England's penultimate fixture of another successful year turned into a romp at Wembley on Saturday evening as Sarina Wiegman's side scored eight times without reply against China.
Amidst talk of who the next generation of stars may be in the England ranks, it was the established players who showed their class with a hat-trick for Georgia Stanway, two for Beth Mead and goals for Ella Toone, Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp.
Similarly, although the fixture was designed to test England against a different kind of opposition as they turn attentions to the 2027 World Cup, this felt more like a celebration, in front of over 74,000 fans, of a 2025 in which the Lionesses, of course, won a second successive European crown.
Ghana provide the opposition in Southampton on Tuesday while Accrington Stanley host the WU23s against the USA on Monday evening at 7pm.
Supporters watching the next generation in that game may still be seeing them on home soil in a 2035 World Cup. The Football Association, alongside the other home nations, have submitted their bid for the tournament to Fifa with no other potential hosts having come forward.
22 stadiums, including 16 in England, are part of the bid.
