The nation watched on as 56 years without a senior international trophy came to an end as England were crowned Women’s European Champions…now the FA and clubs have a collective responsibility to not let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers.
Manchester City forward Chloe Kelly scored the winner from close range in the second half of extra-time after Ella Toone’s beautiful lob over Germany goalkeeper Merle Frohms was cancelled out by Lina Magull in normal time. A record attendance of 87,192 fans packed inside Wembley Stadium as Sarina Wiegman became the first England manager since Alf Ramsey to win a major senior honour.
The Lionesses’ historic win comes 13 years after their previous appearance in a European Championship final, also against Germany, though it was a much different outcome. England, at the time filled with part-time players as the women’s game had not yet undergone the transformation of the last 10 years, were humbled 6-2 in 2009 by their much more polished German opponents.
While 2009 provided a glimpse at what was possible with investment in the women’s game, 2022 realised a dream and, as well as ending over half a decade of hurt, it has provided a golden opportunity that the English FA and every club up and down the country cannot afford to let pass them by.
“If There’s no Legacy After This Then What Are We Doing?”
Shortly after the 4-0 semi-final win over Sweden, former England and Arsenal strike Ian Wright delivered an impassioned speech on BBC.
He said: “If girls are not allowed to play football just like the boys can in their P.E. after this tournament, then what are we doing?
“We’ve got to make sure that they are able to play and get the opportunity to do this because it’s going to inspire a lot of people.
“If there’s no legacy to this, like what we saw with the [2012] Olympics, if there’s no legacy after this then what are we doing? Because girls should be able to play.
“This is the proudest I’ve ever felt of any England side. This is what it’s all about.”
With the Lionesses having gone all the way, it is expected that women’s and girls’ football will see a huge spike in interest both in terms of watching and playing. The objective is simple, to ensure that that interest is sustained and is the catalyst for another, bigger boom for the women’s game.
With interest at an all-time high, and young girls having their own set of heroes, there has never been a better opportunity to elevate women’s football. Lots of progress has been made since the 2009 final, with the introduction of the Women’s Super League (WSL) in 2010 and the subsequent revamping of the women’s football pyramid in England.
Now that the foundations are in place, every local FA, league, and club (professional and grassroots) has a collective responsibility to ensure that every girl that has been inspired by the likes of Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, and Mary Earps has somewhere to play football.
Inclusive Football
When England won the 1966 World Cup there was a ban on women playing football. The effects of that, in many ways, are still being felt today as the women’s and girls’ game plays catch up. Fortunately, that is changing for the better.
Before this year’s European Championships, girls had more opportunities than ever before to play football. Grassroots clubs ensure that girls can play with the introduction of teams and dedicated sessions – this helped see the FA hit its target to double participation numbers between 2017 to 2020 to 3.4 million girls.
At a junior level, Under-14s and lower, it is common to see girls playing in the same teams as boys with leagues officially classed as being mixed. Wildcats sessions are available across the country and are aimed at girls aged between five and 11 years of age, offering a non-competitive environment where those attending can fall in love with the game.
The biggest change, though, is the attitudes that surround women and girls playing football. Going back 20 years, football was not as inclusive and welcoming towards girls as it is today with girls wanting to play often either have to pretend to be a boy – as England coach Wiegman admitted to doing as a six-year-old – or not playing at all. That undoubtedly led to lots of lost talent that, now, would have been afforded the opportunity that young girls today will be given.
Growing the Game
Success at the elite level is the single biggest driving force to growing the sport and the Lionesses’ historic win will be the biggest shot in the arm the game has ever seen. As well as drawing in more young girls at grassroots level, the effect of England’s win must trickle down to domestic football with a sustained increased interest in club football.
The WSL has been regarded as a great success in professionalising the women’s game in England, with players now able to make a career from playing football. That investment that allows women to play football full-time has increased the standard of the domestic game and that, mixed with the improved coverage of women’s football that comes with games being shown live on Sky and BBC, has seen attendances skyrocket from where they were beforehand.
Before the pandemic, the average attendance for a WSL game was around 3,000. The FA announced plans in 2021 to triple that figure by 2024. It is expected that coming off the back of the Lionesses win, the opening round of WSL fixtures for the forthcoming season (10/11 September) will see above-average attendances – also helped by the fact that stadia such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Stamford Bridge, and the Amex Stadium will be hosting games.
For women’s football in England to continue to grow, the WSL must continue to grow with it, both in terms of the standard of the game and its exposure. More coverage means more girls seeing the game on a grand stage which inevitably equals more girls wanting to play, thus increasing the standard in the long term.
The Lionesses’ success has allowed English football the opportunity of a lifetime to take women’s football to levels never seen before, but it requires everyone involved at all levels of the game to pull in the same direction.
Ian Wright said it best – if there is no legacy after this, then what are we doing?
