Latest news with #Euros2022
Buzz Feed
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Buzz Feed
Jill Scott MBE On Racism, Progress, And The Future Of Women's Football
Growing up as a Black football fan; supporter of Manchester United and the England national team isn't for the faint-hearted. Over the years, we have seen players and fans face racist abuse for simply existing, and unfortunately, in 2025, things aren't changing as quickly as we'd hope. Today, England has made the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 finals, and tonight I'll be fueled with anxiety not only with the hopes of winning but the dread of what will happen to our Black players if we lose. During this tournament, Jess Carter withdrew from social media after facing online abuse related to her skin colour. A few years earlier, Black players on the men's team endured harsh criticism for losing the tournament. This prompts the question: Why do I support a country that doesn't support me? Change doesn't happen overnight, and comparing 2025 to 2005, it's very clear to see the leaps we've made in diversity and inclusion, especially in women's football. A lot of the help has come from dedicated fans, as well as brands like Heineken, which have made it their aim to be at the heart of cultural change in football, proving they're genuinely committed to changing the sport for the better, both on and off the pitch. Speaking to former England player and Euros 2022 champion Jill Scott MBE, we discuss the evolution of the game, the racism still plaguing it, and the future of women's football. The Women's Euros 2025 has been an entertaining tournament to say the least. What has been your highlight so far?When I heard the record-breaking ticket sales, I think over 600,000 tickets have been sold, I think that just shows how many people are now wanting to come and watch women's football. So I think just being in and around the tournament, and just getting to meet the fans. Women's football now has fans who aren't going away. When I used to play, you would get fans that would just turn up for tournaments, and then it would drop off, but now the women's games have fans that are here through the good times and the bad times. That's definitely been my highlight. Who do you think is taking the trophy home tonight?
The Irish Sun
25-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
How England's cute cubs who dreamed of greatness grew up to be proud Lionesses on brink of place in footie immortality
THEY'RE the cute cubs who grew up to be the Lioness pride of England. Advertisement 17 Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman and her team face Spain in tomorrow's Euros final Credit: Getty With all of England backing them, coach The team's never-say-die attitude in Switzerland means it is three finals in a row after their This year they have flirted with disaster several times, going two down to Sweden in the quarter-finals before pulling it back, then winning a And against Advertisement read more on lionesses Her 96th-minute equaliser took it to extra time before Euros 2022 hero Here, as the big match looms, we present our heroines when they were youngsters. Midfielder 17 Georgia was playing alongside her three older brothers for Furness Rovers FC from the age of three Credit: NNP Advertisement Lionesses celebrate after bonkers Euro 2025 penalty shootout win over Sweden DYNAMO Georgia was on the pitch when she was barely out of nappies. Most read in Football Born in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, she was playing alongside her three older brothers for Furness Rovers FC from the age of three. 'When I'd turn up at games, the opposition would be like, 'Ooh, there's a girl playing', but I thrived on it.' Advertisement 17 Georgia was a key figure in the Lionesses' historic Euro 2022 triumph, scoring the winner against Spain in the quarter-final Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Georgia sharpened her skills in Blackburn Rovers' youth system, scoring 31 goals in just 14 games for their Under-17s side. She broke into the senior team in 2015, before making the move to Manchester City at 16. The tattoo fan joined German giants Bayern Munich in July 2022, helping them win three Frauen-Bundesliga titles and a German Cup by the end of the 2024-25 season. Advertisement Georgia was a key figure in the Lionesses' historic Euro 2022 triumph, scoring the winner against Spain in the quarter-final. Goalkeeper 17 Hannah was told by doctors she'd never play football due to a serious eye condition Credit: _hannahhampton / Instagram BRUMMIE Hannah, 24, is a Euros penalty shootout hero – but doctors