Euro 2022: Why you should be excited
Quite possibly the most anticipated international tournament in Women’s Football get’s underway this week, as Euro 2022, hosted right here in England, begins.
Women’s Football has been making waves for some time now, with the all-conquering Barcelona beating the record attendance for a Women’s game twice, and over 700,000 fans expected to attend this Euro’s tournament. The world’s stars are set to be on display, with several Ballon d’Or winners ready to showcase their skills in England. The next month of football could be landmark, for a sport already showing its doubters up.
The Lionesses
It goes without saying, a home tournament is a home tournament, and the England team is bang in-form for it.
Under Dutch Manager Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses’ are packed with star power, including all-time top scorer Ellen White, 2020 FIFA Player Of The Year Lucy Bronze and Manchester City superstar Lauren Hemp to name just a few.
Coming in fresh off beating reigning champions the Netherlands, 5-0, England are on a high, and will play in-front of a sold-out Old Trafford to open the Euros against Austria, it’s hard to not jump on the band waggon.
In fact, all of England’s games are sold-out, as hype builds across the country, and boss Wiegman says the squad is ready to go.
"You can feel that everybody is ready so we're excited to go," said Wiegman.
"We started our preparation in September and we have just worked from week to week."
"We will get a feeling of the stadium then we start tomorrow and I can't wait."
Captain Leah Williamson said her, and the team could not wait to get going.
"I'm sure tomorrow when I look back it will be a moment I will remember forever," said Williamson.
“It's a very proud moment and I will try to enjoy it as much as I can.”
England sit in Group A, with huge underdogs Northern Ireland, Austria and on the big favourites, Norway.
Star after Star
Just like every international tournament, this one is packed with footballing stars, from Fran Kirby to Ada Hederberg, to the best player in the world, Alexia Putellas. You can’t look anywhere within this Euro’s and not see players that can light up a game at any point, that’s just one of the things that can make the next month all it’s meant to be.
To name but a few, there’s Arsenal and Netherland’s forward Vivianne Miedema, who oozes class, taking over the pitch with shades of Dennis Bergkamp. France and Lyon defender, Wendie Renard, Captain of club and country, she was the first player to make 100 appearances in the Women’s Champions League and commands the back four, towering over attackers. Chelsea and Denmark striker Pernille Harder, who became the world’s most expensive player, when she moved from Wolfsburg to London, a poacher of a forward, but one, much like Miedama, who can drop back and created from anywhere on the pitch.
Knockout Football
Quite possibly the best thing about tournament football is that it’s all to play for, it’s all here and now and the stories it brings can lift nations. This Euro’s is no exception, with huge underdogs Northern Ireland finding themselves alongside the home nation and the power of Norway.
The Northern Irish team is mostly semi-professional, yet finds themselves alongside the best in the world, on the same stage, with the same chance of getting to get the promise land as the next.
There’s an underdog in every group, ready to compel and grab the hearts of their heart land, international football doesn’t get much better.
These Euros have the chance to captivate and continue to change the landscape of Women’s football. The hype is there, the quality is there, the tickets are gone, and the world is ready to take in four weeks of constant football drama. You can’t beat an international tournament, especially not one here.
Euro 2022 gets underway on Wednesday 6th July, as England take on Austria at Old Trafford.
