Euro 2022 LIVE: England players lauded by thousands at Trafalgar Square victory party
Thousands of fans gathered in London to celebrate after Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses end 56 years of hurt to win Euro 2022 for England
England hosted a victory party at Trafalgar Square on Monday afternoon, after the Lionesses defeated Germany 2-1 in the Euro 2022 final to claim their first ever major title in front of a record 87,192 crowd on home soil.
The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and the sides could not be separated until 110th minute when England substitute Chloe Kelly reacted quickest to a loose ball from a corner and poked in the winner. England confidently held out for the final 10 minutes of the game as euphoria and relief rang out around Wembley - and the nation - as the magnitude of what they’d just achieved hit home. Sarina Wiegman’s victory press conference was interrupted by jublient players singing and dancing on the tables, the start of celebrations which ran long into the night.
The players and manager were all awarded the freedom of the city of London following the triumph, which was England’s first major tournament victory since the men won the World Cup in 1966. Thousands were in Trafalgar Square for the celebration of the team’s achievement, which was shown live on the BBC.
Follow all the reaction and latest updates following England’s success at Euro 2022:
Women’s game will be ‘turbo charged’ by success
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham insists England’s Euro 2022 success will “turbo charge” the women’s game in this country.
“The last few years have been incredible. We have invested really heavily and the Lionesses have taken their opportunity and they have produced something incredible. It’s been an amazing month and an amazing day yesterday,” Bullingham told BBC Breakfast.
“I think it will really turbo charge everything we have been doing in the women’s game.
“There is no reason why we shouldn’t have the same number of girls playing as boys and it will inspire a whole new generation of players.”
Bullingham continued: “We have worked incredibly hard to make a lot of new opportunities for girls and to make sure clubs and schools are embracing opportunities and schools are using football in the curriculum and for them to see it as normal for girls to play football like boys do.
“We have been preparing for this moment for years. We have got clubs throughout the country ready to take girls on, we have been investing in schools, we have created opportunities for girls to come forward and we are ready and willing to do that.”
Former England international and TV pundit Alex Scott said the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory would be a game changer in terms of raising the profile of women’s football.
She told BBC Breakfast: “These Lionesses have raised the bar. They have changed the way women’s football is viewed in this country. The train has left the station and it is gathering pace.
“It will be tragic to take any steps back after what we have witnessed yesterday and through the whole tournament.
“There must be an opportunity for every single girl to play football if they want to.”
Wiegman opens up on England party
England manager Sarina Wiegman admits her players indulged in “a little too much alcohol” after their Euro 2022 victory over Germany.
Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal sealed a 2-1 victory as the Lionesses claimed the first major trophy in their history and the first for a senior England side since the men’s 1966 World Cup triumph over West Germany.
The party went on long into the early hours and Wiegman seemed slightly surprised by how much alcohol was consumed.
“Crazy, lots of music, lots of dancing,” was her description of the party in an interview published on the Lionesses’ Twitter account from outside the team hotel.
“English people can drink...so a little bit too much alcohol but that’s OK.
“When you have this accomplishment it is good to have a party.”
Sadiq Khan says England’s victory will be ‘game-changing’
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, speaking at Trafalgar Square today, predicts England’s Euro 2022 triumph will be “game-changing” for women’s football.
Mead hails ‘calm’ Wiegman
A crowd of 87,192 - the biggest-ever attendance for any Euros match, men’s or women’s - saw Chloe Kelly seal victory with a 110th-minute finish after fellow substitute Ella Toone’s expert chip just after the hour mark was cancelled out by Germany’s Lina Magull with 11 minutes of normal time to go.
England celebrated a first major trophy for a senior side since the 1966 World Cup win against West Germany, while boss Sarina Wiegman could savour back-to-back Euros successes after leading her native Netherlands to the 2017 crown.
The Dutchwoman took charge of England last September and the team has subsequently gone unbeaten in 20 matches, with 18 wins and over 100 goals scored.
When Mead - who has netted 20 times under Wiegman - was asked about what the manager had said to the team at the crucial moments in the build-up to and during the final, she said: “What a woman! She was so calm.