once said she'd never play football due to a serious eye condition. Advertisement Despite surgeries and ongoing depth perception issues, she is at the top of her game. 17 Hannah won back-to-back WSL titles with Chelsea in 2024 and 2025 Credit: PA She wowed at Birmingham City and Aston Villa, then moved to Chelsea in 2023, winning back-to-back WSL titles in 2024 and 2025. Defender, Captain Advertisement 17 Leah joined Arsenal's Centre of Excellence at just nine years old Credit: leahwilliamsonn / Instagram ENGLAND captain Leah was a born Gunner and joined Arsenal's Centre of Excellence at just nine years old. Now 28, she joined the club's senior team in 2014 and made her senior England debut in 2018. But after the 2012 London Olympics she almost quit to pursue a career in athletics, inspired by Olympic gold long jumper Greg Rutherford – who, like her, is from Milton Keynes, Bucks. Advertisement 17 Leah almost quit football to pursue a career in athletics Credit: Getty Winger 17 Lauren joined Norwich City's Centre of Excellence aged eight Credit: lauren_hemp / Instagram WINGER Lauren joined Norwich City's Centre of Excellence aged eight, but the girls' programme closed down. Advertisement Undeterred, she went back to the boys' team at North Walsham Youth FC, and says it 'shaped me as the player I am'. Lauren, 24, was snapped up by Manchester City in 2018 and is one of the most feared attackers in the Women's Super League. 17 Lauren is one of the most feared attackers in the Women's Super League Credit: Getty Defender Advertisement 17 As a kid Lucy was often the only girl on boys' teams such as Alnwick Town Credit: lucybronze / Instagram FORMIDABLE defender Lucy Bronze, 33, began her football journey in Northumberland, enjoying kickabouts with her older brother. She was often the only girl on boys' teams such as Alnwick Town, but was banned from competing alongside the lads aged 12 under FA rules. She has played for Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Lyon, Barcelona and Chelsea. Advertisement 17 Lucy has played for Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Lyon, Barcelona and Chelsea Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Striker 17 Alessia's dad Mario was a record goalscorer for Metropolitan Police FC ALESSIA, 26, takes after dad Mario – a record goalscorer for Metropolitan Police FC. Advertisement From Charlton Athletic to Chelsea's development squad and a brief spell at Brighton, she went on to play college soccer in the US before signing for Manchester United in 2020. Joining Arsenal three years later, Alessia helped them win the Women's Super League. 17 Alessia helped Arsenal win the Women's Super League Credit: Getty Striker Advertisement 17 Beth was kicking a ball with the boys from the age of six Credit: Facebook GROWING up in Hinderwell, a tiny village near Whitby, Beth was kicking a ball with the boys from the age of six. Later her mum took a second job to pay for the petrol to take her on a twice-weekly, 45- minute drive to Middlesbrough's centre of excellence. At just 16, Beth – now 30 – made her senior debut for Sunderland, where she bagged 77 goals in 78 games. Advertisement In 2017 she joined Arsenal, and despite an injury-hit start, she blossomed after taking a wide position. 17 Beth bagged 77 goals in 78 games for Sunderland Credit: Getty MICHELLE AGYEMANG Striker 17 Michelle was playing for Brandon Groves AFC, at just five years old Credit: Getty Advertisement TEENAGE striker Michelle has become the Lionesses' secret weapon at Euro 2025. The 19-year-old supersub – whose Ghanaian surname means 'saviour of the nation' – has made a stunning impact in the tournament, twice grabbing vital goals after coming off the bench. Born in South Ockendon, Essex, the Arsenal fan was giving the boys a run for their money at her local club, Brandon Groves AFC, at just five years old. Vice-chairman and girls' coach Roy Enright, 45, said: 'It is fantastic to see her progress. Advertisement 'It is brilliant for the club here and for girls' football generally.' Michelle joined Arsenal's academy at six and has been a Gunner ever since, making her senior debut at just 16 in 2022. She will have to juggle her status as England's latest footie hero with her uni career at King's College London, where she is studying for a business management degree. 17 Michelle has become the Lionesses' secret weapon at Euro 2025 Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Advertisement Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Meet the Lionesses super-fan who spends thousands travelling the world to cheer them on - and even has her own themed pub in her garden!
