The Women’s European Championships kick off on Wednesday and 12 Chelsea players will be suiting up for their respective countries. Superstars of the women’s game like Pernille Harder, Fran Kirby and Guro Reiten will represent the star-studded west London squad when they take the pitch at the tournament. Suffice it to say, the Blues will be well-represented on the international level throughout Europe this summer. It is now time to see the individuals that finished the season lifting trophies in blue for the first time in over a month playing meaningful football once again.
After some ground-breaking new signings during the last month by Emma Hayes, Chelsea fans have the chance to see the first signing of the Todd Boehly era, Eve Perisset, on the flank of a defensive back-four on international duty. Heading into the competition, many of the standout stars who helped guide the Blues to a second consecutive double showed their talent. From Harder trying to carry the Danes through the “Group of Death” to Aniek Nouwen attempting to anchor the Dutch defense, there are plenty of storylines from the Chelsea perspective as the teams fight for European glory. Here’s a preview of the tournament through blue-tinted glasses.
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Previewing the Chelsea Women at the upcoming Euro 2022 tournament
By far one of the top narratives that should be on the radar of Chelsea fans is Kirby, as well as her fitness and productivity on the pitch. Before the Euros begin, Kirby gave her thoughts on her fitness, stating:
"“This is something I’ve dealt with for probably five or six years of my career; it’s not something that just happened in February, it’s been an ongoing feeling that I’ve experienced … So I’ve kind of learnt now what the triggers are when I start to feel a certain way, and how I can prevent that from happening … it’s really important to listen to your body and when you need to take a break, you take a break and really benefit from it.”"
On top of Kirby and her ability to get up to speed with the pace of football following a lot of time off, England possesses Millie Bright and Jess Carter at the back, on top of Bethany England along the front line. In the last friendly before the Lionesses’ first match on July 6, England netted the third goal in a 4-0 win against an aging Switzerland side for her first goal for the National Team against a squad in the top 20 of the world rankings since 2019 (friendly vs. Brazil). Look for England to split time with Ellen White and Manchester United striker Alessia Russo at the No. 9 position for a team that many believe is the favorite to win it all.
Bright looks to be the only secured starter for Sarina Wiegman right now, but Carter’s performances for the Blues this past season definitely earned her some time at the international level. Bright will most likely be paired with Arsenal star Leah Williamson, or potentially Alex Greenwood. She will play in the middle of a back four that is as dynamic as any in Europe with Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly on the flanks providing both width and dynamism. Kirby may be used as a wild card for her side as well, but when healthy, the talent is evident. Given her sensational play against the Netherlands in a recent friendly, Kirby could begin to find her legs at the perfect time.
In the same group as England, Norway poses a threat with its versatile attack that possesses Chelsea’s Reiten. The Norwegians have both Caroline Graham Hansen and Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg leading the line each match, and that is why a player like Reiten could fly under the radar if teams are not conscious of her threat. She netted both the goals against Denmark in the final preparation friendly before the Euros, including a long-range finish to put Norway on the board toward the end of the first half. With by far her best season as a professional under her belt, Reiten could be flying high during this competition given the attacking talent that Norway has at its disposal.
Despite both of the Blues’ goalkeepers most likely not receiving much time for their National Teams due to the depth that each possesses, Chelsea fans will get a chance to see two players take on leadership roles with their countries. One of the Blues’ mainstays since 2016, Maren Mjelde, is the captain for this pesky Norwegian side in Group A. Meanwhile, the always-reliable Magdalena Eriksson leads as the Vice-captain of the No. 2 ranked team in the world, Sweden.
If Chelsea fans want to choose a team to keep their eyes on heavily throughout the tournament other than England, it should be Denmark. Everything the Danes do offensively runs through Harder, and when she goes, so does the entire team. Harder will be relied on a lot to lead this Danish team into a group with two title contenders. Her speed, dynamic skills on the ball and ability to transform a match with a snap of her fingers make her must-watch television for any fan of women’s football. It is a chance to see what Harder can do when she is the main player and center-focus of each match plan against the toughest competition.
There is no question that the Blues will be well represented in Europe this summer. Harder and Kirby are the players to key in on from a Chelsea perspective, but with Perisset playing on the right wing of a prolific French attack, supporters will get a chance to see what she is made of.
Hayes now has some time to see where her players are at with the performances during one of the biggest international competitions on the planet with the competition in the United States in August announced as the warm-up matches before the regular season begins. The excitement of summer football is just getting started for this Chelsea Women’s side. While the players may not be donning the Blues’ kit, it is a chance to see the plethora of talent this club has going into what looks to be a deep Champions League run.