The two best teams of the Women’s European Championship meet to decide the winner. He is an aspiring power against a historic colossus, in a sold-out cathedral of sports. And with another Women’s World Cup set to take place in less than a year, it’s a statement for what’s to come in Australia and New Zealand next summer.
“It will be a great football festival”.
The words of the German coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg ring true. When her team, an eight-time European champion who is perfect in these finals, meets England, the host nation that is looking to have a place at the top of the women’s football hierarchy validated with a major trophy, they have all the cards in place. rule for a real show.
A crowded Wembley stadium will attend a European final for the second consecutive summer. Last year, it was the English men’s team that capitulated against Italy and fell on penalties on a day equally known for its result and the unruly fans and safety deficiencies that ruined the opportunity. No such degeneration should attract the spotlight on Sunday, and no matter the outcome, there is a sense that something bigger has already been accomplished in the past few weeks, especially in the knockout stage, where the cream has risen to the top and some highs. – the finals were played at extraordinarily high levels in front of a grateful audience.
“I just think about where women’s football is now … 70 and 70 thousand at Old Trafford, and then we know that Wembley will be sold out, and even just saying those words gives us goosebumps, but it was absolutely amazing so far, ”said 35-year-old English midfielder Jill Scott.
England and Germany were the top two teams in the Women’s European Championship, backed by the competition’s top two scorers.
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England showed something more in their run to the final. He demanded a late comeback and resilience against Spain in the quarter-finals and, once past Sweden’s aggressive half-hour opening in the semi-finals, he shone with the brilliance of a team worthy of the title. Sarina Wiegman’s magic touch: England have been 17-0-2 since she became manager, beating opponents 104-4 along the way; she also scored a perfect 11-0-0 in Women’s Euro matches as a coach in her career: it seemed to make a difference for a team that finally plays with the confidence, competence and bravado to match her talent. .
“I think when you’re having fun you play at your best,” said the Englishwoman Alessia Russo, a supersub with four goals and none more sensational than her instinctive heel strike that ends a rebound of her own saved shot in the semifinals. ” Perhaps [the back-heel against Sweden] show some confidence, but I love playing football. “
On the other hand there is Germany, a tried and tested group but also one that tries to recover some of what it has lost. Wiegman’s Holland won the last few Euros and the failure to reach the semifinals of the last World Cup cost Germany a place in the following Olympics. There is no better opportunity to reassert itself as Europe’s dominant team one year after another World Cup than by wiping out its best challengers to the throne. His perfect run through the tournament’s Group of Death, despite Spain’s key injury absences, and his semi-final win over France were examples of how he did just that.
Germany also noted how Sweden led the match against England to the start of Tuesday’s semi-final. And with Alexandra Popp (equal to the tournament lead with England’s Beth Mead with six goals) offering inspired play – in her first European Championship after missing the last two through injuries – and a merciless finishing touch in attack, the Germans they have the tools in their arsenal to make England pay for any declines or precocious nerves. It is true that England beat Germany this spring in the four-team Arnold Clark Cup, but the story between the two remains heavily on the side of the Germans and should require reaching another gear for England to complete their rise. .
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“England have been incredible in this tournament, every match has been dynamic, scoring a lot of goals,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. They are so confident and they know what they need to do, but the first 30 minutes against Sweden proved that you can hurt them and that will be our job. We will play in front of 80,000 or 90,000 fans at Wembley, most of whom support England, but we accept the challenge. “
However the final shakes up, it is the worthy conclusion to a tournament that has caught the attention of women’s football in England, whose growth has been on the rise but seems to have reached a turning point. The attendance record has dropped and those at home are tuning in too. The semi-final victory against Sweden peaked with an audience of 9.3 million viewers on the BBC.
“We said it before the tournament and we say it again every time we want to inspire the nation,” said Wiegman. “I think that’s what we’re doing and we want to make a difference, and we hope to get everyone so excited and proud of us and that even more girls and boys start playing football.”
England could play for a trophy, and that’s first of all, but there’s a sense that something bigger is also in the London air.
“I think it’s a very defining moment,” said Scott. “I think a lot has happened along the way that made the sport progress. It is difficult when you are there because you are logically thinking about the next game, matches, training, so it is difficult because we would already see all the noise outside, but the things we heard were positive, walking around the hotel, guys, girls, come and ask us for photos, it was really amazing. The top two teams have reached the final, which is fantastic, and I think it will be a very defining moment for the sport.
“I think it will change the game. I think it has already been, I think this tournament has already done so, but that extra step on Sunday could really make a big difference. “
But beyond that and in the void, there is the match itself, one with two deserving finalists performing at pristine levels. As Voss-Tecklenburg said, “This is a classic in football, England-Germany.”
And Sunday’s title bout is full of potential for another memorable chapter.
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