From record masses and Alessia Russo’s outrageous heel to injury woes for several star players and Mexican waves, Sportsmail walks through the highs and lows of Euro 2022
Euro 2022 will go down in history as crucial four weeks for women’s football in England
It was the first ever win in a major international tournament for the Lionesses
Alessia Russo became a fan favorite with a goal on the heels against Sweden
Several star players were absent due to injuries and Covid
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England made history on Sunday evening with a 2-1 victory over eight-time champions Germany in the final of the European Championship 2022.
Ella Toone opened the scoring in the second half before Lina Magull sent the game into extra time. Chloe Kelly then shot home from close range to give England their first major trophy in women’s football.
After a four-week whirlwind for the women’s game, Sports post runs through the highs and lows of Euro 2022.
England made history on Sunday evening with a 2-1 victory over eight-time champions Germany
Highlights
Record crowd
It started with the opening game at Old Trafford when 68,781 England defeated Austria and finished with a new record of 87,192 for the final. There was a brilliant atmosphere during England’s matches and it is vital that the Women’s Super League clubs make the most of this summer to attract a bigger crowd for the coming season.
Russo’s heel
The best goal of the tournament. The skill and improvisation displayed by the England striker was sensational. Like the Cruyff turn, the Alessia Russo back heel will go down in history as an iconic moment that girls and boys will try to recreate on the playground.
Alessia Russo became an instant fan favorite with her clever heel against Sweden
Ian Wright
There is no male football icon more passionate about women’s football in this country. His punditry on the BBC was great. He also recognizes the importance of creating a legacy. “If girls aren’t allowed to play soccer in gym – just like the boys – what do we do?” asked Wright. The women’s game is lucky with him.
goalkeeping
Women goalkeepers are often reviled, but we have seen brilliant performances. Mary Earps (England), Merle Frohms (Germany), Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands) and Nicky Evrard (Belgium) were all fantastic.
Ian Wright was an outstanding champion of the women’s game throughout the tournament
lows
Injuries and Covid
The biggest disappointment was not being able to watch multiple star players. Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas tore her anterior cruciate ligament the day before the first game, as did French striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto in their opening game.
German talisman Alexandra Popp missed Sunday’s final after she injured herself during the warm-up. Covid also played a role in players like Dutch star Vivianne Miedema missing important games.
German talisman Alexandra Popp missed Sunday’s final after injuring herself during warm-up
Small stadiums
Some of the grounds used were unsuitable for an event of this size. Venues such as Manchester City’s Academy Stadium and Leigh Sports Village were chosen in 2017, but their capacity was too small and their vacant pitches – which could not be used due to UEFA regulations – didn’t look great on TV.
Mexican waves
Enough said.