London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 30, 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
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
×