"I was told to make every second count because I'll be living it over and over, and I did that today. The legacy of this tournament is the change in society.” These were the words Leah Williamson bellowed with a mixture of joy, passion and elation on the pitch after winning the Euros last weekend.
The England national team have finally seen success in an international tournament. Importantly, 17.4m people watched the Lionesses bring it home - the first in their field to do so. The achievement was glorious. It’s rare that public discourse recognises how talented, hard-working and intelligent women are in the way that this group has dominated the conversation.
A special nod must be made towards the privileges they have been afforded, thanks to the commitment and investment The FA have committed to women’s football over the last five years. The professionalisation of the WSL in 2018 as part of the FA’s ‘Gameplan for Growth’ strategy was undoubtedly a key catalyst for England taking the leap. Once a team that knocked on the door of the upper echelons, now the European Champions. Without this change, Sunday’s success might never have become reality.
