Tuesday 26th July
It was the Lionesses semi-final day in Sheffield! I got the train up and was there before midday (a bit early for an 8pm kick off I know)! There were England and Sweden flags hung up at the station. I went to the fan embassy at the Triple Point Brewery where I met my friend Chris. TalkSport were also doing their morning show there and I got asked if I would have a quick chat on air along with four other people. I got to say my name and where I am from to the nation but they didn’t have time to speak to me! There was a group photo when they had finished with Sam Matterface, Lucy Ward and the supporters who were there (I got to stand next to Lucy in that).
Again for a trip up north, I was staying in Chesterfield so I went back to there to check in to the hotel. Back in Sheffield, I went back to the Triple Point Brewery which was fairly busy by 4:30. It was in a good location between the station and stadium. By the time I left just before 6, the queue for the bar was all the way across the outside area which was also full. The stadium was about a ten minute walk away and I got there to see the team coaches arrive, Sweden first followed a bit later by England. It was raining by this point.
I was sat in the Kop again at Bramall Lane, this time near the back. The leg room was still minimal and there was a lot of standing up during the game when the fans in front of me did the same. Mary Earps made some good saves to deny Sweden before England took the lead when Beth Mead scored. 1-0 at half time but England scored a second just after the break when Lucy Bronze headed in. Another great save by Earps kept the score at 2-0. Russo scored England’s third with a back-heel nutmeg and Fran Kirby completed the scoring as the Lionesses won 4-0 and reached the final.
The atmosphere was amazing, the Sweden fans playing their part too singing and chanting all the way through the match. The attendance of 28,624 is a record for a Women’s Euro semi-final. It was one of those nights after the match had finished that I didn’t want to leave the stadium (the players didn’t want to leave the pitch either) and just soak up the atmosphere. I wasn’t the only one and there were still people in the stadium when I left 25 minutes after the match had finished.
Wednesday 27th July
There was a train strike and I had to get from Chesterfield to Milton Keynes. After checking, there were trains running from Chesterfield to London, and then London to Milton Keynes so I took my chances by going this way (I did have a lift sorted from Derby just in case). In the end there were no problems and I did the journey in about three hours! I even heard some people talking about Alessia Russo’s goal and the match on one of the trains!
My hotel was a bit out from the centre of MK so I got the bus to it. I walked back to the fan park though and that took about 40 minutes. There was a nice mix of fans in the park, obviously a lot of Germany (and their fan bus) and France fans, but I also saw some people wearing England and Sweden shirts. There were dark clouds looming but it stayed dry whilst I was there. The rain started as I was on the shuttle bus to the stadium and continued on the final ten minute walk.
Germany took the lead when Alexandra Popp scored but France equalised just before half time when the ball went in off Germany’s goalkeeper. France came close a number of times to taking the lead in the second half. Germany took the lead again when Popp scored her second. France were unable to equalise again and it was Germany who got through to the final to play England. The attendance of 27,445 was the biggest at a Women’s Euros semi-final not involving the hosts.
There was a bit of a queue and wait to get the shuttle bus back into Milton Keynes. I spent the time waiting on my phone after getting some signal back after having hardly any in the stadium. I had missed the last bus back towards my hotel so I got a taxi.
Sunday 31st July
The day of the final! England v Germany, so much football history between these two countries, and for me, the two best sides in the tournament! I had a mix of emotions. I was a bit emotional thinking about all those who are involved with women’s football (some for a very long time) and got it to where we are today, proud of the team and what they had done during the tournament and excited about the final and what the future holds for the women’s game!
I arrived at Wembley Stadium just after midday and there were lots of people already about, five hours before kick-off! I headed to the Blue Check bar and the Free Lionesses fan embassy, and it was standing room only in there! It got busier as the afternoon went on and was absolutely packed by the time I left just before 3! I queued to get a programme, a special one had been produced for the final. Looking back down Wembley Way, which was full of people, from outside the stadium was a great sight.