“She believed in us, we believed in each other as a team and she didn’t actually have to say that much. We believed in the ability of this squad - and here we are.”
She added: “As a team, we’ve actually been really calm (in the build-up). There’s been a lot of buzz around but we’ve actually been pretty good at keeping ourselves in our bubble and just concentrating on what we’ve been doing.
“Credit to Sarina and the staff again, they’ve created that environment, and (on Sunday) I think we just said we’re going out and playing another game of football, and that really stuck I think in terms of not putting too much pressure on ourselves with the game.”
Mead: ‘I still think I’m dreaming'
The prospect of Mead ending up with the Golden Boot was enhanced just prior to kick-off on Sunday by the news that Alexandra Popp, also on six goals for the tournament, had withdrawn from Germany’s starting line-up after sustaining an injury in the warm-up.
And regarding the player of the tournament award she ended up with as well, Mead said: “Mad - I didn’t expect it.
“The guy pulled me over and I was like, ‘oh God what I have done now?!’ Normally in trouble for something!
“But he said ‘you’re player of the tournament’. I was like...I still think I’m dreaming.”
When it was put to her that she was a trailblazer and an icon, the Arsenal winger said: “I’m just Beth Mead! It doesn’t sound right!”
Beth Mead hopes Euro 2022 puts women’s football ‘on the map'
Beth Mead wants to help the women’s game continue to rise after the England forward finished Euro 2022 with a winner’s medal, the Golden Boot and the player of the tournament award.
The Lionesses got their hands on the first piece of major silverware in their history on Sunday as they were crowned European champions following a 2-1 extra-time victory over Germany in front of a record-breaking crowd at Wembley.
Mead also took the two individual accolades having scored six goals and provided five assists across the tournament.
Asked what she would do with the profile she now has, the 27-year-old said: “Do what I can to help the game.
“I’m here to play the game, I love doing what I’m doing and if I can help a per cent to get the women’s game out there and up there more, I’ll do that.”
She added: “It’s amazing for the game, not just for me. I really hope that this puts women’s football on the map and projects it to (another) level and (it) gets what it deserves.”
Arsenal top for minutes among WSL clubs
Arsenal contributed 11 players and a total of 3,076 minutes at Euro 2022, the most of any English club.
The Gunners’ contingent included two of England’s stars - captain Leah Williamson and Golden Boot winner Beth Mead - plus other leading players such as Vivianne Miedema from the Netherlands and Stina Blackstenius from Sweden.
Reigning WSL champions Chelsea provided nine players, the same as Manchester City, while Manchester United supplied eight.
Although WSL players dominated the tournament overall, Bayern Munich provided the most minutes of any individual club, with 4,399 spread across 14 players.
Barcelona were second on the list with 4,144 minutes, ahead of German champions Wolfsburg (4,006) and Champions League winners Lyon (3,245).
WSL dominates Euro 2022 performers
Players from the Women’s Super League (WSL) accounted for 21 per cent of minutes played at Euro 2022, PA news agency analysis shows.
The WSL was the top domestic league at the tournament, with players accumulating 13,534 minutes in total, ahead of Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga (11,760) and Spain’s Primera Division (7,712).
This follows calls for bigger crowds at WSL games, with Euro 2022 having smashed previous attendance records and the final having been played in front of a sell-out audience at Wembley.
Fifty-two WSL players featured at some point during the tournament, including 15 for England, seven for Norway, and five for Denmark and Sweden.
Only three of the 18 players used by Sarina Wiegman will be plying their trade outside England in 2022-23 - Lucy Bronze at Barcelona, Rachel Daly at Houston Dash and Georgia Stanway at Bayern Munich.
Runners-up Germany were one of just two teams that did not field a WSL player, alongside Portugal.
Thousands arrive in London for victory party
Some of the best images from this morning’s gathering in Trafalgar Square:
Fans gather to celebrate Euro 2022 success
Thousands of fans are already gathered in Trafalgar Square for the victory party, ready to greet the players when they arrive with the trophy.
It took until half past 11 for the the first rendition of Three Lions to blast over the speakers, leading to a surge in flag waving and singing.
A montage of England’s path to glory was played on the big screens, cheered on once again by the fans.
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