The official celebrations, hosted by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London – it’s his square, kids, apparently – got off to a rocky start when Khan took to the stage to welcome the 7,000 supporters who had queued for hours to enter the fan zone, only to be booed by a section of the crowd. It was like he was Boris Johnson or something. A girl in the crowd said, “Oh no, I feel sorry for him now,” and indeed it was hard to know exactly what he had done wrong. One got the impression that his main crime was not being Beth Mead or Alessia Russo. Around 7,000 fans descended on Trafalgar Square for the celebrations HARRIET LANDER/GETTY IMAGES But after some well-meaning platitudes about women’s football, she soon took them back to the side: this crowd was there to celebrate, not to belittle. Then, when Alex Scott took to the stage and the Lionesses made their long-awaited appearance, an inadequate PA system meant that the 7,000 who had waited for hours in the hot sun couldn’t hear what was happening on stage. It was fine, perhaps, for the viewers at home, but not so good for all those people who had come out specifically to see the lionesses up close. “Turn it on!” roared the crowd. There’s nothing like a bold crowd chant to spice things up. They couldn’t see much, either: the sea of waving flags meant most people barely knew who exactly was on stage. The Lionesses lift the Euro trophy in front of a sea of English flags GUY BELL/ALAMY But maybe none of that mattered. It was all about being there and sharing the moment. On stage, Leah Williamson confirmed what many people have suspected for some time: that when it comes to having a good time, the women of England could probably give the men a run for their money. “We’ve been partying more than we’ve actually played football in the last 24 hours,” he said. When she was asked the inevitable question about what they had done, it seemed as if she was still struggling to process the significance of it all. “I don’t really know what we did,” he said. Turning to her teammates, she said, “What have we been up to, girls?” England captain Williamson, left, and manager Wigman talk on stage EAMONN MCCORMACK/GETTY IMAGES England’s two goalscorers also had their moment in the spotlight: Ella Toon, who scored the game’s first goal yesterday, said she simply couldn’t stop dancing. “My legs are still going,” he said. Then came the announcement that Rachel Daly was going to sing on stage. “Could she sing?” people wondered. We’ve all heard male footballers sing before and it’s not a pleasant memory. Daly answered that question in style, leading the England team in an impressive version of Tina Turner’s song River Deep, Mountain High. Whatever the Lionesses have been running in the last 24 hours, it’s pretty high-octane stuff judging by this performance. Led by Daley – a supercharged cross between Tina Turner, Mick Jagger and the Duracell rabbit – they sang with such exuberance that they looked like they could go another 90 minutes with Germany and still have energy. Daly sings Tina Turner’s song River Deep, Mountain High EAMONN MCCORMACK/GETTY IMAGES It was fun, it was riotous: one might go as far as to say it was even better than another Sweet Caroline rendition. Such was the excitement for the event that fans started queuing at 8.30am. Among the first were Sue McFadden, 60, and her teenage daughter Jess from Coventry. “We were at Wembley last night and then we stopped,” said Sue, 60, a teacher. “It was amazing. It was tense. It was exhausting. It was nail-biting. I haven’t danced this much in a long time.” Rapt fans young and old flocked to celebrate with the Lionesses TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE They bought their tickets over a year ago when they first went on sale. Why; “Because we were convinced we would win!” Jess, 17, who plays for a football club in Solihull, said: “It was crazy to see so many people at a women’s game. I’ve been to [WSL] games where they played at the men’s training ground and had 3,000 people in attendance.” The gates to the fan zone were not due to open until 11am. But by 10 a.m. there were more than 1,000 people in line — families, young women, groups of girls sitting on the street playing cards to pass the time. As the crowd began to pour into Pall Mall, the police told the organizers: you have to open the gates now early. From left: Daly, Millie Bright and Ellie Roebuck lift the Euro trophy GETTY IMAGES For all the crowds and heat, the whole event was a deeply benign occasion, with young women in England rubbing shoulders with old football fans. Little girls—and not so little—sat on their daddies’ shoulders. At the end of it all, as the crowd headed home, a newspaper reporter said: “The last time I was here was for Euro ’96, and at that stage there were glasses flying around.” And if Leah Williamson is still wondering what they’ve been up to, she might like to think about two things. One is the male Arsenal fan who proudly wore a Williamson shirt: we’re all fans now. “I’ve been watching her for a long time,” said Rory Anastasiou, 25. “In 2019 I went to all of England’s games at the World Cup and I’m trying to watch as many Arsenal games as I can.” Lucy Bronze, left, poses with Jill Scott, who didn’t go to bed last night LYNNE CAMERON/GETTY IMAGES The other was the presence of countless young girls in the crowd possibly just starting their football careers. Thanks to the Lionesses, this is slowly getting easier. They are girls like Holly McLoughlin, 12, from Ruislip Manor, who is set to start as a goalkeeper with QPR Under-15s. “It’s great that women’s football is now getting the recognition it deserves,” she said. Did she want to one day take that stage as a Lioness herself? A light flashed in her eyes. “Yeah, sure,” he said.
