London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 26, 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
Robert Jenrick Defends £5 Million Donation to Nigel Farage Amid Political Scrutiny
Plymouth Museum The Box Wins 2026 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award
UK Government Faces Backlash Over Plans to Use Former Military Sites for Asylum Accommodation
Labour Party Faces Pressure Over Cabinet Stability as Senior Figures Clash on Policy Direction
Heathrow Airport Forecasts Passenger Decline in 2026 as Costs and Climate Disruption Mount
UK Energy Regulator Approves Expansion of Long-Duration Storage to Boost Power System Resilience
Crown Estate Reports Third Consecutive Year of £1 Billion Profit as Debate Over Royal Finances Intensifies
Teenager Charged With Murder in Wales Following Death of 14-Year-Old Boy
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Failures Trigger Calls for Public Inquiry Into Patient Safety
EasyJet Rejects £4.9 Billion Takeover Offer From Castlelake but Keeps Door Open for Further Talks
Record Heatwave Triggers UK Transport and Infrastructure Strain as Heathrow Revises Passenger Forecast Downward
Ofgem Approves Sixteen Long-Duration Energy Storage Projects to Strengthen UK Grid Stability
Labour Government Faces Internal Tensions Over Cabinet Decisions and Net Zero Policy Direction
British Food and Drink Exports Fall to Decade Low Amid Trade Friction and US Tariffs
Great Britain Grid Operator Spends £10 Million to Stabilize Electricity Supply During Heatwave Demand Surge
UK Parliament Committee Calls for Urgent National Adaptation Strategy as Extreme Heat Strains Public Infrastructure
Record-Breaking Heatwave Pushes England’s National Health Service to Critical Incident Status as Hospitals Struggle With Surge in Emergencies
UK Government Launches Review of Voluntary National Insurance Contributions System
UK Planning Inspectorate Reports Key Infrastructure and Planning Milestones in Annual Review
UK Government Reviews Travel Expense Reimbursement Rates for Employers and Employees
Civil Nuclear Constabulary Launches National Digital Memorial for Officers Killed in Service
UK and US Expand Collaboration on Nuclear Fusion Research and Workforce Exchange
Environment Agency Secures £275,000 Enforcement Deal with Anglian Water Over Permit Breaches
Independent Inspector Flags Ongoing Failures in UK Home Office Border Case Management
UK Government Considers Zero VAT Rate on Land for Social Housing Development
Bank of England Reports Sharp Drop in Emissions and Warns on Climate-Driven Financial Risk
Consumer Confidence in the UK Falls at Fastest Quarterly Rate Since 2022
UK Borrowing Costs Rise Sharply on Gilt Markets Amid Fiscal and Political Concerns
UK Government Plans Legislation to Bring British Steel into Public Ownership
UK Government Secures £210 Million Nuclear Fuel Deal to Support Ukraine Energy Security
London Ambulance Service Reports Record Emergency Call Volume Amid Severe Heatwave
United Kingdom Faces Record June Heatwave as Temperatures Hit 36.7°C in Somerset
UK Financial Services Reform Debate Intensifies Over Ministerial Regulatory Powers
UK Energy Price Cap Rise Expected to Keep Inflation Above Target Through 2026
UK Biohacking and AI Wellness Trends Drive Surge in Personal Health Monitoring
UK Social Care Sector Sees Workforce Shift as Overseas Recruitment Masks Domestic Labour Decline
Nuffield Trust Warns UK Health Budgets Remain Vulnerable Despite Record Spending Levels
UK Coal Pension Surplus Debate Returns to Parliament as Reform UK MP Seeks Clarity on Distribution
UK MPs Consider E-Petition Calling for NHS Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
UK Parliament Debates E-Petition Calling for Inquiry Into Pro-Israel Influence in Politics
UK Economy Grew 0.6 Percent in Q1 2026 but Business Sentiment Weakens Over Geopolitical Risks
UK Financial Services Bill Enters Lords Committee Stage With Expanded Ministerial Powers
UK Armed Forces Bill Advances With Plans for Defence Housing Service and Drone Defence Measures
UK Treasury Proposes Higher Electricity Generator Levy and Updated Mileage Allowance Rules
UK Parliament Debates Health Bill Amid Persistent GP Access and Patient Satisfaction Concerns
UK Financial Sanctions Regulator Signals Faster, Intelligence-Led Enforcement Strategy
British Chambers of Commerce Warns Business Confidence Crisis Is Dampening UK Investment
UK Parliament Debates Carbon Budget Order as Pressure Mounts on Net Zero Delivery
UK Energy Price Volatility Reinforces Pressure for Faster Electrification of Economy
UK Defence and Aerospace Strategy Gains Momentum as Keir Starmer Pushes Industrial Cooperation in Berlin
×