England are not out, but they are down, the folded bodies of the players in white shirts at the close told the extent of the challenge ahead. The Lionesses were lacklustre and were punished, kicking off their European title defence with a 2-1 defeat by an impressive France team and handing Sarina Wiegman’s first major tournament defeat outside a final.

After a promising and pressing start fell away, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore delivered for a resurgent France. Keira Walsh’s late strike from a corner reduced the reigning European champions’ blushes but the late charge was not enough and England have a lot of work to do to escape the tournament’s group of death.

Lionesses captain admits much has changed since 2022 with the manager stressing that team has to move on as they prepare for France

Leah Williamson said she had felt anxious in the buildup to ­England beginning their European title defence against France on Saturday night, the Arsenal defender having missed the 2023 World Cup after an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

“I’ve probably held some anxiety up until this moment just because I wanted to be here and I wanted to be here with the team and I wanted to experience another ­tournament with England,” said the ­Lionesses’ captain. “It’s special when you come to another country, to ­represent your country and just take ­everything in. It’s a bit different to England in 2022. I’m very excited but so much has changed, so I’m intrigued to come back and enjoy this ­tournament football.”

• Five charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault

• Partey denies all the charges against him

The former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The allegations relate to three women who reported incidents between 2021 and 2022. Partey has been charged with two counts of rape of one woman, three counts of rape of a second woman, and one count of sexual assault of a third woman. He will appear at Westminster magistrates court on 5 August.

Switzerland were denied a fairytale start to their home Euros as a header from Ada Hegerberg and an own goal gave an unconvincing Norway three points.

Nadine Riesen’s first-half opener had fans spiralling, hope and ecstasy pouring from every corner of the ground, but their profligacy would prove costly as a moment of magic from Hegerberg and then Caroline Graham Hansen to force Norway’s second turned the game on its head.

• Midfielder will rejoin teammates on eve of Euro 2025

• Spain kick off Euro 2025 against Portugal on 3 July

The Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí has been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for viral meningitis and will rejoin the national team in the coming days as they prepare for Euro 2025.

The Ballon d’Or winner was absent from Spain’s final warm-up match against Japan on Friday, a game she watched from her hospital bed. World Cup winners Spain’s first game of the tournament comes on Thursday when they face Portugal in Bern.