England took home the long-awaited championship gold.
Afterwards, the celebration knew no bounds – and the pictures of team captain Leah Williamsson after the final whistle show exactly what this meant to the whole country.
England have not won a championship gold, either on the men’s or women’s side, since 1966. The desire for another success has been great among players and supporters, and the classic chant “Football is coming home” has echoed when England played football in recent years.
Wild celebration
Ahead of the European Championships on home soil, England was one of the big favorites to take home the most precious medal. And this time it would go all the way. But there was going to be great drama at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.
It was a convulsive first half, where both teams still had a couple of chances each to take the lead. But the clean sheet was to be broken midway through the second half when Ella Toone lobbed the ball over the German goalkeeper.
Germany then found an equaliser, and the match went to extra time. Then England found a winner through Chloe Kelly in the 110th minute of the match, and wild cheers erupted at Wembley.
Emotional words
The English ladies then managed to keep their opponent out of their own goal, and when the referee blew the match it was clear that the long wait is finally over for England.
A wild celebration, both in the stands and on the pitch, engulfed the whole of London and it was impossible to miss how much this meant to the England players and to the record crowd that made it to the arena.
Images of the joyous scenes were quickly circulated and the one that quickly gained traction on social media around the world is when team captain Leah Williamsson, with tears in her eyes, roars out her feelings towards her father in the audience.
The clip of the big star is truly heartbreaking, and really shows how long the whole of England has been waiting for this success.
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