Football has finally come home — and it's the women that have made the nation proud. The incredible team defeated Germany in the 2022 UEFA Women's Euros [1] final on 31 July at Wembley Stadium with a nail-biting match that saw England clinch the win with a goal in extra time, making the score 2-1. The game has also broken TV records as 17.4 million tuned in to watch, making it the most-watched moment of the year.
After a first goal from Ella Toone, Germany player Lina Magull equalised. Substitute Chloe Kelly then made history as she saved the game from going to penalties by scoring in extra time, and her goal celebration is one that needs to be framed. Kelly, 24, ran screaming along the pitch with her shirt in her hand and sports bra on a show in a mark of sheer elation. She might have got booked for stripping her shirt, but few cared as she led England to victory. "This is what dreams are made of. To be here and to score the winner, wow . . . these girls are special. What a special group of staff. This is amazing," Kelly said in a post-match interview.
Prince William presented the Lionesses with the trophy after watching the game from the Royal Box. The Queen also made a statement about the incredible achievement. While she congratulated the Lionesses on their win, she also announced, "your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned. You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today."
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There were 87,192 fans in attendance at Wembley, the largest crowd for any Euros final, as Becky Hill kicked off the big match [4] with an epic performance to get the record-breaking crowd in the mood. The buzz surrounding the whole tournament has put women's sport at the forefront, and about time too. An adorable clip, filmed by the BBC, of eight year old Tess Dolan [5] singing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" at England's semi-final against Sweden went viral as this 2022 squad inspire a generation. David Beckham filmed a video with Harper, telling the Lionesses, "thank you for inspiring my daughter". Prince William also wished the team good luck in a sweet video with Princess Charlotte, as the seven-year-old says: "I hope you win." Well, her wish came true! Fans were also thrilled to see two of the Spice Girls reunite as Geri Horner and Melanie C watched together in the ultimate act of girl power.
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The women's team have been to the Euros eight times [8] and have made it all the way to the final twice, but they'd never won the trophy — until now. The tide is turning. Women's football is the fastest growing sport in the UK, and this monumental occasion is only going to push this further. Visibility is key as thousands of young girls will dare to dream of a career in football. Well done, Lionesses. You have truly rewritten history — or should we say "herstory".
Read on to see every member of the 2022 EUROs squad that roared to the top.
Chloe Kelly Scoring the Winner
Women's Euros 2022: Leah Williamson
Leah Williamson, born in Milton Keynes, is the captain of the Lionesses for EURO 2022. The 25-year-old Arsenal WFC player captained the Under 17s at the home Euros in 2013 and played in the Under 20s World Cup in 2014. She is well known for a retaken penalty against Norway in 2015 after UEFA made a decision to restart a match in the 96th minute.
Women's Euros 2022: Lucy Bronze
Dubbed one of the best right-backs in women's football, Lucy Bronze is an exciting addition to the Women's EUROs team for 2022. Since making her senior team debut with England in 2013, she has won many personal honours. The 30-year-old was named the 2018/19 UEFA Women's Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Women's Player for 2020. Let's hope it's Bronze by name, Gold by nature.
Women's Euros 2022: Ella Toone
Ella Toone is a 22-year-old midfielder. She made the England senior squad for the first time in September 2020. Toone is a regular for Manchester United WFC, but she has also played for Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City. It is her first major tournament for England.
Women's Euros 2022: Chloe Kelly
Forward Chloe Kelly, 24, is another Manchester City WFC player, but she made her debut for Arsenal in 2015. Kelly has played internationally for a while, having won caps from the age of 17 and going on to play in the under 20s World Cup in August 2018 (where England finished with a bronze medal). The Londoner found herself with an ACL knee injury in May 2021, which meant she couldn't play until this year.
Women's Euros 2022: Millie Bright
Millie Bright is the vice-captain of the Lioness' 2022 Women's EURO team. The defender, 28, was the only player to start every match at EURO 2017, and amazingly she only made her debut ten months before the tournament. Bright previously played for Doncaster Belles, Leeds Ladies, and represented England in the under 19s and under 23s national teams. She was signed by Chelsea ahead of the 2015 season.
Women's Euros 2022: Georgia Stanway
Georgia Stanway, a 23-year-old midfielder from Barrow-in-Furness, was the youngest outfield player in the 2019 England World Cup squad. But she had plenty of experience under her belt despite her age. The Manchester City star played in the under 17s World Cup in 2016 and says she is inspired by Newcastle striker Alan Shearer.
Women's Euros 2022: Rachel Daly
Rachel Daly is one of the most established players on the team, having scored on her senior team debut against Serbia more than six years ago. The 30-year-old defender, and Houston Dash regular, is known for being extremely versatile, performing well as a full-back, wing back, or even in the frontline. Daly also featured in all of the matches for Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Women's Euros 2022: Fran Kirby
Chelsea FC Women player Fran Kirby is 29-years-old. The midfielder was diagnosed with pericarditis, a swelling of the tissue around the heart, in February 2020. The condition has stopped her from playing since 2019 and she was told she would never play again. However, the star has since been given the all clear to play in the Euros this year.