I was sat in the top tier but thankfully there were escalators up to it. The view though was amazing from up in the gods though (I wasn’t that far back, three rows from the front of the tier)! I went back into the concourse area for some food and a few nerve calming drinks! The teams were announced and Sarina Wiegman had picked the same starting 11 for England for the sixth game in a row at the Euro’s! I missed the pre-match show from Becky Hill, and got back to me seat just before the sides came out. It was another WOW moment walking back into the stadium and seeing Wembley full for the final! The national anthems were sung, Tiny Buzz brought the ball on and then it was time for the match to get underway!
Not many clear chances in the first half. Germany somehow didn’t score from a scramble in front of the England goal whilst the Lionesses best chance came when Ellen White shot over. 0-0 at half time and I headed back to the concourse during the break. Lina Magull shot wide for Germany before England took the lead in the 62nd minute when Keira Walsh’s wonderful through ball found Ella Toone who calmly chipped the goalkeeper to score. The majority of the crowd went wild! Magull hit the post as Germany came close to equalising. Germany did equalise in the 79th minute thanks to a nice finish from Magull and she run off to celebrate in front of their fans. There were no more goals and it finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. The crowd had been announced as 87.192 during the second half, a record for any women’s or men’s Euros finals game.
Extra time next then. No goals in the first half of it. The 110th minute and England have a corner. It is swung in by Lauren Hemp, Lucy Bronze gets a touch and it falls to Chloe Kelly who seems to swing her right foot and miss the ball, but the ball bounces off the goalie and back to her, she sticks he right foot out again and there is no mistake this time as she finishes from close range! The crowd erupts, the stadium felt like it was shacking! Kelly runs off, checking with the referee the goal had been allowed, taking her shirt off in celebration and swinging it around her head! Alessia Russo had an effort tipped over. The final five minutes were nervy, but England played some good game management, keeping the ball in the corner below where I was sitting. Germany didn’t have any chances to equalise again.
The final whistle went and the crowd went wild again. Three Lions was played then Sweet Caroline. The stage was set up for the presentation and the Duke of Cambridge brought the trophy out. Beth Mead got trophies for Player of the Tournament and top goalscorer whilst Germany’s Lena Oberdorf won best young player. The officials and Germany went along and got their medals. Then it was England’s turn! The squad got their medals then Leah Williamson was presented and lifted the trophy! The first time the senior women’s side had won a major tournament and only the second time a senior England team had won one after the men in 1966. The players did a lap of the pitch and then didn’t seem to want to leave it again! They were out there for ages having photos taken. I was soaking it all up again and didn’t leave for a while!
I queued to get into BoxPark (to let the queues for the tube to die down) and eventually got in. It was so busy, the queues for the bars where slow moving, so I didn’t stay that long and made my way home. What an incredible day! Not bad for tickets I bought over a year ago for £15!
Monday 1st August
A victory celebration in Trafalgar Square in London had been announced after the win for Monday lunchtime. I got there just before 11am and it was already busy and I got a free flag as I went in. I stood near the back of the square, a bit higher up to get a good view. Three Lions was played a number of times before the squad came on and it was amazing to see all the flags being waved.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan did a speech before Alex Scott came onto stage as the main host of the event. The squad came on to loud cheers and more flag waving. A few of the players did interviews, a lot sounding/looking like they had had a good time with the amount of sunglasses being worn. They were presented with the trophy on stage then the party really started with Sweet Caroline and what seemed like Lionesses karaoke for 15 minutes.
I bumped into Helen from The Women’s Football Magazine as I was just about to leave and had a chat with her (had meet for the first time at Wolverhampton before the first warm-up game against Belgium in June). Then it was over, the end of one of the best months of my life. It was amazing going to 16 matches, and I have so many memories from the games and the supporters of the different sides! In the end though, the Lionesses brought it home!
Written by Paul Donegan (@PaulDonegan1980 on Twitter and Instagram)
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