More than just a game
Those history making Lionesses may not have brought a trophy home but they did bring, inspiration, pride, and determination home, and it’s stirred up a generation. Their World Cup journey from the group stages to their final game brought the UK together. There was that buzz in the air as people passed by with painted England flags on their faces and proudly wore their football strips. Random strangers shouting “Come on England” at each other. I held no embarrassment in chanting to fans as we grinned back at each other and fist-pumped the air. Whey, like a Lioness!
The Lionesses fought an incredible tournament to 2nd place. The blood sweat and tears that went into every single kick, tackle (and stomp -oops) were felt on the other side of the world. How they played as a sisterhood, and not just as a team, truly did show. It was a competition that had me feeling so incredibly proud to be me. I could walk into a venue that was screening the games and feel comfortable to be cheering on our women. Hearing strangers opening conversations with how well “we played” were comforting words. That small but impactful word “we” was definitely being felt, I felt united.
The goals that were being scored and saved each had us all celebrating up and out of our seats, we lost our voices and spilled our drinks over each other. Where were you when Chloe Kelly took that hop, skip, 64.8mph penalty into the back of the net? No professional footballer has ever booted it like that before. Seeing our 3 defenders causally play the ball back and forth to each other, as if they were having a kick about in their local park, to then nutmeg it through the opposition’s legs. I’m in awe of their talent, but maybe more so of their “off-pitch” behavior. As the Lionesses climbed further up the competition and defeated the other teams to the final, they’d be seen comforting the defeated teams in their loss, even asking the camera crew to “f-off” as the lenses zoomed in closer to the losing teams disappointed faces as they were projected onto our screens. The unity and compassion the Lionesses showed towards the other teams after a match, highlighted for me that this was more than just a game. For starters, I can’t imagine the mental and physical strength it took in the build-up to this game, and it would’ve all been built on sacrifices and relentless practices, with many missed family/friend gatherings, and moving hundreds of miles away from home, to follow this passion. And on top of that, being a woman in what has been known for too many years as being a man’s sport. I mean, it wasn’t long ago when the FA instituted a ban from 1921 to 1970 in England that disallowed women’s football. Talk about kicking down barriers! Of course, it’s not just a game.
The World Cup may be over for now, but the legacy of what the Lionesses brought home can still be lived on. Why not have a kick about? Or check out Disney+ and other streaming platforms of documentaries that have been made about women’s football -let them inspire you some more. Or grab a scarf and go cheer/play at your local women’s football club? I was gifted the most amazing Love is Love Arsenal football scarf recently, so I can’t wait for the new season to kick off again, as I wear that scarf proudly. There are the Olympic qualifier games too, the Champions Leauge etc etc…
One thing I’ve come to learn about the great game of football is that it doesn’t have to be physically played in order to show our support for it. I’m no Russo, but I did physically score a goal in a spontaneous kick about on the eve of the women’s World Cup final. The one in goal at the time may have just recently broken their neck and was under strict instructions from the consultant not to take part in any contact sports until December. Still, I scored, and I’ll celebrate that win for months to come!
Our support and solidarity for this sport means more now than ever before because it seems we still have a way to go with women’s football, which was disturbingly witnessed during the victory celebration of Spain winning the World Cup as the Spanish FA president somewhat tarnished their win by grabbing Jennifer Hermoso’s face, and kissed her directly on the lips without consent. Like many others, I am absolutely outraged and sickened by his actions, and I stand with the Spanish team in calling this out. I applaud their actions to have him banned, but also for them to be mentally and physically supported fairly. Abuse is abuse and their victory should’ve lasted weeks, but sadly it was cut short by misogyny.
The other controversy has been in that ridiculous decision Nike made to not sell goalkeeper Mary Earps’ jersey. Another disappointing blow. It had to be petitioned, called out by fans, and by a hurt Mary Earps herself, in order to be taken a bit more seriously, and despite these efforts, Nike has since made a slight U-turn on their decision and said they’ll only make a limited number of them soon. She’s Fifa’s best female goalkeeper of 2022 (and probably going to get that award again in 2023) but there’s only a limited number of this legend’s jerseys being made.
I’m learning that the politics behind football is a frustrating one and attitudes definitely need changing, but Serina Wiegman and her Lionesses are proving you don’t need to be egotistical to play it, and despite the hurdles they’ve had to endure, they don’t get bitter, they get better.
