The sound grew more familiar after each Lionesses triumph, a cacophony of ABBA blaring from the dressing room that even the band’s Bjorn Ulvaeus admitted helped soften the blow of Sweden’s semi-final collapse.
The England camp have been “electric” since reaching the Euro 2022 final, with Lauren Hamp admitting “there were tears at full time”. The Manchester City forward spent more of the tournament grinning than crying, including during the national anthem.
“I just think when the camera is on me, I’m just giggling to myself,” she says. “Obviously I’m always focused on the game, but this is my way of relaxing – just being myself, the smiling person that I am.”
This is part of the reason England’s success has become so contagious. Yes, there are underlying meanings behind it all, 101 years after the FA’s decision to ban women’s football. Millions have been converted, and it seems to be a growing minority who claim it is a sport “completely unsuitable for women”, as it was said in 1921.
More from Football
The public significance of lifting Wembley’s first major trophy on Sunday will not be lost on Sarina Wiegmann’s side, but they are not making it their raison d’être.
They are here to win football games and in doing so they have already fulfilled Wiegmann’s promise to “make the nation proud”. How often do you hear England fans talking about Kieran Trippier’s free-kick in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals; now think about how often you’ve re-watched Croatia’s subsequent goals.
The 8-0 record holder against Norway. Back heel by Alessia Russo. The opening ceremony of “Old Trafford”. Georgia Stanway’s Rocket. “SOOOOONNEE.” None of this will be forgotten, whatever happens in north London this weekend.
How to watch the Euro 2022 final
- Date: July 31, Sunday
- Start: 17:00
- Venue: Wembley Stadium
- TV channel: BBC One
- Live stream: BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website
Women in England have long had a hardcore following, but these players are now household names. Football fans who would have struggled to name a starting XI at the start of the year now have strong opinions on whether Russo should start (her current rate is a goal every 39 minutes from the bench), why Wigman was right to put Leah Williamson in defense and on how Lucy Bronze will fit into Barcelona’s defence.
A skyrocketing number of girls will join mainstream clubs and the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium will be sold out. The last time England and Germany played in the final in 2009, the occasion was absorbed by just 15,000 fans.
We slowly got there and Sunday feels like the final destination. Standing in England’s way are Germany, the eight-time European champions, who have conceded one goal throughout the tournament (the same number as England) and yet the hosts are still favourites.
Related stories
Plan to give an official concussion cap to every England player because FA lose records Jul 27, 2022
England entered this tournament as the eighth best team in the world and blew away the official rankings. There was never any doubt that they had the players. Millie Bright is a force in defence, Russo has been one of the WSL’s great prodigies over the last two years; Ellen White is one of the greatest goalscorers in English history and with a game against Germany she could overtake Wayne Rooney at the top of the list.
What was up for debate was whether all these elements would come together.
“I think we’ve just been the England we want to show and we’ve done that, we haven’t changed a thing,” Hamp says.
“Whenever we’ve come up against teams that have played different styles, we’ve just stuck to what we’re doing and I think that’s important and will be important for the final as well. We’re just going to make sure we show the country what we’ve shown so far – and hopefully put on a show.”
Add Comment