Lauren James On Fire As England Thrash Scotland But Team GB's Olympic Dream Is Over After Netherlands Score Two Late Goals Against Belgium

Lauren James was on fire as England beat Scotland 6-0 but Great Britain's Olympic dream is over after two late goals scored by the Netherlands against Belgium.

Lauren James scored two goals and assisted another as England thrashed Scotland 6-0 in Glasgow on Tuesday.

Alex Greenwood, Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Lucy Bronze also found the net at Hampden Park but England narrowly missed out on a place in the UEFA Women's Nations League Finals.

That also means that Great Britain can no longer qualify for the women's football tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Lauren Hemp (left) and Lauren James (right) were among the scorers as England beat Scotland 6-0 :: IMAGO/PA Images/Steve Welsh

England started the day second in Group A1, behind the Netherlands on goal difference.

The Lionesses had to smash Scotland and hope Belgium could avoid a battering against the Netherlands.

In the end, the Dutch side won 4-0 after Lyon midfielder Damaris Egurrola scored two goals in added time.

That result meant that England needed to beat Scotland by a margin of at least seven goals but Sarina Wiegman's team fell one short.

Therefore, the Netherlands qualified for the Nations League Finals where they will be joined by France, Germany and Spain.

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— UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) December 5, 2023

Lucy Bronze (left) scored England's sixth goal against Scotland but it was not enough for her team to qualify for the Nations League Finals :: IMAGO/PA Images/Jane Barlow

Olympic Qualification Process Explained

Twelve nations will compete in the women's football tournament at next year's Olympic Games in Paris.

Only three of those teams will be European. France qualified automatically as the host nation, while the other two European spots will be filled by the sides that finish first and second at the Nations League Finals.

If France win the Nation League Finals or finish second then the team that wins the third-place play-off will qualify for the Olympics.

Before the 2023/24 Nations League campaign began, Wiegman's Lionesses were nominated as the designated team that would attempt to qualify for the Olympics on behalf of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Had the Lionesses managed to earn Team GB a place at the Olympics then Wiegman would have led a squad in Paris made up of players from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Therefore, Scotland's players were in a bizarre situation going into Tuesday's game because their hopes of representing Team GB next summer were reliant on them losing against England.

But speaking before the match in Glasgow, Scotland captain Rachel Corsie rejected the idea that her team might allow England to win.

Corsie told reporters: "I think it's absolutely outrageous to question anyone's integrity."

The 2023/24 Nations League Finals will take place in February.