When Finland hosted UEFA Women’s Euro 2009, both Eva Nyström and Oona Siren sat watching the competition in awe, dreaming of one day donning their country's kit in a major tournament. Now, 16 years later, the West Ham United women’s team duo will be flying the flag for their nation when they travel to Switzerland for UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.
Finland may have only qualified for the Women’s Euros four times prior to this summer's edition, but they have enjoyed fruitful runs in the competition, none more so than in 2005 when they progressed to the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by eventual winners Germany. Four years later, hosting the tournament, they reached the quarter-finals, before failing to make it out of the group stage in both 2013 and 2022.
But this time, Nyström and Siren have the chance to write themselves into Finnish football history in what will be both of the Hammers’ stars first appearance at a major tournament.
Defender Nyström, who made the move to east London in January of this year, featuring eight times across all competitions in the second half of last season, made her international debut in February 2022, just over a year before Siren first stepped onto the senior international stage.
Both have worked hard for their country over the past few years and have now been rewarded with the call-up to Outi Saarinen’s squad.
Nyström said: “I’m really excited for the Euros. It’s my first senior tournament, so I’m really looking forward to playing there. For me, it has been a dream since I was a little kid. From 2009 when the Euros was played in Finland, I was watching the games as a little kid and dreaming of one day playing for and representing Finland. It’s a big thing and a dream come true to be there.
“I remember the games [at UEFA Women’s Euro 2009] were played in big stadiums. I was quite little [aged nine], so I don’t remember much of the football, but I remember that the atmosphere was amazing and everything was really nice around it. Games after the group stage were played in my city, Helsinki, so it was a big thing there.”
Club and country teammate Siren echoed the defender's excitement: “For me, it’s also my first time at the Euros and I’m looking forward to it. Every time I’ve watched a major tournament, it's given me a lot of motivation to train hard, knowing someday I want to play there. It means a lot.”
Finland have been placed in Group A alongside Iceland, Norway and hosts Switzerland.
They will raise the curtain at Stockhorn Arena, Thun, against West Ham squad-mate Dagný Brynjarsdóttir's Iceland (Wednesday 2 July, kick-off 5pm BST) in the opening game of the tournament, before travelling to Sion to face Norway (Sunday 6 July, 5pm BST) at Stade Tourbillon and then hosts Switzerland (Thursday 10 July, 8pm BST) at Stade de Genève in Geneva.
Moreover, for Siren, as well as going into battle with Nyström, she will also be playing at Euro 2025 with her twin-sister Emmi, who made her Finland debut in 2023 and currently plays for Danish outfit Nordsjælland.
“I think it’s really cool to have people who you know there," said 24-year-old Siren. "And I think it’s really nice that we get to play the first game against Switzerland because they are hosting the tournament.
“It will be very special to play alongside my sister and I can’t wait to experience that together, because for both of us it’s been a big dream to play at the Euros some day.”
Nyström added: “It’s a nice group and to play against players that you know. It's always a bigger battle between the players and it’s nice to play against the hosting team. I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s nice to have a teammate in the national team as well. We know each other quite well on the pitch, so it will help us both.”
UEFA Women's Euro 2025, the 14th edition of the tournament, will be held in Switzerland from 2–27 July, and be broadcast live in the UK by the BBC and ITV. For Finland-based supporters, games will be shown live on Yle Areena.
