The Lionesses May Have Lost the World Cup Final, but They’ve Made the Country Roar

Hope was in the air, anticipation was building, and chants of "It's Coming Home" were being whispered up and down the country, but the England Lionesses just missed out on winning the Women's World Cup Final, losing 1-0 to Spain. While there's no doubt the team, led by manager Sarina Wiegman, are disappointed, the ladies can leave Australia, where the final took place on 20 Aug., with their heads held high.

The only goal in the game came in the first half as Carmona scored for Spain in the 29th minute, and England couldn't quite find the chances to equalise. Goalkeeper Mary Earps saved a penalty in the second half which fired up the team to keep fighting for that trophy, but it wasn't quite meant to be. It's also been quite the tumultuous time for the Spanish team, as 15 members of the team resigned in September 2022 unless there were changes made to the coaching staff. 12 of the 15 players remained absent in the tournament this summer, according to CNN.

However, there is no denying the amount the Lionesses have achieved in getting to the final. It's the first time the national team has got to a final since the 1966 World Cup where the men's team bagged the trophy. A phenomenal achievement for women's sport considering women weren't even allowed to play football until 1971.

Before the final took place, messages of support came flooding in for the Lionesses. David Beckham, Geri Horner, and Prince William were just some of the celebrities who sent good luck videos for the team, although the latter came under fire for not travelling to support the team in person when he is the president of the FA.

The team's ascension to the final was extra satisfying after getting knocked out in the semifinals in both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. To get there, they won their group, beating Haiti, Denmark, and China. Things got a little tense during the round of 16 stage when England beat Nigeria on penalties and Lauren James was sent off. But the Lionesses showed that determination we know them for and bounced back, beating Colombia in the quarter finals. Facing tournament cohosts Australia in the semifinal was always going to be tough, but thanks to Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, and Alessia Russo, a 3-1 win took them to the final. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Winning the World Cup comes a year after the Lionesses made the country so proud by bagging the Euros 2022 trophy. In doing so, they inspired an entire generation of fans and have been role models both on and off the pitch. The Euros squad wrote to the government following their win to encourage football as an option for girls in PE classes in school. They have campaigned for equal pay with the men's game, spoken out about sexism in the game, and advocated for period awareness in sports by ditching the iconic white shorts.

The Lionesses incredible achievement is still a cause for celebration, but it's so much more than that. The air is changing, it's a women's sport revolution. Young fans everywhere are aspiring to play for the England Lionesses, record-breaking viewing figures have been documented, and the players in this 2023 squad will be held in the highest regard. As fans everywhere will be donning Lioness shirts (although, inexplicably, not goalkeeper Mary Earps replica shirt as Nike chose not to manufacture that one; something we're sure they're regretting now), it's only a matter of time before the Lionesses roar again.