England striker James could start in Euro opener against France

ZURICH, July 4 (Reuters) - England boss Sarina Wiegman hinted that Chelsea striker Lauren James, who was sidelined for almost three months with a hamstring injury, could start against France on Saturday when they begin their defence of the Women's European Championship title.

James, who has scored 28 goals since making her senior team debut in 2022, made a triumphant return from injury in a 7-0 victory over Jamaica in a friendly on Sunday.

"We are not going to give you the line-up," Wiegman said when asked about the possibility that James would start. "(But) she played 30 minutes last week and she can play more than that. So I think that will say enough."

While Wiegman lost two veterans in recent weeks -- defender Millie Bright withdraw her name saying she was not 100% fit, and goalkeeper Mary Earps announced her shock international retirement after losing her starting spot -- Wiegman was pleased with how her squad is shaping up on the eve of their opener.

"The team looks really good, I think we are ready, we had our last session this morning and everyone came through well," she said. "We had some good weeks where we trained, we could do some tactics and I think we are very well prepared.

"You see the bonding. We have worked really, really hard and I definitely think we are ready to go tomorrow."

Wiegman puts her own remarkable unblemished record on the line at Stadion Letzigrund on Saturday. She has never lost in 12 games at the European Championships, guiding the Netherlands to victory in 2017 and then England in 2022.

Leah Williamson is back to captain the team after missing the 2023 World Cup with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"I've probably held some anxiety up until this moment just because I wanted to be here and I wanted to be with the team and experience another tournament for England," Williamson said on Friday.

"I am very excited but also so much has changed, so I am intrigued to come back and enjoy tournament football."

England will not have to face France stalwarts Wendie Renard and Eugenie le Sommer on Saturday after Laurent Bonadei left them off the squad, sending shockwaves around women's football.

"I don't have the context, I was not there in their bubble, but what I see (Renard) is an absolute legend, they (both) have been legends for France, they've been trailblazers, and they still are, even though they're not here," Wiegman said.

After France, England will play the Netherlands on Wednesday and then Wales on July 13 in their final game of the group stage. (Reporting by Lori Ewing in Oberentfelden, Switzerland; editing by Clare Fallon)