‘We won’t be friends’ - Dutch star Vivianne Miedema will show no mercy to her girlfriend Beth Mead and England in Euros

Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Group D - Wales v Netherlands - Stadion Allmend, Lucerne, Switzerland - July 5, 2025 Netherlands' Vivianne Miedema celebrates after the match as she wears a t-shirt with 100 after scoring one hundred goals for Netherlands REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Manchester City striker Vivianne Miedema says she will “not be friends” with partner and England forward Beth Mead when their sides meet in Zurich for their critical Euro 2025 group stage tie.

Defending champions England meet the 2017 winners in what is likely to be a must-win clash after they suffered a tournament-opening 2-1 defeat to France, and will be eliminated if they lose to the Netherlands and France avoid defeat by Wales.

The former Arsenal team-mates, who also are in a long-term relationship, now have to prioritise their professional life over their personal one for at least a few hours at the Stadion Letzigrund.

“We both know what we’re going through,” said Miedema, when asked about 2022 Women’s European Championship player of the tournament and Golden Boot winner Mead.

“We both know it’s a very important tournament. Our golden rule is that we can discuss anything, only we just do not talk about the game.

“Tomorrow, for once, we will not be friends. As a Dutch player, I will do everything possible to win the game. If it’s not a nice moment for Beth, then that’s not a problem for me.”

The Netherlands will qualify for the quarter-finals if they beat England and Wales do not beat France.

If her side do manage to show Mead’s the door, Miedema joked: “I don’t think she’ll speak to me for a little bit. It’s tough. Obviously, as I said, I know I’m with Beth but I’ve also got some of my best friends in that team. That’s part of football.

“I’ve probably been on the other end of it, mostly, over the last couple of tournaments. It’s part of it. I’ll be happy for us if we can actually get through tomorrow.”

Much has been made of the build-up to England’s campaign, particularly the international retirements of 2022 winners Mary Earps – Sarina Wiegman’s former first-choice goalkeeper – and attacking midfielder Fran Kirby.

Chelsea skipper Millie Bright – who captained England to a first World Cup final in 2023, in place of the injured Leah Williamson – then decided to withdraw herself from selection in order to prioritise her physical and mental health.

But asked if she ever got the sense England might not be up to par, Miedema said: “I think it’s really hard to come off a Euros that you’ve won, then to go to a World Cup where you’ve got to a final, then always be this team that is ready to go again and have no issues.

“Along the way in football, you’ve got players that retire, players that might not be happy with their position in the team, and that’s part of the game.

“They’ve got so much quality, and so many girls that know how to deal with that, that I can’t just say ‘they’re not the best England they have been over the last couple of years’.

“They can turn up tomorrow and be absolutely unreal. I think we need to be prepared for the best England side possible and go from there.”

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