Lionesses’ triumph: England head coach wants more investment in women’s football to mark Euro 2025 victory

LONDON: England head coach Sarina Wiegman has called for greater investment in women’s football as her side celebrated Euro 2025 success at a “very, very special” reception at 10 Downing Street.

The Lionesses successfully defended their Women’s European Championship title with a penalty shootout victory over Spain in the final in Basel, Switzerland on Sunday. Having become the first England team to win a major tournament on foreign soil, the squad flew home to attend a reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock in central London.

The team arrived just before 7pm, with No. 10 decorated for the occasion with St. George’s flags – also known as the flag of England – draped over windows and bunting along the railings.

As Wiegman rose to speak to those gathered in the Downing Street garden she joked that “this is different from standing next to a pitch.”

She added: “I have to make my apologies (for giving) you lots of heart attacks. You all made it through and we made it through and that’s why we’re here now.

“The team is just incredible, we won the Euros but making the final, we’re already legendary, what the team has done and the team behind the team.

“Thank you so much for having us here. It’s very, very special to be here and to be in this very nice garden with the way you set it up with all these pictures, it makes it more special, it’s the first moment it sinks in a little bit because it was surreal what happened last night.”

Wiegman, speaking a few hours before the UK government announced a new package of measures to boost access to grassroots football, used the moment to call for further investment in the game.

“This incredible team won the Euros and then