Women’s Euro 2022 | The tournament that smashed the records

England captain Leah Williamson lifts the Euro 2022 trophy to the Wembley sky and lets out a yell of pleasure, swiftly joined by the opposite 87,000+ in attendance to witness this second. England are the European Champions for the primary time, and the names of their squad and supervisor can be etched in English soccer’s historical past. 

It’s a event no England fan will ever neglect – however even exterior of this nation, Euro 2022 is bound to be remembered for an extended, very long time.

Information tumble as followers flock to see Europe’s finest

So many attendance information had been smashed throughout Euro 2022 that it was exhausting to maintain monitor. Over 68,000 packed Previous Trafford for England’s first sport, obliterating the earlier report attendance for a Girls’s Euro sport. The report attendance for a gaggle sport not involving the host nation was damaged a number of instances in a matter of days.

Fittingly, the England v Germany last was watched by the most important crowd in Euros historical past – for each women and men. A complete of 87,192 followers crammed into Wembley Stadium to see England triumph within the Euro 2022 last, taking the whole attendance for the event to 574,875 – yet one more report.

Favourites fill the knockout rounds, however underdogs have their day

There weren’t too many shocks over the identification of the eight Euro 2022 quarter-finals, though Belgium sprang a shock by dispatching Italy and giving Sweden a scare within the knockouts.

Even with so many favourites progressing deep into the event, the group stage introduced loads of memorable moments, even for nations who ended up heading house early. Northern Eire’s event debut was rewarded with a joyous objective by Julie Nelson towards Norway. Iceland grabbed a late draw with France to protect a proud unbeaten report within the teams, celebrated in typical thunderclap-style by their followers.

Portugal had been solely at Euro 2022 after Russia had been disqualified, however they did their nation proud with an exhilarating comeback draw towards Switzerland. Even winless Finland gave Spain an almighty shock when Linda Sallstrom scored inside 60 seconds of their opening sport. It was a event with one thing for everybody to have a good time.

Beth Mead named Greatest Participant

We had been disadvantaged of a shootout between England’s Beth Mead and Germany’s Alexandra Popp after the latter sadly picked up an damage earlier than the Euro 2022 last. That clinched the Golden Boot award for Mead, who struck six instances by means of the event together with a devastating hat-trick within the 8-0 thrashing of Norway.

Mead additionally collected three assists and was named Euro 2022 Greatest Participant along with being the top-scorer. It appears outstanding that she was omitted from England’s squad for the Tokyo Olympics final yr – count on to see Mead in that Lionesses’ beginning XI for years to return.

Germany’s midfield star Lena Oberdorf picked up the Younger Participant of the Event award and the 20-year-old will hope to hold her aspect one step additional on the subsequent Euros.

Keepers catch the attention

There have been objectives galore at Euro 2022, though that was not at all a slight on the usual of defending and goalkeeping. Fairly the other, as a number of shot-stoppers turned in blinding performances all through the event, often maintaining the opposition at bay single-handed.

Netherlands’ Daphne van Domselaar was thrust into motion after damage to the skilled Sari van Veenendaal and excelled within the Dutch objective. Though Netherlands ultimately fell to France within the quarter-finals, Van Domselaar repelled them again and again. Nicky Evrard performed a equally heroic position as Belgium couldn’t fairly grasp on towards Sweden.

England might have solely conceded twice in all the event, however had been indebted to 2 big saves from Mary Earps within the knockouts. The primary saved the deficit to only one towards Spain, earlier than England went down the opposite finish and equalised. Then, within the semi-final, Earps produced a gravity-defying cease from Stina Blackstenius to protect England’s lead and earn a standing ovation from the Bramall Lane crowd.

The backheel heard all over the world

It was a Euros crammed with nice moments. Georgia Stanway’s screamer towards Spain. Alexandra Popp celebrating her first-ever Euros objective (swiftly adopted by her second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth). Julie Nelson scoring Northern Eire’s first-ever main event objective. Belgium beautiful Italy. France’s electrical strike power. England scoring a report eight instances towards Norway.

Chloe Kelly’s wild celebration might but be the defining picture of Euro 2022, however within the semi-final there was a second of footballing audacity that broke social media. England’s Alessia Russo produced a surprising backheel by means of the legs of Sweden’s Hedvig Lindahl, cementing the Lionesses’ place within the last and prompting shocked reactions not simply from these within the stadium however these across the globe. Even the good American participant Abby Wambach commented that she had dreamt of scoring a objective like that her entire life.

With one flash of unbelievable improvisation, Russo had written her identify in soccer historical past and ensured hundreds of thousands of younger followers can be practising their very own backheels and dreaming of someday replicating Russo’s strike on the large stage.

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