World ranking

14

UEFA Champs Records

Runners-up 1984; Semi-finalists 1987, 1995; Quarter-finalists 1991, 1993

Euro 2005 qualification

Qualified automatically as hosts.

Colours

Home: White shirts, blue shorts, white socks
Away: Red shirts, silver shorts, red socks

Coach

Hope Powell OBE

Key players

Kelly Smith (striker), Katie Chapman (midfielder), Faye White (central defender)

Website 

TheFA.com


National Coach Hope Powell OBE was a midfielder in the England team that lost to Sweden on penalties after that 1984 Final (which unlike today was played over two legs) had been tied 1-1 on aggregate.

Powell was subsequently a player in England teams which reached Euro Semi-Finals and Quarter-Finals, but as National Coach – a position she has held since 1998 – she is now looking to lead her team to what would be its greatest ever triumph.

England will not, however, go into the Finals as one of the favourites and understandably so – at 14th in the FIFA World Rankings Powell’s team are placed ahead of only Finland in the eight-nation make-up of Euro 2005.

Results against the likes of Germany and Sweden have gone against England over recent years, but they have had some very tight games against France and Italy while in 2004 they impressively beat Denmark 2-0.

They have also recently beaten Iceland and Holland, teams who sit just below them in the FIFA Rankings, but having a full complement of players available could be the key to the impact they are able to make at Euro 2005.

With striker Kelly Smith, midfielder Katie Chapman and central defender Faye White all long term absentees they agonisingly missed out in the qualifying play-offs for the 2003 World Cup Finals.

But if those three players are fully fit and the strikers can find their shooting boots during the June tournament, then England should be able to make the most of home advantage.