WEMBLEY, UNITED KINGDOM (AFP) – England manager Sarina Wiegman said “the world will change” for her players after the Lionesses won Euro 2022 with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Germany at sold out Wembley on Sunday night.
In front of a record crowd of 87,192 for any match in the history of the European Championships, Chloe Kelly prodded home the winner in the 110th minute to deliver England women’s first ever major tournament win.
“The world will change, we know that,” said Wiegman, whose post-match press conference was interrupted by the England squad singing “football’s coming home!”.
“We change society and that’s what we want, that’s so much more than football.
“Winning is what we are here for, our job is to do as good as possible, but through football you can make changes in society and that’s what we are here for.”
Kelly only just made Wiegman’s squad after fighting back from an anterior cruciate ligament tear to be fit in time for the tournament and made herself a national hero by being in the right place to pounce when Germany failed to clear a corner.
The Manchester City winger tore off her shirt in celebration in scenes reminiscent of Brandi Chastain’s famous reaction to scoring the winning penalty at the 1999 World Cup for the USA.
“This is what dreams are made of, as a young girl watching women’s football,” said Kelly, who broke off a post-match interview to join in a chorus of Sweet Caroline with the crowd and her teammates.
“Thank you for everyone who played a part in my rehab. I always believed I’d be here, but to be here and score the winner, wow. These girls are amazing.”
England looked set for victory in the 90 minutes when substitute Ella Toone’s sublime chip over Merle Frohms put the hosts in front.
Germany showed resilience to bounce back as Lina Magull levelled 11 minutes from time. But 56 years on from England’s last major tournament win in either the men’s or women’s game, they were not to be denied a major tournament success.
Fortune did not favour Germany, who lost captain and top goalscorer Alexandra Popp to a muscle injury in the warm-up.
German boss Martina Voss-Tecklenburg was also furious that a penalty was not awarded in the first half for a handball by England captain Leah Williamson.
But England will feel their time for some luck was due as 12 months on from the Three Lions’ defeat on penalties to Italy in the Euro 2020 men’s final, the nation’s women went one better.
“I can’t stop crying. We talk and we talk and we’ve finally done it,” said Williamson. “It’s the proudest moment of my life. I’m taking in every single second because I’ll want to relive this for a long time.”
Under Wiegman, England are unbeaten in 20 games but were pushed to the limit by the eight-time winners despite missing the presence of Popp, who had scored six goals in five games en route to the final.