London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Mar 12, 2026

We've changed game in this country - Williamson

We've changed game in this country - Williamson

Captain Leah Williamson said her England side have "changed the game in this country" as she celebrated their historic Euro 2022 victory.

The Lionesses won their first major trophy as they beat Germany 2-1 in extra time at Wembley on Sunday.

They lifted the trophy and sang Sweet Caroline in front of thousands of fans at Trafalgar Square on Monday.

"We said we wanted to make our legacy about winning and that's what we did," Williamson said.

"The legacy of the tournament was already made before that final game - what we've done for women and young girls who can look up and aspire to be us.

"I think England have hosted an incredible tournament and we've changed the game in this country - and hopefully across Europe and across the world."

The Football Association is now set to hold talks with manager Sarina Wiegman about extending her contract with England after Sunday's success.

Dutchwoman Wiegman, whose deal with England currently runs until 2025, has now won back-to-back European Women's Championships, after guiding the Netherlands to the title in 2017.

"She will have a couple of weeks off. When she gets back, we'll have a conversation," said Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA's head of women's football.


'It will be like rocket fuel'


On the legacy of England's Euro 2022 triumph, FA chair Debbie Hewitt said: "We've got to get girls across the country playing football in schools.

"Once they have that opportunity, all of them, to play in schools and associate them with the clubs, then you will see this just take off. It will be like rocket fuel, the impact of the win."

Hewitt said the Premier League could play its part in supporting the legacy of Euro 2022 by continuing to invest in the women's game.

She said: "We had over 17 million viewers last night watching this game in this country. If you are the Premier League. Why wouldn't you want to capitalise on that?"

England midfielder Fran Kirby said she wanted the success of Euro 2022 to "become normal".

"We want it to be that people come in to watch, and with sellout crowds in this country and all over the world, so hopefully we've played a big part in that and hopefully we can continue to grow it," Kirby said.

Ella Toone, who scored England's first goal in the final, added: "That's what we set out to do in this tournament - make the nation proud, fight for women and get young girls involved as well and I think we've done that for every single woman in this world."


'There'll be expectation but we have an amazing squad'


With less than a year until the women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, expectations will be high for the new European champions.

"I think we should take time to reflect on this one first, enjoy this one before we start thinking about that [World Cup]," said Kirby.

"Of course there's going to be a lot of expectation going into that, but we have an amazing squad, we have an amazing manager, so yeah, we're really excited."

Defender Lucy Bronze said she was keen for the England team to get a star on their badge, which comes with a World Cup victory.

She said: "The Euros is fantastic, especially in our home country, but there's a little star missing from our crest at the minute on the England shirt. That's definitely a mission of ours to get that star there."


Germany receive warm welcome in Frankfurt


Thousands of fans welcomed beaten finalists Germany at Frankfurt's Romer Square on Monday.

Manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and her squad addressed supporters from Frankfurt's city hall.

Germany have an incredible record in the European Women's Championship, winning it eight times in total, most recently in 2013.

Striker Alexandra Popp (centre) and manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (right) took to the balcony of Frankfurt city hall along with the rest of the Germany squad



Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
UK Ready to Back Emergency Oil Reserve Release as Middle East Conflict Pushes Prices Higher
Study of 40,000 Articles Sparks Debate Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias in UK Media
US and UK Army Chiefs Strengthen Cooperation on the Future of Armored Warfare
Britain’s Search for the Next ARM Intensifies as Startups and Investors Target the Semiconductor Frontier
Three US Strategic Bombers Arrive at RAF Fairford as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Cancer Death Rates in the UK Fall to the Lowest Level on Record
UK Government Bond Yields Retreat Slightly After Sharp Spike Triggered by Middle East Conflict
UK Chancellor Warns Middle East War Could Push Inflation Higher
UK Prime Minister Warns Iran Conflict Could Drive Up Prices and Threaten Economic Stability
Trump Declines UK Offer to Deploy Aircraft Carriers to Middle East Amid Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to Australia After Seven Years for Philanthropic and Business Engagements
UK Government Signals Independence From Washington as Cooper Says Britain Does Not Agree With Trump on Every Issue
UK Experts Warn AI Chatbots Are Fueling Surge in Claims of Organised ‘Satanic’ Ritual Abuse
UK Political Parties Divided Over Strategy as Iran Conflict Reshapes Foreign Policy Debate
×