The English media are of course in a jubilant mood after the ‘Lionesses’ won the European title at Wembley on Sunday evening at the expense of Germany (2-1 after extra time). All the newspapers are boasting about the success of Sarina Wiegman’s team.
‘Lionesses bring it home‘, headline The Times Monday on the front page, referring to the song ‘Football’s Coming Home‘ from 1996, which English fans always get excited about as their team advances to the final stages of a major tournament.
Where the men narrowly missed the European title at Wembley last year in the final against Italy, the women managed to strike. “Yesterday the English fans were able to sing this song for the first time after a triumph and not to express a desire.”
The Daily Telegraph clutters up about half of the front page with a picture of the England team with the cup. ‘It’s come home: England 2-1 Germany‘ reads the headline.
The Guardian is talking about ‘game changers‘. “This feels like the end, but also the beginning of a journey. Football history is written. At Wembley. Against Germany.” According to the newspaper, the party was ‘like in 1966’. In that year, the English men crowned themselves world champions by beating West Germany, also after extra time (4-2).
“In Wiegman, the team has a coach who, with her tactical qualities, has ensured that a golden generation of English players could take an extra step, something that many of her predecessors had not succeeded in.”
England recorded only victories on the way to the overall victory.
England recorded only victories on the way to the overall victory. Photo: Pro Shots
‘The period of 56 years of waiting is over’
Also Subway winks with the head ‘No more years of hurt‘ to the big hit from 1996. That song is about ‘Thirty years of hurt‘, the period of price drought since 1966. “Now a period of 56 years of waiting for a price is over.”
The BBC in its report calls it one of the ‘greatest evenings ever in English sporting history.’ “In so many ways this was a final battle like we’ve never seen one before. The build-up to the final alone was special. Male fans wore England shirts bearing the name of a star from the women’s squad. The final was staged across the country. broadcast on big screens. And of course the day ended perfectly.”
In the English tabloids, the number of articles about the triumph of the ‘Lionesses’ is almost uncountable. Wiegman is incensed, for example in The Daily Mirror. “She already led the Netherlands to the European Championship title and now she has struck again with her genius. Once again her substitutions turned out to be crucial. Both Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly scored. Wiegman knew exactly what was needed. What a genius.”