over Germany. Several key players have retired, leading to a transitional phase for England. Manager Sarina Wiegman acknowledged this shift, emphasizing the need for adaptation and growth, coining the phrase "New England" to signify the current challenge. Familiar faces exist in the France team, complicating England's preparation.
"I've probably held some anxiety up until this moment just because I wanted to be here and I wanted to be here with the team and I wanted to experience another tournament with England," said Leah Williamson.
"It's a bit different to England in 2022. I'm very excited but so much has changed, so I'm intrigued to come back and enjoy this tournament football."
"The mantra has been that this is a new England. The team has been a bit in transition, of course," the manager, Sarina Wiegman, said.
"We came together in February and we said: It's a new challenge. The approach was there anyway, but we called it the New England."
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