THERE were many firsts yesterday in England’s historic and breathtaking Euro 2022 final victory over Germany. It was, of course, the first time the Lionesses had won the Euros but it was also accomplished before the biggest crowd ever at Wembley for the finals, for either sex. And then there were the extraordinary UK viewing figures, 17.4 million, which of itself says everything about the extent to which the team captured the nation’s hearts and how the women’s game is now mainstream.
And we should of course pay tribute to the non-English element of the women’s victory, the Dutch coach, Sarina Wiegman, whose calm confidence was all-important in securing this outcome. We should also acknowledge that the Germans were worthy opponents and they put up a spirited performance.