A Lionesses super-fan says she spends £4,000 a year following England and Arsenal. Zoe Bleach, 42, has even installed a £3,000 pub in her back garden, dubbed The Lionesses Den, to cheer them on from Gravesend, Kent, when she's not travelling. She has a collection of Lionesses memorabilia worth around £1,000 - a dream for a lady who fell in love with the beautiful game aged two. Bleach speaks ahead of Tuesday night's semi-final clash with Italy, as research from Amazon's Chatterbox series shows a quarter of British women (25%) believe football is what the UK does best. 'I would say I spend £4,000 a year supporting the Arsenal and England women's teams - the game tickets and travelling all add up,' she said. 'For Euro 2022 I booked tickets for most of the games including the final. I basically took a whole month off to watch the Lionesses. England will play Italy on Tuesday night as they bid for a place in the final of the women's Euros 'I went to Brighton twice, Southampton, Northern Ireland and to Wembley. I spent around £2,000 travelling and buying merchandise on that tournament alone. 'My biggest ever football trip was in 2003, when I travelled to the USA and went on a 16-hour road trip between Mississippi and Washington DC to watch five professional women's soccer matches played in the WUSA league. 'I met Kelly Smith there, and I've never been so starstruck in all my life. I couldn't even remember my name. I didn't know my name, I didn't know where I was from. 'She came and spoke to us for about 10 minutes. It was such a surreal moment in my life. I was so excited to meet her because she was my idol. She is absolutely the best player in the world.' In 2023, Bleach and her partner Elizabeth spent five months building The Lionesses Den to watch the Women's World Cup, where England finished runners-up to Spain. 'It cost us about £3,000 and we have signed shirts from Beth Mead and Kelly Smith, signed autographs from Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps and pictures of me with Leah Williamson. 'The whole collection is probably worth around £1,000. 'It might have been a lot to spend, but we use the pub easily once or twice a week and we love it. I don't regret a single penny I've spent supporting the Lionesses.'
The Sun
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I worked with Chloe Kelly as a kid and have now spent £3,000 building my own pub to watch her at Euro 2025
A LIONESSES superfan who coached England's Chloe Kelly as an 11-year-old now spends more than £4,000 a year supporting the women's squad. Sports physiotherapist Zoe Bleach, 42, first met Chloe, who scored the winning goal in the 2022 Euros final, when she was playing at the Middlesex Centre for Excellence. 11 And Zoe told of her pride that the formerly 'quiet and shy' Arsenal star is an inspiration for millions of women just like her who are embracing the beautiful game. Zoe, from Gravesend, Kent, spoke as new research from Amazon's Chatterbox series shows a quarter of British women believe football is what the UK does best - rating it above pubs (24 per cent) humour (19 per cent) and moaning (18 per cent). The latest findings reflect how the Lionesses success has seen a surge in the popularity of women's football in recent years - and shone a spotlight on the game. Zoe said: 'The Lionesses winning the Euros has catapulted women's football in this country into the stratosphere. It's so nice to watch men and women supporting our girls, as well as the male teams. 'I have watched both for years, but to be able to watch women's football on ITV, BBC, mainstream channels feels very special. This is what I wanted since I was 15, and now I've finally got it at 42 years old. 'The women's team have all worked so hard. They had a passion when they were kids and they've managed to get all the way through to where they are now. They 100 per cent deserve it. 'I worked with Chloe for two years, and she was such a quiet little kid. She wouldn't say boo to a goose. If you spoke to her, she would almost be quite frightened. 'She was a really nice kid, from a lovely family, and a decent player - even at 11 - but I wouldn't have looked at her then and said she would be who she is today. 11 11 'I am really proud of her. Looking back at those nights in Uxbridge, playing after school and being dragged to matches everywhere, she has worked really hard to get where she is now. 'It's not handed to any of the girls on a plate, so they deserve it all the more.' Lionesses legend Chloe Kelly shows off dance moves with Man Utd star after jetting off on holiday ahead of Euros Kelly replaced Lauren James in the 57th minute of England's 6-1 win over Wales on Sunday, which saw the side book a place in the quarter-finals against Sweden on Wednesday night. Zoe - who has been obsessed with football since the age of two - spends at least £4,000 a year and uses up ten days of annual leave supporting Arsenal's ladies team and the Lionesses. In 2003 she travelled to the USA and embarked on a 16-hour road trip between Mississippi and Washington DC to watch England women play, and meet her idol Kelly Smith. She and her partner Elizabeth even spent five months building a £3,000 pub in their garden - The Lionesses Den - to watch the Women's World Cup in 2023. Zoe went on: 'When there's big tournaments, I look at the schedule and book annual leave right up to the final in the hope they get there. 'For Euro 2022 I booked tickets for most of the games including the final. My thinking was that it was going to be a great day whoever was playing in it. 11 'I've been to Brighton twice, Southampton, Northern Ireland and to Wembley. I spent around £2,000 in total travelling to watch them and buying merchandise. 'We started building our pub in February 2023 and our goal was to finish in time for the World Cup in July - I spent every day off working on it. 'It cost us about £3,000 and we have filled with memorabilia including signed shirts from Beth Mead and Kelly Smith, signed autographs from Beth, Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps and pictures of Zoe and Leah Williamson. 'It might have been a lot to spend, but we use the pub easily once or twice a week and we love it. I don't regret a single penny I've spent supporting the Lionesses. 11 'And as the research from Amazon's Chatterbox series shows, there are lots of women like me - who are having a great time supporting our football teams.' Amazon's Chatterbox series shines a light on the personalities and opinions of its 75,000 employees and acts as a modern-day barometer of UK opinions. Oxford mathematician and Countdown star Dr Tom Crawford said: 'The data obtained in the Amazon survey is a fascinating insight into the make-up of modern-day Britain.'
