Leah Williamson said England are “not robots” and are immune to the pressure on them as one of the tournament favorites ahead of their European Championship home opener at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
“There will be nerves,” said the captain. “We’re aware of the expectations, but from camp it’s all about the enjoyment.”
Sarina Wiegmann echoed that and said it would be weird if her team didn’t feel nervous and excited. “We know the tournament starts tomorrow and we’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” the manager said. “It’s an exciting moment and it would be very strange if we didn’t feel excited.” We’re just doing the same things we always do: just focusing on our style of play as individuals and as a team.”
Expectations are high. England are the most invested national team in Europe and the Gameplan for Growth strategy, launched by the Football Association in 2017, aimed for success for the squad at Euro 2022 or the 2023 World Cup.
Williamson said the team was “in a great place” despite the managerial whirlwind that began with the departure of Phil Neville for Inter Miami’s men’s team in January 2021.
“We’ve put in a lot of work over the past few weeks, ticked the boxes we needed to tick, but we also know how big the moment is in the summer,” she said.
“We know what it is, we know what to expect and we are ready for it. Everyone has their own things to deal with. Pressure is a privilege so it’s something we accept and it comes with it – it’s part of the job.”
Speculation remains as to where Williamson will play, as Wigman has experimented with her in midfield and in the centre-back position she occupies for Arsenal. “I want to be on the pitch playing for England,” Williamson said when asked where she wanted to play. “I’ve never played in a European Championship, so it’s enough for me to get on the pitch for England.”
Wiegman would not be drawn to where the captain would line up. “I think she can play both, midfield and defence,” she said.
More than 517,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament, more than double the 240,000 sold for Euro 2017 in the Netherlands. In a pre-tournament briefing, the FA’s director of women’s football, Baroness Sue Campbell, pointed to the opportunity it presents to take the game forward across the continent. “As well as trying to break all the records in terms of making this an iconic event, we are also fully aware that the women’s game is growing across Europe and this is a fantastic opportunity to really take it to the next level,” she said .
The FA’s head of tournaments, Chris Bryant, said “we want this tournament to be everywhere” as they push to break even more records. For Williamson, “everywhere” meant seeing his face on drink bottles, crisp packets and, most recently, projected onto Tower Bridge.
“Yeah, it’s not normal, is it?” said the 25-year-old. “But that’s good, it means the visibility of us as a team and the women’s game is being recognized as it should be. It’s weird, but it’s a good thing.”
In 2013, the current head of UEFA women’s football, Nadine Kessler, won the European Championship with Germany. The conditions for women players at the time were far from those faced by players participating in this tournament. “It’s completely unmatched,” Kessler said.
“Maybe I should be a bit provocative, but I think in my day people were more concerned about whether their shirt fit than the actual result of the game. So, we’ve come a long way. People are treated like real athletes and it’s a profession for more than a few. There is a huge shift in culture and mindset.”
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