Where to see the Lionesses stars next, how to watch the WSL . . . and when is the world cup?
Football finally returned to Wembley on Sunday, but England’s merry lionesses will be hoping their success at Euro 2022 doesn’t just make a new name on the trophy (Written by Tom Allnutt). More than 17 million people watched England’s 2-1 extra-time win against Germany, making it the most-watched women’s football match in British television history, while the 87,192 fans inside the stadium represented the largest ever attendance in men. or women’s euro. But what’s next for the women’s game in England? How can euphoria be harnessed and felt long after the celebrations die down and the tributes fade? Here’s a guide for those who want to get involved. England pose in front of 7,000 cheering fans in Trafalgar Square LYNNE CAMERON/GETTY IMAGES
The Nation’s New Hero Enjoys ‘Bobby Zamora Moment’
“When Chloe Kelly headed in the extra-time winner in the Euro 2022 final against Germany, took off her strip and twisted it in the air, it was a truly iconic moment to cap off this joyous summer for women’s football in England. “Throughout the tournament, Kelly had to be content with her role as one of England’s many super subs. But the 24-year-old, born and raised in Ealing, west London, scored the most important goal in the history of women’s football in this country. How must that feel?’ ● Read Gregor Robertson’s full profile of the England winner here ● England’s Euro 2022 celebrations — in pictures Kelly dances for fans on stage in Trafalgar Square LEON NEAL/GETTY IMAGES
Supercharged fans of Dali serenades
The celebrations on stage in Trafalgar Square got off to an inauspicious start when an inadequate PA system meant the 7,000 waiting for hours in the hot sun could not hear what was happening on stage (Written by Valentine Low). It was fine, perhaps, for the viewers at home: not so good for all those people who had come out specifically to see the lionesses up close. But then came the announcement that Rachel Daly was going to sing on stage. “Could she sing?” people wondered. Daley answered that question in style, leading the England team to an impressive version of River Deep, Mountain High. Dali leads the celebrations by singing to the crowd TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE Whatever the Lionesses have been running in the last 24 hours, it’s pretty high-octane stuff judging by this performance. Led by Daley – a supercharged cross between Tina Turner, Mick Jagger and the Duracell rabbit – they sang with such exuberance that they looked like they could go another 90 minutes with Germany and still have energy.
Where were you for the final?
Spectators from around the world tuned in to watch England’s historic win against Germany and a record attendance was set for the number of people watching a Euro match at Wembley, in women’s or men’s football. Whether you managed to make it to the pitch, watched with friends and family, at home or abroad, we’d love to know where you were for the final. Tell us where you watched the match and how you celebrated. Email your photos and stories to [email protected] with ‘Euros’ in the subject line. England match winner Kelly poses with her fans at full time NEIL HALL/EPA
Fans flood Trafalgar Square
The gates to the fan zone, which had a capacity of 7,000, were not due to open until 11am. But at 10am there…