England Needed The Ultimate Team Performance To Beat World Champions | Tom Garry

It is simply a show we person ne'er seen, a elder England shot squad hoisting a awesome trophy successful overseas air, an unparalleled away-from-home achievement, history made successful Basel. And past location was nan blissful soundtrack that accompanied it. That sweet, glorious sound of We Are The Champions being sung overseas by England and their supporters, Sarina Wiegman conducting everyone pinch her waving arms, and each England subordinate and unit personnel belting retired Queen’s words.

Wiegman is this sport’s undisputed queen of coaching, winning this silverware 3 times successful a row, and now nan first England head to successfully take sides a trophy. The Dutchwoman is nan top signing nan Football Association has made. What this triumph was defined by, though, was a “team”, and connected Sunday they produced nan eventual squad capacity to hit nan world’s best.

The building these Lionesses players person been repeating since February, to picture nan measurement they want to play, is “proper England”. You could beryllium forgiven for wondering: “What does that mean?” Maybe they each emotion Yorkshire puddings, chips pinch curry sauce. Or possibly they are each really diligent erstwhile queueing. Maybe they had a character-building evening together waiting for a delayed train from Euston station. What they do mean by that building tin beryllium summed up by their unwavering, never-say-die attitude, their refusal to springiness in, their endeavour. It is their banter, too. It is Ella Toone joking connected Friday about nan chances of Michelle Agyemang getting “papped while eating a pasty”. Football-wise, it is their expertise to execute a gameplan to perfection.

Even if nan shootout had gone Spain’s way, location would person been truthful galore aspects to this England capacity for nan federation to beryllium proud of. Jess Carter, brought backmost into nan starting XI a week aft revealing she had been racially abused, was immense, winning duel aft duel, courageous for illustration nary other, demonstrating her spot of characteristic arsenic good arsenic nan spot of her defending.

Alongside her, Leah Williamson produced her champion show of nan tournament. This was nan Williamson we had seen in nan Champions League final, blocking transverse aft cross, timing her tackles good and reference nan crippled to perfection pinch her positioning. Without nan ball, nan full squad worked tirelessly.

For a short while, location was an understandable interest it mightiness beryllium successful vain. At half-time, England fans who watch men’s and women’s shot whitethorn person feared they were astir to strengthen a near‑identical summertime to that of 2024; watching a squad saved by precocious goals successful nan knockout rounds, who sometimes could not click into gear but were boosted by game-changing substitutes who propelled them to nan final, who would ultimately beryllium beaten by a Spain broadside that were simply better. Not this time. This is not nan aforesaid team. These are nan Lionesses. These are – arsenic Williamson suggested successful a squad gathering successful 2019 – “badass women”. This is simply a group of calved winners who garbage to lose.

England salute Chloe Kelly pursuing her winning punishment successful nan shootout against Spain. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

They find a way. They ever find a way. Chloe Kelly ever finds a measurement to nutrient nan inch-perfect cross. Alessia Russo who – for illustration Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead and Kelly, is now a nine and European champion successful nan aforesaid summertime – recovered nan prestigious headed decorativeness her fantabulous play for nine and state had merited. Up against nan astir talented group of players successful nan world, England required specified aggravated levels of attraction defensively, for 120 minutes, and for each but 1 first-half moment, they recovered it. Alex Greenwood stood up to Vicky López. Lauren Hemp fought, terrier-like, connected nan wing. Georgia Stanway’s tackles came crunching in. Spain conscionable kept coming. The shot came backmost and backmost but England fought. Hannah Hampton’s beardown hands kept Clàudia Pina astatine bay.

Importantly, it was nan roles Khiara Keating, Anna Moorhouse, Maya Le Tissier and Wubben-Moy – nary of whom played a infinitesimal of shot successful this tourney – that epitomised nan unity successful this team. None of them complaining, nary of them causing immoderate rifts successful nan camp. Le Tissier popped up to springiness Grace Clinton an power gel earlier she went connected successful other time. This is simply a existent team. That tone shows done nan friends and families of nan players, too, sitting straight down nan dugout, pinch Lucy Bronze’s relative Jorge opinionated to impulse nan England fans to make much sound successful other time. The emotion was location successful Agyemang, battling to triumph a precocious throw-in. It was Kelly’s nerveless spot-kick that struck nan net. As nan opus said: “We’ll support connected fighting ‘til nan end.”

The lyrics we person not heard much, successful this fabulously well-run tourney successful Switzerland, are “football’s coming home” by Three Lions.

It has not been played done nan stadium speakers aft victories here. Perhaps that is fitting; it is excessively melancholy a tune for this squad of winners. This squad are rewriting really we comprehend English shot success. This trophy is not coming home, it is staying home.