Our incredible Lionesses will play Germany at Wembley tomorrow in what looks set to be an historic Women’s Euro final.
Millions of us have been watching them on screen, and in person, over the past month – and we’re all crossing our fingers for a victory.
Also cheering them on every step of the way have been the Lionesses’ doting parents, who have been there to support their daughters’ footballing dreams since day one.
Here, we reveal what they’ve said about the girls of summer ... and what it’s like to watch them play with the nation’s eyes on them.
Leah Williamson
Growing up in Milton Keynes, Captain Leah joined Arsenal ’s Centre of Excellence in 2006 at the age of nine.
Proud mum Amanda regularly posts supportive messages about her daughter on social media and says it feels surreal to see her leading the Lionesses out.
But Amanda admits she feels nervous watching Leah, 25, play. “With my hand on my heart, it doesn’t matter what game it is, I struggle to eat, I’m really nervous and become quiet,” she added.
Amanda says the support for defender Leah and her teammates has been amazing.
“Every girl is getting so much support, so we just hope that continues,” she said.
Fran Kirby
After watching her brother Jamie play football, Fran decided she’d give it a go. It soon became clear she was a formidable talent.
But when she was just 14, Fran’s beloved mum Denise died from a brain haemorrhage.
Denise had been the driving force behind Fran’s early sporting success, with the striker, 29, recalling: “If it was raining and I didn’t want to go, she’d say: ‘Get in the car!’”
Denise also wrote Fran a birthday card saying she would become a professional footballer, a precious gift her daughter has kept.
After Denise died, Fran didn’t play football for years. Now, her mum’s memory inspires her.
Fran added: “I want to make my family proud, as much as possible.” Jamie and dad Steve have been there to cheer on her throughout.
Rachel Daly
Rachel’s dad Martyn – a striker for Harrogate Town in the 1980s – passed his love of the game on to his daughter. He was also a staunch Leeds United fan, as is Rachel’s mum Louise and older brother Andy.
Martyn took Rachel, now 30, to train with a local boys’ team near Harrogate when she was eight.
He said: “She’ll never realise what she’s done in the game until it’s over.
“Every pro has a cockiness about them but she’s down to earth, she’s just my daughter.”
Martyn died last September. After scoring against Luxembourg, full-back Rachel paid tribute by blowing a kiss to the heavens.
Mary Earps
Nottingham-born Mary, 29, started off training with her brother Joel’s team, but she wasn’t allowed to play for them in matches. When she was 10, she joined a grassroots team started by the dad of one of her school friends, and the rest was history.
The goalkeeper’s mum Julie has said Mary’s success has been well-earned. “You so deserve it, you’ve always been a determined young lady,” said Julie.
“We’re not surprised football became your career as you lived in your Liverpool kits as a child, sporting various different names on the back, a new one each Christmas. Who knew your name would end up on an England shirt one day?”
Lucy Bronze
The defender has been an integral part of the England squad since 2013, and has her mum Diane to thank for her early success when she started out playing in Alnwick, Northumberland.
Diane worked as a maths teacher at Lucy’s school, and convinced the PE teacher to let Lucy, now 30, do the football assessment with the boys.
Lucy recalled: “The teacher even told my Mum that I was better than everyone else. I was fortunate that I had my Mum to fight my battles.”
Diane was there at England’s first Euros game against Austria earlier this month. She said: “That was something else.”
Lucy has an older brother, Jorge, and younger sister, Sophie, who plays for Milton Keynes WFC.
Millie Bright
Millie’s mum Nicola has described herself as the defender’s number one fan. She added: “Every match we go to is like the first match she has played for England. It’s such an honour every time she plays for them.”
When she was just eight days old, Millie, now 28, battled pneumonia and spent time in hospital with severe asthma as a child in Derbyshire.
Nicola said: “I’ve always been so proud of you. I remember when you weren’t picked for camps and I was heartbroken but you never let it stop you.”
Millie’s grandfather Arthur was always there to give her feedback. Millie added: “He always said: ‘Millie, if it’s a 50-50 you’re coming out with it.’ Every game I’ve had that mindset.”
Beth Mead
The forward has been the stand-out player of the Euros, and has her parents Richard and June to thank for kick-starting her career.
Beth, 27, said as a kid she had a lot of energy, so they took her to a local Saturday morning football session in Hinderwell, West Yorks.
Richard recalled: “There was a guy called Phil from the village who ran a lot of football for all the lads.
“Phil said ‘they’re very rough’ but my wife June said ‘she’ll be fine.’ When we came to pick her up Phil said he had to warn Beth off the lads because she was kicking bits out of them. Nothing’s changed.”
Beth’s younger brother, Ben, is also proud of his talented sibling.
Jill Scott
When the midfielder was growing up in Sunderland, her mum Doreen always had a hunch her daughter would do well. One day, Jill, 35, returned from school to say she had won every race on sports day.
Doreen said: “She stepped inside and had about nine rosettes all over her body. And I just thought then, ‘Yes, she is quite good’.”
Adoring Doreen says for her the biggest moment is sitting in the stadium seeing the names of the players on the scoreboard.
She also has a collection of newspaper clippings, with her favourite being a photo of her hugging her daughter after a win over France.
Sister Amanda Wilson recalled: “All the boys wanted Jill on their team – she used to run rings around them.”
Alessia Russo
Alessia, 23, impressed when she came on as a substitute in the semi-final against Sweden and scored an incredible backheel goal.
She’s had plenty of time to practice, having loved the beautiful game since childhood, and she was a keen player for Bearsted Girls U10 in her native Maidstone.
Dad Mario played non-league for Metropolitan Police FC, and recalled: “Alessia had no option but to play football. She was used as the goalkeeper, the defender, the player to get nutmegged, the player to get two-footed.”
Mum Carol was initially not a football fan, but has slowly been converted. Brother Giorgio plays non-league football.
Lauren Hemp
In 2016, Lauren’s mum Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer, when the forward was just 16.
Lauren, now 21, was away from her home town of North Walsham, Norfolk, playing for Bristol City. But her mum told her to keep concentrating on football.
Lauren recalled: “That gave me the motivation to make her proud because it would give her something positive to smile about.”
Lauren’s older sister, Amy, was also a talented player, but had to quit after suffering injuries.
Julie said of Lauren: “She never ceases to amaze me. She is just a stunning person.
“She’s always been competitive. The ‘Hemp Olympics’ with her sister in the garden ... she had to keep doing events until she won them.”
