The 'proper English' Mantra & How It's Lifting Lionesses

The Lionesses person adopted a caller mantra - 'proper English'.

It's a building that's been repeated by players successful post-match interviews and property conferences, while head Sarina Wiegman has referred to it herself.

But what does it really mean and really person England utilized it to thrust their performances successful nan group stages of Euro 2025?

Wiegman's broadside are attempting to take sides their title successful Switzerland, but sewage disconnected to nan worst imaginable commencement pinch a 2-1 conclusion by France successful Group D.

It was a disappointing performance, but nan players bounced backmost to hit nan Netherlands 4-0 and revive their hopes of reaching nan quarter-finals.

The building was first utilized by their 2023 World Cup skipper Millie Bright successful February erstwhile she described their triumph complete Spain arsenic 'proper English'.

Defensively solid, tenacious retired of possession and vulnerable going forward, it was England coming adjacent to a complete capacity successful nan Women's Nations League.

It was besides nan cleanable consequence to an underwhelming 1-1 tie pinch Portugal a fewer days earlier.

"After nan past game, we wanted to beryllium moreover much connected. We said astir conscionable being due English," said Chelsea defender Bright astatine nan time.

"I mean that fight, and that desire to take sides for each other, to activity difficult for each different and to beryllium difficult to beat. It's truthful important to beryllium difficult to beat."

Wiegman said nan squad had "fought for each yard" and it is those messages that are now being repeated successful Switzerland.

In nan property convention earlier nan important Netherlands game, midfielder Georgia Stanway vowed to show a 'proper England' capacity pursuing nan France defeat.

After nan victory, Lucy Bronze likened nan show from protect duo Jess Carter and Alex Greenwood - and their squad activity - arsenic demonstrating precisely that.

So wherever did nan mantra travel from?

"We speak astir it a lot. After that disappointing consequence [against France] it was a spot much reinforced," said England guardant Lauren Hemp.

"We took a measurement backmost and remembered why we were each present and really we sewage present and nan journeys that we person been on. We touched connected that a lot.

"We're present to triumph and we want to do that. It showed nan mentality of nan group that we were capable to bounce backmost successful nan measurement that we did.

"We didn't conscionable hit them 1-0, we hit them convincingly and put successful a awesome capacity [and one] that this England squad wanted to show.

"It's astir that conflict successful us, that we each have, and will show successful different ways. Everyone connected that transportation did their jobs."

'Send it long', 'if successful doubt, footwear it out' and 'get stuck in' are nan types of phrases you will perceive successful playgrounds and grassroots clubs crossed nan country.

While nan Spanish person their 'tiki-taka', nan English person 'route one' football.

Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton produced specified equipment successful nan triumph complete nan Netherlands, playing a cleanable agelong shot to Alessia Russo, who teed up Lauren James for England's opener. It group nan reside for a ascendant display.

It's not conscionable nan Lionesses who strive to play to their identity. The Football Association hired a head for nan men's squad who continued to instill nan fundamentals of nan English DNA, bringing successful ex-Chelsea head Thomas Tuchel, despite his rich | German philosophy.

With Dutchwoman Wiegman successful charge, however, nan Lionesses' DNA has shape-shifted slightly. Their English conflict remains, but their style has adapted. There is nary rigid 4-4-2 pinch this team, but a midfield three, and sometimes 3 astatine nan back.

They are much possession-based and effort to build up play from nan back, utilizing Keira Walsh arsenic a pivot successful midfield.

If anything, Wiegman's broadside strive for 'total football' - a Dutch personality from nan Johan Cruyff era - a move and imaginative playing style, which relies connected nan versatility of players.

But successful bid to do that, England's basics must remain.

Stanway's rallying outcry earlier this week was to "stop talking" and do their business connected nan pitch.

"Sometimes it's astir blocking retired nan noise, getting connected nan transportation and getting stuck in," she explained.

England striker Russo was 1 of nan standout performers against nan Netherlands, picking up 3 assists.

Asked what being 'proper English' meant to her, she said afterwards: "It intends we'll activity difficult until we can't tally immoderate much and instrumentality together.

"We cognize that we are very ascendant connected nan ball. We wanted to return to our roots and we cognize we're tin of performances for illustration that."

England had little possession successful nan Netherlands necktie than against France (57% compared to 52%), but they won nan shot backmost doubly arsenic galore times successful nan last third.

The power from nan players was clear to see, pinch England applying 'high-intensity pressure' successful nan Netherlands last 3rd connected 87 occasions, up from 69 against France.

They won 46 retired of their 48 duels, having only travel retired connected apical successful 37 retired of 89 successful nan French encounter.

James dribbled past players astatine will to supply nan creativity, while Ella Toone snuck into pockets of abstraction to nexus up pinch nan frontline.

The versatility was location excessively arsenic James, who started arsenic a number 10 against France, played retired connected nan correct wing, while Carter moved to centre-back and Greenwood went to left-back.

And yet mixed among nan flair was nan 'proper English' traits of difficult work, reliable tackling, be aware and countless crosses into nan box.

Hemp said discussions this week, reminding each different of their roots, what it took to get present and their individual stories, played a valuable portion successful nan Dutch success, which has near them now needing to hit Wales connected Sunday to corroborate a last-eight place.

"We want to find retired everything that we tin do. They're our family present and we're together arsenic a group," added nan Manchester City forward.

"It's been important. You tin cognize each azygous spot astir personification to thief you done everything."