Sarina Wiegman highlights ‘massive improvement’ Lauren James has made to her game

The England manager said she was ‘proud’ of the work James put in off the ball in the win over Spain

England manager Sarina Wiegman praised Lauren James for the “massive improvement” she has made to the defensive side of her game as the Lionesses defeated world champions Spain 1-0 at Wembley.

Chelsea forward James impressed with her ability on the ball in the first half against Spain but Wiegman said she was “proud” of how the 23-year-old contributed to England’s defensive efforts in the second half.

For the second game in a row, James tracked back to help Chelsea team-mate Niamh Charles, as the Lionesses withstood pressure from the World Cup winners to claim a morale-boosting win.

Lauren James was named player of the match at Wembley (The FA via Getty Images)

James was making her first appearances in a home game for England since April 2024 and Wiegman was keen to highlight what the attacker was able to bring to both sides of her performance.

“It starts with the team performance and everyone doing their task really well,” Wiegman said after the 1-0 at Wembley. “We were aligned and everyone was working hard for each other.

“The players were at their best and that’s what we saw with Lauren too. The biggest step she’s made is that in defence she’s working so hard and she’s doing so well. That’s a massive improvement and I’m proud she’s doing that.”

Wiegman also praised Jess Park’s contribution to England’s shape in the victory over Spain and said the Manchester City midfielder gave the edge in central areas with her positioning.

"What we tried to do in possession, we gave Jess the freedom to come inside to play like a 10,” Wiegman said. “She's very agile, she's really quick and tight on the ball. That’s what we hoped she would bring.

“She’s had to defend and she can bring that, too. It's really nice for the team when we can make different decisions with different players who can bring different things."