Continental champions, Finalissima winners... Lionesses looking strong and World Cup is next
England's women claimed another trophy on Thursday and could follow the route taken by Argentina's men to ultimate glory as the game continues to grow at home on the back of their spectacular success
In 2021, Argentina’s men ended a long period without a trophy by winning their continental crown: the Copa América. Lionel Messi et al followed up that success by beating Italy in the Finalissima last year and in December, the Albiceleste took home the biggest prize of all: the World Cup. A few months on, England’s women are on course to take that same path to glory.
Last summer, the Lionessess beat Germany after extra time at Wembley to claim their own continental crown, the European Championship, in front of 87,192 fans at the national stadium. And on Thursday night, Sarina Wiegman’s side defeated Brazil on penalties to win the Finalissima, a trophy which sees the European and South American champions meet in a sort of international Super Cup. With the World Cup just months away, it is looking good for England’s women.
Thursday’s win over Brazil was made more difficult than it should have been as the South Americans levelled the scores at 1-1 in the third minute of stoppage time. But the Lionesses stayed strong and prevailed 4-2 in a dramatic shootout to pass another important test en route to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
It is exactly the type of triumph through adversity which will be needed if England are to follow up their recent successes and add the World Cup to their trophy cabinet later this year.
At the EURO, England levelled late against Spain in the quarter-finals before winning it in extra time. In the final, the Lionesses responded positively after Germany’s equaliser and went on to find the winner again in the additional 30 minutes. Now, they have a confidence-boosting victory on penalties to add to their list of character-building experiences.
“We have showed that [resilience] before too,” Wiegman said after the match. “The team really showed they can do it but we didn't have a shootout yet like this.
“You practise it and try to get as close as possible to a real game but it can't get more real than this. I think every experience can help you move forward.”
Wiegman’s side also defeated world champions USA in a friendly at Wembley in October and are now unbeaten in 30 matches, dating all the way back to a 2-0 loss to Canada in April 2021. Over the past year, they have come out on top against six of the world’s top 10 teams and are up against 10th-ranked Australia next on Tuesday.
With the Euros won, a Finalissima added and a long run of positive results under their belts, these are exciting times for the Lionesses. But off the pitch, the effects of those triumphs are arguably even more impressive.
England’s final against Germany last summer was watched by a peak television audience of 17.4 million on the BBC, with 365m tuning in across the world. That figure was more than double the amount for the previous tournament.
Following their win at the EURO, attendances in the Women’s Super League have increased by over 200% on the previous season. In September, a record crowd of 47,367 watched Arsenal thrash Tottenham in the north London derby and 495,000 tuned in to see Liverpool take on Everton at Anfield on Sky Sports that same month.
“When the Lionesses lifted the EURO trophy at Wembley Stadium on 31 July in front of a record 87,000 fans, they not only made history and created an outpouring of joy that I’ve never seen before, but they also created an opportunity to transform the future of the game,” the FA’s Director of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell said last year.
“We are all determined to capitalise on that opportunity and ensure that the legacy of the tournament isn’t just a trophy but that every girl has the opportunity to play football.”
Between June and December, there was a 15% increase in female youth teams across the country, with interest in women’s football up 12% amongst girls aged between five and 16 in England.
There is still work to be done, but progress is being made. When it was reported last year that only 63% of schools in the UK offer girls equal access to boys in PE lessons when it comes to football, all 23 of England’s EURO winners penned an open letter to the government in which they called for more action to allow all girls the chance to play the sport. It has since been announced in a government pledge that girls across the country will now receive the same opportunities as boys to play football. Bravo.
The transformational change is a landmark legacy for the Lionesses and just over 100 years on from its ban by the Football Association when it was labelled ‘quite unsuitable for females’, women’s football is growing faster than ever before in the UK.
Wiegman’s special side now have an amazing opportunity to claim the most prestigious trophy of them all, but whatever happens in Australia and New Zealand in July and August, 2023 is set to be another huge year for the development of the women’s game across England and beyond.