Women's Euros 2022: Beth Mead
Beth Mead, 27, is a footballer for Arsenal WFC. The Whitby-born forward has been named Vauxhall England Young Player of the Year twice (in 2015 and 2018) and the PFC Women's Young Player of the Year in 2016. Let's not forget that she was awarded the FA Women's Super League's Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in 2015. Impressive!
Women's Euros 2022: Keira Walsh
Manchester City WFC player Kiera Walsh is 25-year-old, but she captained her country at just 21 when England won 6-0 against Kazakhstan in 2018. She also played in the Arnold Clark Cup in 2022 where England won the tournament.
Women's Euros 2022: Ellen White
Vice captain Ellen White is 33-years-old and a regular at Manchester City WFC. Having played for England internationally for more than 10 years, there's a long list all of White's achievements. The Aylesbury-born forward was named the Lionesses' top goalscorer in November 2021 and is known as one of the world's leading strikers.
Women's Euros 2022: Lauren Hemp
Lauren Hemp, 21, is a forward for Manchester City WFC, and this is her first major tournament with the Lionesses. Named England Young Player of the Year in 2016 and PFA Women's Young Player of the Year in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022, Hemp has managed to impress many already.
Women's Euros 2022: Mary Earps
Mary Earps, who plays for Manchester United, is one of the goalkeepers for this year's Women's Euros. The 29-year-old has previously played for Bristol Academy, Birmingham City, Doncaster Belles, and Reading, and in the Bundesliga with VfL Wolfsburg. It's not the Nottingham-born player's first time representing England, either. Earps has represented the country at under 17s, under 19s and under 23s level.
Women's Euros 2022: Alessia Russo
This is the first major tournament with England for Alessia Russo. The 23-year-old Manchester United WFC forward, who was born in Kent, played for the North Carolina Tar Heels while studying at college for three years from 2017.
Women's Euros 2022: Alex Greenwood
Manchester City player Alex Greenwood, 28, made her senior debut in 2014 at the Cyprus Cup. Greenwood was a huge part of England's 3-0 win over Finland, and this match marked the start of her impressive international career. How many people can say they were the youngest member of any World Cup team? This was the case for the 22-year-old defender back in 2015.
Women's Euros 2022: Bethany England
With England as a surname, it seems like destiny that she was called up to represent her country. It is England's first major tournament at international level, and we have high hopes for the player. The 28-year-old is currently playing for Chelsea FC Women, where she scored 19 goals in 2018-19.
Women's Euros 2022: Demi Stokes
Manchester City defender Demi Stokes, 30, joined Sunderland's youth academy at just 9 years old and went on to play for them in the Women's Premier League. Stokes won a scholarship to study at the University of South Florida in 2011, where she studied for four years before returning to play this side of the pond.
Women's Euros 2022: Jess Carter
Jess Carter is a 24-year-old defender who is a regular for Chelsea. Carter, who was born in Warwick, has played both defence and midfield in her career. She was also part of the team when the Lionesses won the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup earlier this year.
Women's Euros 2022: Jill Scott
Jill Scott is a 35-year-old midfielder who is currently playing for Aston Villa, on loan from Manchester City. The Sunderland native is one of the few England players to have achieved more than 150 caps and is known for scoring goals in crucial games.
Women's Euros 2022: Lotte Wubben-Moy
After studying and playing at the University of North Carolina for two years, Lotte Wubben-Moy, 23, decided against finishing her degree due to the travel difficulties with the pandemic. Wubben-Moy currently plays for Arsenal WFC and lives in London.
Women's Euros 2022: Nikita Parris
Arsenal WFC forward Nikita Parris is 28-years-old. Born in Toxteth, Parris joined Everton's academy at 14 before moving to Manchester City. Parris is well-known for scoring the winning goal against Portugal at the 2017 Euros.
Women's Euros 2022: Hannah Hampton
Aston Villa player Hannah Hampton was called into the England Women's senior squad for the first time in March 2020, when she went to the USA for the SheBelievesCup. She made her senior team debut a month earlier during England's Arnold Clark Cup campaign, where she played in the 10-0 winning match against North Macedonia. The 21-year-old was born in Birmingham, but spent five years of her childhood living in Spain with her family. That's where she discovered her talent for football.
Women's Euros 2022: Ellie Roebuck
Ellie Roebuck is the 22-year-old goalkeeper to watch. The Manchester City player was born in Sheffield and played regularly for the England youth teams. In fact, she played an integral role in helping England finish third at the under 17s Euros in 2014 and the quarter finals of the under 17s World Cup the same year. Roebuck started all four games as Great Britain's number one keeper for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The goalkeeper played in the 3-1 win over Germany that led the Lionesses to victory in the Arnold Clark Cup.