Lionesses star Beth Mead has been drawn to play against her partner, Vivianne Miedema, in the upcoming 2025 European Championships in Switzerland, calling the draw “inevitable”.
The pair met while playing together at Arsenal, where Miedema, 28, scored 80 goals in just 106 appearances.
However, as of 2024, the couple went from team-mates to rivals, as the Dutch forward moved to fourth-placed Women’s Super League side Manchester City, marking the end of her seven-year spell at the Gunners.
During the season, the pair have met against each other on the pitch on just one occasion, with the Dutch star getting the better of Mead in a 4-3 thriller.
Beth Mead and partner Vivianne Miedema have gone from teammates to rivals after the Dutch star left Arsenal in 2024
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Now, they are to meet on the pitch as rivals once more, as the Euros draw matched the Lionesses against the Netherlands.
After the draw, Mead expressed her frustration, declaring: "It was inevitable.
"When the draw was made, we both sat there and said 'Of course that's happened!’
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Beth Mead scored in England's recent match against Jamaica ahead of their Euros 2025 campaign on Saturday
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"We're both very, very competitive and professional. We're both excited for the tournament and to be able to play in it again.”
The couple have both secured triumphs in the tournament before, with the Dutch star winning the competition in 2017, managed by Sarina Wiegman, followed by Mead’s success in 2022, also under the leadership of Wiegman.
Mead, who has been with Miedema since 2022, insists they do not talk about football when nearing a game, despite the rivalry of the two clubs.
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The 30-year-old added: “We keep in contact but when it gets closer to our games, we don't talk football whatsoever.
"Obviously we want each other to do well but not against each other!"
The Lionesses have endured a difficult time in their lead-up to the tournament.
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Sarina Wiegman is looking to defend England's Euros title
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Goalkeeper Mary Earps shocked supporters and team-mates alike by announcing her international retirement just four days before England’s Euros warm-up game against Portugal.
Then, Fran Kirby followed with her retirement just a week later, while Millie Bright also withdrew from selection for “personal reasons”, later confirmed to be her split from her husband for a married personal trainer, someone who has remained anonymous.
Mead, though, was still confident in the Lionesses’ chances at retaining their title.
She continued: "Obviously the team's changed quite a bit, we've had retirements, we've had different players come in, young players coming to their first tournament, but I think we've got a very good blend at the moment.
"We're going there to win - that's our objective. We know we've got a target on our back but now we've got to consistently perform at our highest level which we know we're very much capable of doing."
The Lionesses get their title defence underway against France on Saturday, July 5.
Wales, along with the Netherlands and France, complete their group.