The Women’s Euros have not only been the most watched, but have also showcased the best football the competition has ever produced and the new European champions, England, are one of the teams to deliver the biggest improvement.
The Lionesses won the cup for the first time, in extra time against the old enemy, Germany, on Sunday to round off a fabulous tournament, which will be remembered as a breakthrough competition for the female game.
Women’s football may have come home, but it also getting a lot better.
There has been a shift to a more possession-based style. Collectively, the teams have attempted thousands more passes and turned that possession into greater excitement, with more attacks, crosses and goals than at Euro 2017.
England are a prime example. Five years ago, the Lionesses crashed out of the Euros in the semi-finals following a 3-0 defeat to the hosts, Holland.
In that tournament, the team had a passing accuracy of just 69 per cent, but that has rocketed this time, under the cool stewardship of coach Sarina Wiegman to 84 per cent, with a marked improvement in final third of the pitch where there is less space to make a pass. The Lionesses attempted twice as many passes at this tournament, compared to the previous one.
England’s players celebrate after their win against Germany in the Euro 2022 final at Wembley stadium, in one of the highest quality tournaments played in women’s football
Chloe Kelly pokes home in extra-time sending millions of fans across the country wild
And it’s not just England, pass completion across the whole tournament was up from 74 per cent to 78 per cent, according to UEFA.
No wonder more and more people were watching; they were loving what they saw.
This time around, the tournament saw 162 more attacks than in 2017 and over 100 more attempts at goal. As a result, there were more than three goals per game, up from just over two, five years ago.
Viewers saw a goal every 29 minutes on average. In fact, the women’s Euros produced more goals per game than the men’s competition last year.
There were also thrills and spills worthy of any major football tournament, from Alessia Russo’s outrageous back-heel finish for England against Sweden in the semi-final, to Georgia Stanway’s piledriver to knock out Spain in extra-time in the previous round.
Harry Kane at Wembley supporting the Lionesses and other men’s team players have recognised the quality of the England side
England men’s captain Harry Kane reacts on twitter to the Lioness’ historic Euro 2022 win
Three Lions legend Gary Lineker congratulating the Lionesses on their Euro 2022 victory
Overall, total attendance for the matches was 574,875, with the Wembley crowd of 87,192 the highest ever at a Euros final, and audience figures on the BBC and online for England’s matches alone have topped 50 million, toppling records along the way.
England fans had plenty to cheer throughout. The opening game in front of a (then) record crowd of 68,871 at Old Trafford in a 1-0 win over Austria was followed by the 8-0 rout of Norway, and of course ultimately, the 120-minute nail-biter against the Germans, eight-time winners of the competition.
As well as the results, it was the quality of England’s football that stood out. England were second only to the pass masters of Europe, Spain, for possession.
While the Spaniards mastery of the ball was imperious at 64 per cent of possession (even without Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas in midfield, who suffered a knee injury before the first game), the Lionesses enjoyed 57 per cent, compared to 47 per cent in 2017.
England attempted 516 passes per game, compared to 304 last time around and they made it count, mounting 279 attacks, almost double their 2017 tally.
All of this added up to 130 attempted cross and 22 goals, twice the figure of five years ago. And across the whole competition, 95 goals were scored in 2022, compared to 68 in 2017.
Overall, the competition was more competitive, with the teams making twice as many tackles and significantly more ball recoveries as they scrapped for control.
The physicality of the women’s game will no doubt have surprised some new viewers.
The Lionesses go wild with their staff as they celebrate the country’s first major title since 1966
Germany were a prime example. They fashioned a brilliant equaliser after refusing to lie down when they went behind in front of a partisan home crowd in the final, but were also happy to put the boot in when necessary.
Led by young midfielder, Lena Oberdorf, Germany have been the most prolific foulers at Euro 2022, making 82 fouls to England’s 60.
However, while German’s foul count was the highest recorded since stats were collected in 2009, overall, the number of indiscretions fell dramatically, from 748 to 597.
Meanwhile, substitute Ella Toone’s opener for England in the final, when she deftly lifted the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper, Merle Frohms , was a breath-taking piece of skill that had male and female fans and players gasping at her technical ability and composure to pull it off.
In an interview with The Athletic, earlier this month, BBC host Gabby Logan reflected on her experiences of covering the Women’s World Cup in 2007, saying she was ‘being really enthusiastic about something, but knowing that it’s not quite there yet’.
That is no longer the case. In England, women’s football is now firmly established at the elite level, and with record numbers of girls playing the game at the grassroots, it will only grow stronger.
Leah Williamson (centre left) and Millie Bright (centre right) lift the Women’s Euro 2022 trophy
England fans go wild to celebrate the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph in Trafalgar Square
Ticker tape explodes as Williamson raises the trophy aloft at the victory party in London
