England’s Lionesses can recapture the feel-good mood against Scotland after Spain World Cup nightmare

The Lionesses are back in action one month after their heartbreaking defeat in the World Cup final – and they’ve got a point to prove.

Since the World Cup final, it has been easy to wonder what might have happened had England’s performance in the final matched their performances in the rest of the tournament.

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If only England had won the World Cup…the Lionesses would have had their ’66 moment, the country would have rejoiced as football finally came home – perhaps Rishi Sunak would have announced a national bank holiday.

But there is another side to that, of course.

If England had won the World Cup, the issues that led 15 members of Spain’s national team to boycott the squad even before the World Cup began – issues that affect so many in the world of women’s football – might never have been taken seriously.

Lionesses captain Millie Bright recently expressed her wholehearted support for the Spanish team that had beaten them in the final.

She said: “They have just achieved the biggest prize in football and it is fair to say that all of that has been overshadowed.

“So we stand in solidarity with the players and hope that everything is now in a better place for them moving forward.”

The Lionesses may have lost the World Cup – but it is impossible to say yet just how much women’s football has gained from this tournament.

Since the moment when Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales grabbed and kissed Jenni Hermoso, the federation has been under pressure to act.

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Rubiales eventually resigned, while coach Jorge Vilda and general secretary Andreu Camps were sacked.

On September 20, the federation apologised to Hermoso and the other players for failing to foster ‘a climate of trust’ in the international camp.

“We understand that the players need to feel that the federation is their home, a safe environment where they can show their professionalism and sporting quality while displaying the privilege of representing Spain,” the federation said in a statement.

They have pledged to accelerate the ‘profound changes’ outlined by the boycotting players.

For the world champions, hopefully this is one victory they will be able to enjoy without reservations.

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As for Sarina Wiegman and the Lionesses, they have a new goal: the journey to World Cup 2027 glory starts here.

The Women’s Nations League

England face Scotland in their first match of the inaugural UEFA Women’s Nations League, live on talkSPORT from 7pm, kick-off at 8pm.

The tournament features three leagues, decided by the teams’ UEFA coefficient rankings, which puts England into League A.

There are four groups in League A, and England have Scotland, the Netherlands and Belgium in their group.

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The four group winners from League A will compete in a semi-final stage to determine the final two nations.

If England are one of those nations, then Team GB – under new boss Sarina Wiegman – will qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

The Lionesses will have to face Scotland without star striker Alessia Russo after the decision was taken to rest the newly-signed Arsenal forward for Friday’s game.

Meanwhile, Wiegman will also be without Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh and Tottenham captain Bethany England due to injury.

How will the Lionesses line up against Scotland?

After being nominated for the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award for another year and being voted England’s Player of the Year, there is little doubt that Mary Earps will wear the gloves for the Lionesses.

With Leah Williamson still in recovery, the back four should be the familiar World Cup combination of Alex Greenwood, Millie Bright, Jess Carter and Lucy Bronze.

With Keira Walsh out, Wiegman will look to Katie Zelem in midfield, alongside Georgia Stanway.

Last season’s WSL record goalscorer Rachel Daly will take the lead in Russo’s absence, flanked by the trusty Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly.

The key decision will be whether to start Lauren James or Ella Toone – but James’ creativity might make her the preferred option for Wiegman if she’s looking for a strong start to the game.

How much of a threat are the ‘Auld Enemy’?

Ranked 23rd in the world by FIFA, this Scotland team might not seem like much of a challenge to the reigning European Champions and World Cup runners-up.

They also suffered a blow after Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert was ruled out of the fixture due to injury – the battle between Cuthbert and her club teammates Bright, Carter and James would have been intriguing.

But Scotland are currently on a four-game unbeaten streak and earlier this year, they pulled off a huge shock 1-0 win over Australia.

And they have no shortage of players who could cause a huge upset to England – watch out for Real Madrid’s Caroline Weir in the midfield and Aston Villa’s Kirsty Hanson on the wing.

Common goals: England and Scotland’s pay agreements

But Scotland’s biggest victory recently has come off the pitch.

Captain Rachel Corsie withdrew an inequality case against the Scottish Football Association after an agreement was made last week.

While the details of the dispute are unknown, Corsie issued a statement through the FA saying she was glad of a ‘resolution’ to the pay and conditions dispute.

The Lionesses then made a similar agreement with the Football Association, ending a dispute over performance-related bonuses and pay agreements.

Captain Millie Bright told the media that these kind of issues, whether in England, Scotland or Spain, unite women’s football.

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She said: “Although we’re opponents and, kind of, enemies on Game Day, I think we all work together and the changes that we make within our environment could be beneficial to somebody else.”

She added: “It’s a really proud and positive movement for the girls.”

When England take to the pitch against Scotland, both nations will play knowing they have secured hard-fought pay deals which reflect an understanding that female footballers will not be ignored anymore.