England has won the European Championships bringing home the first trophy for the Women’s national football team and the first trophy since 1966 to the whole English National Football Team sphere. However, this was more than a trophy win, this was a legacy win which will inspire present and future generations to invest more in women’s football.
Sarina Wiegman did it with style as she did five years ago with the Netherlands becoming the first manager to win the European Championships two times. As we look into their journey into more detail, England showed grit and passion to bring it home.
The Lionesses: the journey so far to Euro 2022 glory
The Lionesses stormed through the group stages without conceding a single goal to breeze through the knockout rounds of the now prestigious Women’s Euro.
England came out on top in a narrow win against Austria, a group rival, thanks to Beth Mead’s lob that had to be checked by VAR to confirm the ball crossed the line. It was a 1–0 win at Old Trafford.
But the Lionesses came back stronger in the next game to completely annihilate Norway. The final group game came about as the Lionesses went against Northern Ireland and ensured a third clean sheet with a 5–0 win in a row.
As if this wasn’t enough, England again brought their A-game to the Amex Stadium in Brighton in the knockout stages. They successfully overcame a seemingly formidable Spanish side in a roaring 2–1 victory in a very tight fixture.
The Lionesses proved that their performance from the start was not a fluke as they unleashed a clinical and strategic performance that sent off Sweden 4–0 in their semi-final game at Bramall Lane.
Beth Mead once again got herself on the score sheet when she grabbed her 6th goal of the European Championship tournament. This victory over Sweden helped Sarina Wiegman’s in-form side book a place in the final.
The final was hard fought as the result suggests and there was a number of high flying challenges from both sides. Ella Toone opened the scoring with a fantastic finish after a great pass from Keira Walsh in the 62nd minute. England battled but Germany soared as they hit the post minutes before the same Lina Magull drew the game at the 79th minute to take it to Extra time.
During the extra time it was cagey until Kelly scored from a melee during a corner to win the game and make History. This led to another important moment in women’s football after Chloe Kelly removed her shirt in joy and brought a lot of positive messages after the game.
What’s next for English Women’s Football?
As Ian Wright rightly said after England’s win against Sweden, girls must be allowed playing football now more than ever. The number of Women players is already increasing in England but now it’s also about pushing the atmosphere we saw during this tournament in the WSL and the Champions League.
The Women’s Super League will kickstart on the 9th September which is around a month later when the men’s Premier League will start. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Chelsea and Manchester City are all expected to push to win the Premier League with interest on how Liverpool will do after getting promoted.
Three of the favorites are part of the renowned top six in men’s football which shows that football clubs are now investing in women’s football and that’s what needs to continue. If you want to place your bet on English competitions this season make use of the many welcome offers available such as the Skybet free bets. Where you get 30 pounds of free bets after betting anything you want.
Conclusion
England’s Lionesses have lifted the Euro 2022 trophy for the first time on home soil. This is evident in how Sarina Wiegman’s formidable team has breezed through right from the group stages.
If the clinical performances of the Lionesses in this sports tournament are anything to go by, this is just the start for Sarina’s Lionesses.
