I cried when England won. It’s been a long journey for women’s football – and for me

When the final whistle went at the end of extra time, I pressed send on my on-the-whistle match report, put my face in my hands and sobbed. Big, loud, heart-rending, back-arching sobs.

It wasn’t the first time I had cried around the Lionesses’ stunning, swaggering run to a first major tournament trophy, and I haven’t really stopped since.

It’s hard to articulate just how much this victory means to me. When I started writing about women’s football there was no full-time work available at any national newspaper for those wanting to cover the game.

I was asked to write a weekly column for the Guardian in 2017, on the eve of the Euros, at which Sarina Wiegman would guide the Netherlands to a home win. The headline on my first column? “England’s Euros adventure can deliver glory abroad and lasting impact at home”. My first interview? With Laura Bassett, the scorer of England’s devastating late own goal in the World Cup semi-final in 2015 in Canada, who was heading to the Euros without a club after the collapse of Notts County.

Fast forward and, 1,093 articles later, I’ve just watched the game I have given everything to build – and that I care about very deeply – have a moment that will transform it and in turn the resources and paid work available for covering it. Incredibly, it doesn’t feel as if we are at the summit but at base camp, ready to roll, with all the equipment needed to reach the top.

There are people who have been pioneering this game far longer than I have – on and off the pitch. I came in as minds were starting to shift in the industry. I could sight potential openings; not that it was ever about that. Trying to fathom the feelings of Tony Leighton, Jen O’Neill and Cath Etoe, who are among those who have