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Our Lionesses are underpaid unknowns no more! How little-known footballers have turned into national heroines - in journeys that have also transformed their lives off the pitch
Their triumph at the 2022 Euros turned England's Lionesses from little-known footballers into national heroines. And if the tournament made them famous, it also transformed their lives off the pitch. From lucrative brand ambassadorships with high-end fashion labels such as Gucci to turns on the red carpet in dresses worthy of a Kardashian, England's female footballers now enjoy more than a touch of glitz and glamour. Once badly paid and barely recognised – who could forget goalie Mary Earps complaining before the last Euros that Nike hadn't even bothered to print replica shirts with her name on them – the nation's female footballers now have a soaring commercial appeal. So as they prepare to face France at 8pm tonight in their first game of this year's Euros – and inspire a new generation of young women with their sporting prowess – Molly Clayton reveals which of our Lionesses enjoys the most luxurious lifestyle. The Gucci model Shoots for Vogue, GQ and Elle Magazine. Modelling for Calvin Klein. Gucci snapping her up as a brand ambassador. Clearly, as well as being an impressive England captain, Leah Williamson, 28, has a catwalk-worthy fashion career too. One of the biggest earners off the pitch after leading the Lionesses to victory at the Euro 2022 final, the blonde beauty has a deal with Nike and has collaborated with global brands such as Aston Martin, Pepsi, Walkers and Mastercard. With 1.1 million Instagram followers, she has new advert partnerships with Weetabix and Cadbury, along with six children's books, titled The Wonder Team. With the deals comes the gloss: her recent lavish Mallorcan holiday to an Ikos resort would have set her back in the region of £1,000 a night. She is rumoured to be dating former model and Miss USA Elle Smith – both have posted about each other on social media. Ella the business brainbox With her ever-present fake eyelashes and love of make-up, Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone, 25, often showcases her beauty routine on her own YouTube channel. And with a canny business acumen to boot, Ella has already shaped an enviable off-pitch career. The first England women's player to trademark her name, she's set up her own brand, ET7, which includes a football academy for young girls. The name is inspired by her childhood hero, Portuguese footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, whose own brand is called CR7. With some estimating her worth at more than £1 million, last month she set up her own creative agency, Amicizia, which aims to connect female athletes to commercial and marketing opportunities with top brands. Her sponsors include make-up company Charlotte Tilbury, orthodontic brand Invisalign and McDonald's, with her yearly earnings estimated as upwards of £200,000, fuelled by her popularity on social media. At one point, she was one of the top five most viewed athletes on TikTok. Ella has 737,000 Instagram followers and her own BBC podcast with best friend and fellow Lioness Alessia Russo, with whom she has appeared on the front cover of fashion and beauty magazine Elle. Ella loves nothing more than a red carpet bash. In a relationship with footballer Joe Bunney of Stalybridge Celtic FC, she regularly treats her fans to glimpses of their lavish holidays abroad and spa days at five-star hotels. Lauren's ooh la la lego Proving that every passion can be profitable, Manchester City forward Lauren Hemp, 24, has topped up her estimated £400,000 salary with a sponsorship deal with Lego. Devoted to creating Lego masterpieces in her downtime, saying it's 'the best way to relax', she's even made the Mona Lisa out of the bricks. Her other sponsors include Nike and Sports Direct. Lauren also has the support of her girlfriend, former Liverpool midfielder Ashley Hodson. Together for two years, the pair recently enjoyed a romantic trip to Paris, where Lauren saw the Mona Lisa in her more traditional setting. Shy superstar with an ex on the team Growing up, Lucy Bronze lived on Lindisfarne – also known as Holy Island – off the windswept coast of Northumberland. Her grandmother was caretaker of Lindisfarne Castle and today the outline of that building is tattooed on Lucy's wrist. Shy into adulthood, she was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in 2021. But