Sarina Wiegman reveals how long it took her to get over the Lionesses' World Cup final heartbreak

England boss Sarina Wiegman admitted it took her three weeks to get over the Lionesses' World Cup final defeat as she offered some words of comfort for Gareth Southgate's side.

Like Wiegman's team last summer, the Three Lions suffered an agonising defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday, with Mikel Oyarzabal winning it in the 86th minute after Cole Palmer had cancelled out Nico Williams' opener.

Wiegman, who led the Lionesses to glory at Euro 2022, also lost the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands before last summer's heartache.

'It takes about three weeks, it took me three weeks (after the World Cup defeat to Spain) to get over it,' Wiegman said.

'It's very hard, especially if you have given anything and you don't win. It can always go both ways, there is an opponent that wants to win too and has their qualities, but when you have given it everything it is really, really disappointing.

'You are asking yourself, did we do everything we could to control what we can control? And then you have to accept it. It's easier to accept a win, but for me it took a bit of time.

'You can give yourself a couple of days for a hangover, but it is one of those things, there are moments when it will come back and you will think we should have done this or that. I think that is completely normal, you shouldn't push that away because you work so hard every day, year after year, it's your life.

'You push so hard and you want to win it so when that doesn't happen, it's a huge disappointment but at the same time you have to keep moving on.'

Asked whether Southgate should stay on as England boss, Wiegman said: 'That is absolutely up to him.

'I have a very good relationship with him but that is something for him to reflect on and to have a conversation with the people at the FA. That is not one for me.'

The Lionesses had watched Sunday's final together in Gothenburg, where they are preparing for their final Euro 2025 qualifier against Sweden on Tuesday.

'We're devastated for them, especially knowing some of them personally as well,' captain Leah Williamson said.

'I think what Gareth and his team have done over the last three or four years, reaching finals and bringing that dream closer to reality, I think we're very lucky as fans of England, men's and women's, to be in the position that we're in. We didn't quite get over the line to a fantastic Spanish team.

'I know they'll be devastated about it, it will take a while for them to get over it. For us as a country, I think we've been blessed with incredible tournaments and when those wins come, which I do believe they will, then they will be even sweeter.'

The Lionesses will qualify automatically for Euro 2025 as long as they avoid defeat on Tuesday.

Only two nations from the four-team group will progress, with France currently top with 12 points, England in second on 10 and Sweden third with seven.

'We knew this was a very competitive group and that's what has been shown,' Wiegman said.

'Tomorrow is a very important game for us, France can top the group but we can still become third in the group and first in the group. That's how we approach it. We've had some very good training sessions, everyone is fit and we're ready for tomorrow.'