In goal. That was where my older brothers always placed me whenever we played football outside. No keepie uppies or dribbling, I was the human shield who they would fire shots at as they practised new skills and commentated their own brilliance as they did it. But I didn’t question it at the time because back then the overriding message was ‘girls don’t play football.'
Apart from, they do now! And, without being too petty about it, unlike the men’s national team, they win. Last night’s Lionesses’ victory was played out to a record-breaking 87,192 at Wembley and a 17.4m TV audience. Being part of the crowd at the stadium felt like a kind of vindication: after years of watching the men’s game squashed onto the sofa with my brothers and dad supporting England and the ‘mid-table mediocrity’ of Queen’s Park Rangers (our family team), this was our moment.
The last time I’d been to watch football at Wembley was for the Championship play-offs in 2014 when a late goal from QPR’s Bobby Zamora sealed their return to the Premier League. There was pure jubilation, a lot of drunkenness and so much swearing an 18-rating wouldn’t have cut it. The atmosphere couldn’t have been more different at yesterday’s game.
Approaching Wembley, there was an excited buzz as families skirted the stadium and girls on their dads’ shoulders waved flags and showed off their face paint. People were smiling, at each other! There wasn’t that feeling that something might kick off at any time, as I’ve felt at men’s games in the past. I’d heard stories about phones being stolen outside the stadium purely to access e-tickets, but there didn’t seem to be any such threat yesterday. While I agree that women’s football shouldn’t just be considered a nice family day out – otherwise the growth of the game has an inevitable limitation – I think part of yesterday’s success was underpinned by its safe, inclusive atmosphere. If this was football, I’d happily take my kids along and not have to cover their ears, as my dad had to do mine all those years ago.
Inside the stadium, fans were dancing even before the game had started as the England band drummed up the crowds’ spirits. While everyone was settling down in front of the TV back home, my phone was going off with messages from my brothers: they had wanted to be there, to take their daughters, and it felt good that the family football chat was finally about the women’s game. I know I’m not the only one who had this experience: this wasn’t women talking about women’s football, the whole country was.
Watching England’s games leading up to this moment, I was often stood right in front of the TV shouting at a missed challenge or a lucky break in front of goal. But there were also times when I felt quietly emotional, welling up at the sight of so many strong, fast and sporty women: their bodies being viewed and appreciated for their power and skill, rather than for their thinness or aesthetics.
This was encapsulated in yesterday’s game when Chloe Kelly, the 24-year old England player who returned only a few months ago from a career-threatening ACL knee injury, scored the winning goal and ran across the pitch ripping off her shirt in pure ecstasy. It was a celebration that was not only reminiscent of QPR’s Bobby Zamora – it turns out QPR fan Kelly was also at the play-offs back in 2014 – but the iconic image of US player Brandi Chastain in her black Nike sports bra celebrating as her team won the World Cup in 1999.
The final 15 minutes of extra time, as England fought to hold on to their 2-1 lead and fend off the looming fear of penalties, was tense in the stadium. It wasn’t all smiles and feeling content that the team had made it this far. There was swearing, mainly on the pitch as England’s Jill Scott was caught cursing on camera, but this was football and it still had all the drama, pain and emotion of the men’s game. But there was something different and humbling as the victorious Lionesses toured the pitched, dancing with each other and singing 'Sweet Caroline' to fans, something they’ve done throughout the tournament.
There’s been a lot of talk since the game about the power of seeing is believing. But as captain Leah Williamson told interviewers after the game this is just the start of the journey. It’s a celebration of the hours and hours of hard work, not just from the players but from everyone behind the scenes, that has gone into getting the game to this point. It’s a moment to appreciate the speed of results: when the England men’s team beat West Germany in the World Cup final in 1966 (the last time they won a major title), the women’s game was still banned, only becoming fully professional in 2018. For me, the under-appreciated backyard goalie, yesterday’s victory was a moment of vindication that women’s football received the attention it deserves. Long may it continue.