neither her isolated upbringing nor her neurodiversity held her back. Rather, she's said she uses the intense focus associated with her conditions to her advantage – and now the 33-year-old is one of the biggest earners in the game. She reportedly took home £200,000 a year while playing at Barcelona before her move to Chelsea in 2024. Big money deals followed her triumph at the last Euros, with Pepsi, EE, Klarna and Visa among her backers. Her former girlfriend is fellow Lioness Keira Walsh. Fashion week regular She earned almost £2 million in 2023 alone, according to Forbes magazine. That same year, Alessia Russo's transfer from Manchester United to Arsenal made her one of the most expensive female footballers on the planet. Her contract is said to be worth more than £500,000 a year and her commercial appeal is just as lucrative. She has deals with Gucci, Adidas, PlayStation, Beats by Dr Dre and last month was gifted an MGS5 EV car, which she proudly showed off on Instagram. A regular at London Fashion Week, Alessia, 26, has appeared on the cover of magazines such as Women's Health. The BAFTA TV Awards in May saw her in a £1,295 Roland Mouret dress, right. Revealing outfits... on pitch too! Hair scraped back and with braces on her teeth, Chloe Kelly scored that late winning goal against Germany at Wembley in 2022, famously taking off her top in celebration. Since then, she has revelled in her success with a glossy makeover. Gone are the braces, replaced with a sparkling smile worthy of social media. Her eyebrows have had the Ombre treatment – a £350 semi-permanent procedure where tiny needles put pigment in the skin. She's also turned heads in daringly revealing outfits (cut-out panels are very much Chloe's style) on red carpets that range from the MTV awards to the Baftas. From the latter, she shared pictures from her 'gifted' night at a swanky central London hotel, and her accompanying hair and make-up experience with her 962,000 Instagram followers. She's also done fashion shoots wearing Prada and Versace, looking every inch an accomplished model. Last year she married her long-term partner Scott Moore in a lavish ceremony at Merrydale Manor in Cheshire wearing a £15,000 Galia Lahav wedding dress, with see-through lace panels on each side. Little wonder, then, that Chloe's earning power has boomed: there's been a deal with Land Rover, Nike have made her a brand ambassador and she partners with The Gym Kitchen and Doritos. And this week, she signed a deal with Arsenal believed to be worth £150,000 a year. In 2023, Chloe was the only Lioness to make it onto the Women's World Cup highest paid list, with a claim she earns £933,500 a year. Burberry clad goalie Hannah Hampton – the long-haired goalkeeper with the girl-next-door looks – certainly has big shoes to fill after Mary Earps surprisingly announced her retirement from the squad last month. The 24-year-old Chelsea player has posed in Burberry for Elle magazine and counts Nike and Extra chewing gum among her corporate sponsors. She also works with Birmingham Children's Hospital after enduring numerous eye operations as a child to cure a squint. Hannah was told she would never be a professional sports player. 'I've gone through life proving people wrong,' she said recently, words that inspired devotion among her 228,000 Instagram followers. Her relationship status isn't known. Dubai devotee She never travels without her Louis Vuitton luggage, can often be seen posing in a Maybach car, and enjoys swanky trips to Dubai, staying at the luxury Five resort there. Chelsea star Lauren James, 23, has treated herself to some of the finer things in life since her key role in the Lionesses' 2023 World Cup campaign. While her relationship status isn't known, she's close to her older brother Reece, who plays for the Chelsea men's team. She has commercial deals with Nike, Google Pixel, Optimum Nutrition, Sure deodorant and Walkers. The superstar siblings often attend red carpet events together. But while she is reportedly on £350,000 a year at Chelsea, Reece earns £250,000 a week. Kooky style So devoted is she to tattoos that midfielder Georgia Stanway, 26, not only has around 100 of her own inkings, but she's also learned to tattoo other people. The Bayern Munich star's kooky style has won her sponsors including Nike and an advertising deal with Celsius drinks, who featured on her Instagram page, where she has 433,000 followers. Off the pitch, she's been with Toulouse rugby league player Olly Ashall-Bott since 2022.
