Don't look back in anger, Lionesses, look forward with hope

The Lionesses can look back at their silver medal with some pride in what they have achieved against all odds. Photo: Getty Images/Cameron Spencer

They say that history is written by the winners. And England looked haunted by such a thought as they soaked in the acrid taste of loss. There was a sense in the thousand-yard gazes of Mary Earps and Lauren Hemp that the players were watching their careers flash before their eyes and wondering if the chance would come again. Their dereliction must be temporary. The reaction of the vast majority of the nation to this result was not despair that the dream had died, but gratitude that it had come true at all.

«Let none of you feel defeated.» This message was kindly provided by the king. It was well thought out, bringing back some perspective to the grim idea that a moment 57 years in the making had slipped out of the hands of the Lionesses. Yes, losing in the World Cup final is painful. Just ask Sarina Wigman, who has been through this twice. But on a cold winter night here in Sydney, it was comforting to know that for this team, one result is not the end.

‌The average age of England's starting line-up for this final was 27 years old. This does not mean that the team is on the verge of collapse. Lucy Bronze, the eldest at 31, realized her own time was up and wept into her jersey as Spain's well-deserved triumph was confirmed. But for the teammates she will one day leave behind, the search continues in earnest. After all, they see reaching the big final not as some delightfully incredible bonus, but as the norm.

True, the thrilling Australian adventure didn't end the way the boys of '66 did. On the other hand, women in England were not even allowed to play the game in 1966. The Football Association lasted 45 years after a ban that lasted over half a century, and in 1921 the governing body ruled that it was «completely unacceptable». for women.»

‌In one fell swoop, women's matches were sent to public parks, unloved and unaffiliated. This chapter stands as a mark of everlasting infamy, placing the achievements of the English class of 2023 in their proper context. These young women not only raised the status of their craft, but introduced it into the mass consciousness.

Bars, clubs and even entire city centers were filled with people willing to spend their Sunday lunch breaks toasting the team that inspired the country. This is a qualitative leap and should be celebrated.

The final whistle could have ended this issue. The dream of the World Cup — but the place of this team among the fans of the hearts are sealed. Photo: Telegraph/Jamie Lorriman

The Prince of Wales did not go to Sydney, giving a presentation to James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary. But he did feel blessed amid the bleak scene 10,000 miles away, believing that England «paved the way for generations to come.»

The “glass half full” response seemed right in this case. While reveling in heroic failure may be a national trait, now was not the time to rebuke the Lionesses for fluffing up their lines when it mattered most. One game does not diminish the importance of reaching two finals in two years.

No one involved in this campaign in England should lose sight of how far the team has come. When Carol Thomas became captain in 1974, she still had to pay for her travel, including international travel. The production that Millie Bright is considering today in the same role is starkly different.

For the past seven weeks, she and her teammates have thrived by sparing no detail to protect their well-being and fitness. The once decrepit operation is now a model of agility, all made possible by sustained player success and a growing belief that women's football needs to be developed.

The revolution is more than a matter of perception. Since last summer's Euro breakthrough, domestic attendance has soared, with Arsenal alone reporting an increase in average women's goals from under 5,000 in 2021/22 to over 15,000 last season. This latest exciting trip to England will only increase the trend. Seeing the noisy English majority in Sydney desperately trying to bring the Wembley vibe to Australia Stadium is a reminder that there is no going back.

England, understandably, was not in the mood for embellishment. Earps, who channeled her inner Jill Scott with catchy profanity while saving Jennifer Hermoso from a penalty, said she wasn't into silver medals. Wigman, crushed by a fall at the last hurdle for the second World Cup in a row, admitted that the feeling was empty. But over time, her trademark Dutch stoicism will dispel all regrets. The lady of honor's promise can wait if she can channel this night's suffering into leveling up her team once more.

Some domestic reaction to THIS save ̠̠̠̠🥳

Mary Earps' hometown of Nottingham exploded when she made what could have been the biggest save of her career#FIFAWWC | #Lionesses pic.twitter.com/ImZyBPINCX

– The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 20, 2023

‌Throughout this final, they have worked hard to set the standards they have set for themselves. Spain were too skillful, too slippery, too adept at cutting 13 minutes of injury time by playing the game in front of the referee. It is noteworthy that their opponents claimed technical superiority, despite the fact that Alexia Putellas, two-time winner of the Golden Ball among women, remained on the bench until the 90th minute. And they did it despite Jorge Vilda, the manager, who was so unpopular that he had to dance alone during the jubilant team jig at the end.

‌Their house is still divided. Spain still hasn't healed the scars left by 15 players who asked last year not to be called up to the national team, their relationship with Vilda appears to be beyond repair amid allegations by the head coach that he refuses to allow his hotel rooms to be locked until midnight. . On the contrary, England has unity. Even if their work was not completed, no one doubts Wigman's job security or their invigorating team spirit.

The full impact of their joyful World Cup won't become apparent to them until they return home on Tuesday. They were sheltered in the camp, diligently protecting Wigman from any hysteria. But they will find out soon enough what a transformation they have made. Even the Bronze, embittered by how her mistake allowed Spain's Olga Carmone to score the decisive goal, will see her contributions at right-back inspire thousands of young girls to put on the England No. 2 jersey as a mark of respect. Then perhaps they will decide not to look back in anger, but to look forward with hope.

‌Gillian Coultard, who represented England in the 1995 World Cup, once called the players of her era «the silent generation». Their instinct at the time was to accept his removal, his exclusion from media coverage as his fate in life.How dramatically the clock has changed.Because today's Lionesses make a noise that demands to be heard.

‌The World Cup Final It can be a coldly binary affair where winners are idolized and losers are footnotes, but it would be humiliating to characterize this team in such a rude way Here in Australia, England has expanded the parameters of what women's sport can do, how much it can lift public spirits. They have earned the seal of royal approval, and even in the midst of short-lived sadness, they have made a real difference to the game.