ENGLAND striker Toni Duggan thinks the Lionesses can best France in Doncaster tonight and march on to become European champions in the Netherlands next summer, she said yesterday.

And it will be teams such as France — who England’s women last beat in 1974 — that Mark Sampson’s side must overcome to fulfil trophy ambitions at Euro 2017.

Tonight’s friendly against Les Bleues at the Black Bank will serve as a useful form guide nine months out from the tournament, even though England know how fortunes can fluctuate within a short time.

A glum-faced 3-0 defeat to Germany in a Wembley showcase for the women’s game in November 2014 was followed by England reaching the 2015 World Cup semi-finals, and then beating the Germans in the third-place game.

“Definitely the belief around the players is there’s no reason we can’t go all the way at the European Championship,” Duggan said.

“I don’t want to start putting pressure on ourselves, but as players now those are the pressures we are facing, and that’s our answer — we do believe we can go all the way.

“And why not? We have players right across the board who have experience and can go toe to toe with the top nations.”

France may dominate the rivalry with England but that could soon change.

The teams drew 2-2 in an October 2012 friendly played in Paris, before England lost to the same opposition 1-0 in the World Cup group stage last year, a result that ultimately did Sampson’s players little harm.

A goalless draw followed in Florida in March, at the SheBelieves Cup tournament, and now the sides go head to head in South Yorkshire.

“We’ve made progress then haven’t we!” said Duggan. “I’d love to beat France.”

Reflecting on the 2012 game in the French capital, one of her first with England, Duggan said: “There was a lot of talk back then about how we hadn’t beaten France for however many years, and it’d be nice to be on the winning side this time.

“We know it’s going to be tough, they’ve got quality players, but the English game is going forward now and I believe we can compete with the best nations around.”

Duggan, recalled after a surprising recent absence from the England fold, was one of eight players from Women’s Super League champions Manchester City named by Sampson in his squad to tackle France.

Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, defenders Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton and midfielder Jill Scott were standout performers at the World Cup, with midfielder Izzy Christiansen, forward Nikita Parris and defender-cum-winger Demi Stokes now also involved.

Duggan, a supporter of the FA’s Girls’ Football Week, said of the City representation: “I don’t know whether it matters for England, what club you’re a part of, but I certainly know that as a player if I go away and several of my other teammates are there it helps me.”