Mary Earps (goalkeeper) 9
It is no exaggeration to say Earps kept England in the tournament at times and never more so than in the early stages of the semi-final against Sweden. Sarina Wiegman is the first Lionesses manager to have trusted Manchester United’s goalkeeper and Earps repaid her.
Lucy Bronze (defender) 8
Barcelona’s new right-back has revealed she is still playing in pain after her fifth knee operation, but, as she swashbuckled forward, you would never have guessed it. Took too many defensive risks at times but also discombobulated a series of opponents.
Millie Bright (defender) 9
The central-defensive cornerstone. Set her tournament tone with a splendidly incisive and intelligent performance in the Old Trafford Group A opener against Austria. Strong on the ground, in the air and, sometimes, in attack, she complemented Leah Williamson perfectly.
Leah Williamson (defender) 9
An impressive captain who reverted to her natural central defensive role, pushing Alex Greenwood to the bench on the eve of the tournament. Her Franco Baresi-esque positioning proved so exceptional she rarely needed to resort to tackling. The perfect partner for Bright.
Rachel Daly (defender) 7
Was preferred to Demi Stokes and Jess Carter at left-back and, a difficult game against Spain apart, did well as a right-footer in a not entirely familiar role. No one would have guessed Daly operates as a forward for her club, Houston Dash.
Keira Walsh (midfielder) 9
A strong contender for player of the tournament. The midfield anchor held things together while also changing games courtesy of her defence-splitting passes. Without Walsh it is hard to imagine England would have won the tournament.
Georgia Stanway (midfielder) 8
Revelled in a box-to-box role alongside Walsh and, although not a natural No 8, did very well. Possibly fortunate not to have been sent off for a second yellow card in the final but otherwise Bayern Munich’s new midfielder adapted seamlessly. And who can forget her winning goal in the quarter-final against Spain?
Fran Kirby (playmaker) 9
The Chelsea player did not have quite the impact the desired in the final but played an enormous part in getting England there. Conjured many of their best moves after recovering from a fatigue-related illness that had threatened her involvement.
Beth Mead (forward) 9
Another strong player of the tournament contender. Her six goals in five games helped sweep England to Wembley, with that achievement magnified by Mead’s position wide on the right. The Arsenal forward showed excellent control, adhesive touch and adroit finishing, all of which terrified opponents.
Ellen White (forward) 7
The goals dried up for England’s record scorer but she did much unsung hard work very well, pressing assiduously and leaving defenders exhausted by the time she was replaced by super-sub Alessia Russo. It was not through sentiment she started every game.
Lauren Hemp (forward) 8
By her own admission the Manchester City left-winger did not always hit top form but her pace and incisive deliveries persistently ruffled right-backs. A world-class player in the making she is, rightly, one of the first names on the team sheet.
Alessia Russo (forward) 9
The Manchester United player will be ever synonymous with her backheeled goal against Sweden. Talk about a gamechanging substitute. And to think that before the tournament critics fretted whether there was sufficient attacking cover for White. Appeared in all six games from the bench, scoring four goals, with only Mead and Alex Popp (six apiece) registering more.
Chloe Kelly (forward) 9
It was touch and go whether the Manchester City winger would recover from the ACL injury that had sidelined her for almost a year. But recover she did and Kelly provided a Brandi Chastain moment by whipping off her shirt after scoring the extra-time winner against Germany.
Ella Toone (forward) 9
Another gamechanger from the bench. Her 84th-minute quarter-final equaliser against Spain rescued England, securing extra time, and her opening goal in the final was a wonderfully assured lob guaranteed to linger long in the collective memory.
Jill Scott (midfielder) 7
The link joining the side that lost the 2009 final to Germany in Finland, Scott is, at 35, the sole survivor of that 6-2 defeat still playing for the Lionesses. Did well during her cameo appearances and thoroughly deserved the cheer that greeted her after coming off the bench in the final.
Alex Greenwood (defender) 7
The Manchester City centre-half had looked set to start every game alongside Millie Bright but Leah Williamson’s switch when Greenwood was absent with Covid meant she lost her place on the eve of the tournament. Did nothing wrong during her regular, if brief, outings as a left-back.
Nikita Parris (forward) 6
Once a mainstay of the side, the Arsenal forward struggled to hit peak form last season and paid for it. She spent most of the tournament on the bench but was liberated from it for the final five minutes of the final and also appeared against Spain.
Jess Carter (defender) 6
Daly’s solidity at left-back ensured the Chelsea full-back was restricted to a solitary second-half appearance against Northern Ireland from the bench. Her day will come.
Squad members who did not play
Demi Stokes, Beth England, Ellie Roebuck, Hannah Hampton, Lotte Wubben-Moy.
