| Friendly: Belgium v England |
|---|
| Date: Thursday, 29 August Venue: Den Dreef Stadium, Leuven Kick off: 18:30 BST |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, iPlayer and BBC Sport website. The website will also carry live text commentary. |
England must be “braver and tougher” as they begin their quest to win a home European Championship in 2021, head coach Phil Neville said.
The Lionesses lost to the United States in the World Cup last four in July, their third successive semi-final defeat at a major tournament.
Hosts England do not need to qualify for Euro 2021 so face friendlies against Belgium and Norway.
Neville told BBC Sport that England need to push “to even greater levels”.
He said: “We’ve done an extensive debrief of the World Cup and we concluded that the foundations are rock solid.
“But we have to be braver, tougher and accept that what we are doing at the moment is not at the levels we need to win a gold medal in a final.”
Neville will also be in charge of the Great Britain women’s football team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and says that will used as a “carrot” for his team too.
“We have to push our bodies, football, and tactics to even greater levels,” he added. “That’s what we are telling the players on camp.
“The next two years, if you are not prepared to push yourself beyond the limits we are already pushing you, then you are not going to the Olympics or the Euros because this train is going forward faster than it’s ever been.”
Neville has recalled record cap holder Fara Williams into his squad for the games against Belgium on Thursday and Norway on Tuesday.
Belgium are 14 places below England at 19th in the Fifa rankings, and Norway – who lost 3-0 to the Lionesses in the World Cup quarter-finals – are 12th.
Reading midfielder Williams, who has 170 caps, was left out of Neville’s World Cup squad, but has replaced the injured Fran Kirby.
The 35-year-old has been joined by Chelsea forward Beth England and Manchester City defender Aoife Mannion, who both earned their first call-ups to the squad.
Ellen White, England’s top scorer at the World Cup, misses out through injury, as does goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, while midfielder Jill Scott has been rested.
“Fara is similar to Beth and Aiofe in that for the past six months, she’s probably felt really frustrated about not being selected,” Neville added.
“She’s played well and is scoring goals for Reading but ultimately, Fran Kirby and Georgia Stanway were playing well and scoring goals for Chelsea and Manchester City and England as well.
“We have to make decisions about leaving the big players out and there is nobody bigger, in the men’s or women’s team, than Fara. There is nobody with more caps than her.
“When Fran pulled out, there was no question in mind that as long as she is playing to the levels we know she can for Reading, she will be available for England. Now is the time for her to take her opportunity.”
