As the Women’s Euro 2022 final approaches, it’s hard for English fans to contain their enthusiasm.
The Lionesses’ incredible run through the UEFA tournament, culminating in their 4-0 quarterfinal victory against Sweden, has captivated the nation.
So, has the English women’s team ever won the Euro Cup, and how good are their chances of doing so this year?
Has England Ever Won the Euro Cup
The England women’s team has competed in the European Championships eight times, twice making it to the championship game.
But they haven’t been able to take home the prize just yet.
However, the women’s team has been incredibly close to winning the championship on multiple occasions. In fact, they came in second place behind Sweden on penalties in the very first year (1984).
The squad previously advanced to the semifinals in 1995, finished second in 2009, and reached the semifinals in the most recent edition, 2017.
Likewise, the English men’s national team has never won the European Championships, losing last year’s final to Italy in a memorable and devastating game.
Crowds chanted “It’s coming home” as England faced Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night.
Having been played for the first time in 1960, the UEFA European Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious international football tournaments.
The championship round occurs once every four years, with a preliminary tournament held in the between years. In 2021, the 16th competition was played all around Europe (postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
After passing on entering the tournament in 1960, England’s national football team made their first effort at qualifying for the finals in 1964. They did not need to qualify as the host nation in 1996, but have been to the finals 10 times since qualifying for the first time in 1968.
At Euro 2020, England came in second place after losing to Italy in the championship game on penalties at Wembley.
After Making it to the Finals of the European Championship for the Third Time,
Excited home fans in the audience of 28,624 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield sang “Football’s Coming Home” in the final minutes of the match, England’s song, as they advanced to the final of a European Championship for the third time, following 1984 and 2009.
Both times England competed in a big international competition, they came up short.
England’s hardest challenge in the competition was anticipated to come from Sweden, who are rated second in the world behind the United States, but Sarina Wiegman’s team easily handled them with their devastating attack.
The polishing is excellent, for example.
There will be repercussions from this decision all around Europe and the world “To quote Wiegman: Everyone will be talking about us because of how amazing of a performance that was the next day.
A Second Round From Mead
England got on the board in the 34th minute when Beth Mead scored her tournament-high sixth goal by controlling Lucy Bronze’s cross from the right and scoring first time on the turn from 10 yards (metres).
Mead follows Germany’s Inka Grings as the only player to score six goals at a single Women’s Euros.
In the 48th minute, England’s right back Bronze scored herself on a far-post header from a left-wing corner, with the ball squeaking between two legs and sneaking past a diving Hedvig Lindahl.
The third goal was the greatest of them all and exemplified the resoluteness with which England approached the game.
Disgraceful about-face from Russo
A close-range attempt from Russo, who had just entered the game as a replacement, was saved, but he quickly collected the rebound and, with his back to the goal, executed a sneaky backheel that slipped between the legs of Lindahl, who was 39 at the time.
Fran Kirby scored the fourth after he chipped the ball past Lindahl from the edge of the area. Lindahl had a chance to save the ball, but he couldn’t.
“Former Netherlands head coach and 2017 European Championship victor Ronald “I don’t think we started the game properly but still found a way,” Wiegman stated.
Potential lost by Sweden
The match’s outcome would have been different if Sweden had converted on a pair of early opportunities, the first of which was presented to Sofia Jakobsson after only 20 seconds, but Mary Earps made a stop with her left foot to keep the score at 0-0.
In the 11th minute, Stina Blackstenius headed a corner kick a few yards wide of the post.
After figuring out how to seriously damage Sweden, mainly along the flanks, England continued on without stopping.
The 1984 European champion Swedes were hoping to make their first final since 2001 and their fifth overall.
Instead, the English women’s team advances to the championship game, exciting a country that has fallen in love with its entertaining players and the 20 goals they’ve scored in this tournament, nine more than any other team.
Last Words
They finished in third place in Italy in 1968 when there were only four teams in the finals competition, and they advanced to the last four again in 1996, losing on penalties to Germany at home.
On two more times (2004 in Portugal and 2012 in Ukraine), the squad lost in the quarterfinals on penalties after reaching the final.
