From 1966 to 2022: two finals a world apart, but Lionesses’ win felt even sweeter

It had to be. Surely? Fifty-six years and a day after being at Wembley to see Alf Ramsey’s England beat West Germany to win the men’s World Cup, I walked with my son towards the stadium in a state of nervous anticipation before last Sunday’s Women’s Euro final.

As much as I cherish the memory of that historic day in 1966, standing behind the goal into which Geoff Hurst smashed his “they think it’s all over” victory clincher and then roaring like three lions at the final whistle, I felt even more involved and invested this time round as the Lionesses prepared to meet Germany.

Having reported on the national women’s team for almost two decades until retiring four years ago, I was now a fan (wearing the autographed England shirt presented to me by the players on bowing out) with more intense pre-match nerves than I’ve ever suffered before games involving my club Wolves.

England had been the best team in the tournament; but we were facing our nemesis, against whom we had taken 21 matches over 31 years to record our first victory in 2015. Before that meeting, the World Cup bronze medal match in Edmonton, Canada, we had suffered some severe beatings by Germany, most notably the 6-2 hammering we took in the Euro 2009 final in Helsinki. By that time I had become accustomed to such defeats. The first against Germany I witnessed, a 3-0 reversal, had come in the group stage of the 2001 Euro finals.

As someone relatively new to the women’s game at the time that tournament was not just a great experience, it also blew away any reluctance I had previously felt about reporting on it. I admit to having not been particularly happy at being despatched to my first England Women’s fixture, against France at Yeovil in September 1999. I knew