England’s top 5 stars of Euro 2022

The Wembley pitch is now glitter-free but the Lionesses were still sparkling in Trafalgar Square in front of the thousands who gathered on Monday to celebrate with the Euro 2022 champions.

It took a full-squad effort to lift the trophy. Sarina Wiegman never altered her starting XI, but it was often players on her deep bench who provided England’s most dramatic moments, no more so than Chloe Kelly’s championship decider, while understated anchors carried the squad all the way to the Lionesses’ first major title.

Here, the PA news agency picks out England’s top five stars of the tournament.

It was impossible for Mead to single-handedly carry all the trophies she collected on Sunday night. By the time she boarded the bus back to Lionesses HQ, Mead had clinched the Golden Boot and could call herself both European champion and Player of the Tournament after finishing the competition with six goals and five assists – also the competition’s number-one provider – across England’s perfect run to the title. It was the ultimate end to a redemption arc for the resilient Arsenal striker, who was entirely left off Team GB’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic squad.

The Lionesses’ consistent, collected midfielder was named Player of the Match after the final, an honour that led captain Leah Williamson to tweet: “Finally. Put some respect on her name”. Walsh’s ball control and ability to find team-mates anywhere on the pitch, including the pinpoint through-ball that led to Ella Toone’s opener in the title clash, was unmatched throughout these Euros. Walsh also tied team-mate Fran Kirby and Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani for the second-most assists of the tournament and covered the fourth-most distance of any player.

Bright’s formidable presence at the back