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England’s road to the Euro 2022 final is fraught with thorns but they are driven by history and inspired by the nation.


TEDDINGTON, UK – EnglandFriday’s team practice at the team’s facility was the most competitive by far.

According to the veteran Jill Scott and others were there, it was the strongest acceleration in the past nine weeks. Tackles are flying – Scott feels the full force of one-on-one with Millie Brightwhile Georgia Stanway Stick one on her as well. “Her tackles in this tournament are phenomenal, so I’ll take a few points for that,” Scott said.

There’s a big final on Sunday – Euro 2022 finally against Germanycorrect (LIVE at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+) – and that means there are precious few chances to impress coach Sarina Wiegman and force her to rethink picking a different team unchanged, so there’s little point. when the players keep anything in reserve.

Scott, 35, is the most experienced of this group and the personification of the team’s goals. She was on the bench most of the time but was used as an impact substitute in her eighth major tournament, along with two Olympic Games. The reception she received is testament to what she has done for the game.

Many in this England team speak of the 2009 finalist with reverence – they remember watching the broadcast of that final in Finland and seeing England go down 6-2. They are the more recent legends of the women’s game – they even have rooms named after them at their hotel in south-west London – who have been immortalized on YouTube and are who influenced this current crop.

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But there’s a wonderful cross-generational crossover in Scott: she’s been there through her days of poor funding, sparse crowds for league games and mismatched kits. As she talks about what it’s like to be an England international over the past 15 years – the experiences she’s been through and how she watched the game develop leading up to Sunday’s final – you listen. . That goes for some of the younger players, who learned about her brain this week.

“They wanted to learn about the history of the game,” says Scott. “I kept telling them that being in the final wasn’t the norm, it was far from there. But they were ready for it. The hunger and determination they showed – the performances went beyond that. this world.” Then comes the qualification: “You don’t want to put too much pressure on them, though.”

That’s the thing with this group – they are aware of their multi-level mission. Not only do they want to win Sunday and be European champions, but in the process they want to inspire the kids who are watching, while also building the foundation laid by previous generations. – from those who fought to compete in 1972 when the ban on women’s Football was lifted, over the course of the game becoming more popular and relevant to the current group.

Each of them is fascinating in their own right, and when they talk about heritage, it’s not the voice of the company – you feel it’s inherent in them. They know the importance of finding role models and being yourself. Come to Lotte Wubben-Moy. She hasn’t played in any Euros yet, but she has also contributed to this legacy. In the camp, players like Wubben-Moy, Beth England, Ellie Roebuck and Hannah Hampton had yet to compete, but were all there for the “cool off” sessions the day after the game. The players deep in this squad are an integral part of preparing the starting lineup.

After Tuesday’s game in Sheffield, when Wubben-Moy joined the team’s celebrations, she spotted a group from the education and social inclusion charity Football Beyond Borders. She gives her jersey to them, and asks them to give it to someone who deserves it. Elsewhere, super-sub Alessia Russo picked 10-year-old Nancy from her old Bearstead football club and gave him her jersey. These are all decisions made in the moment, but decisions that will leave a huge mark. That’s what the players said before the tournament started.

“The biggest thing Sarina said at the start was, ‘Let’s play for the little girl who wants to be in our place,'” Stanway said. “So I’m going to play for the little girl who wanted to play in the first place, went to training, loved it, dreamed of being in our place. Yeah, playing for her.”

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Emma Hayes talks about the legacy of Euro 2022 after England reached the final successfully.

Legends like Scott can’t help but feel nostalgia for what happened before. Scott went through the heartbreak of that 2009 final, but she often comes back to mind when she misses opportunities from their 2017 European Championship quarter-final defeat to the Netherlands and the semi-final. England’s finish at the next World Cup 2019 United States women’s national team.

This group? Well, she doesn’t want to compare generations and their qualities, but she loves this group.

“Just talking about this squad, I see people who like Keira Walsh and she’s a talented player,” Scott said. “People tell me all the time when going into a tournament, ‘You’re playing against the best players in the world.’ But I’m playing next to them every day in practice, I really believe in that.

“What people don’t see is their dedication – their whole life is focused on becoming better players. The mix of experience and youth is good too, but we have a team. special. The passion and joy we have for football unites us all.”

Listening to England on Friday, you wouldn’t think they’re under pressure. Stanway is already one of the stars of this tournament, and she has two top thoughts when it comes to allowing herself to dream of the final: first, she wants to win and second, she wants to hug for the first time. his parents. in six weeks.

Stanway’s thinking is the symbol of the group – each member has collective and individual motivation for Sunday. Generally they want to end the wait. As for them, all of them have overcome difficulties and heartbreaks on and off the pitch to be here.

Take the goalkeeper Mary Earps. She used to think her international days were over. She was third choice in 2019, and then saw two other goalkeepers advance ahead of her after that World Cup. She’s had her gritty moments when thoughts of failure flashed through her mind, but she’s stuck there – and here she’s a resounding first choice.

“I don’t think I really want to keep going back to the past,” she said after England’s win over Sweden. “I’m really enjoying what I’m doing now, I love being a part of this team and I love every minute.”

Beth Mead was heartbroken to miss a spot on the Tokyo Olympics squad; captain Leah Williamson played only six minutes in the last World Cup. Won’t allow that to happen again.

There are also struggles off the field that have been overcome, such as those of Fran Kirbywho over the past few years have had spells that stretch beyond the game heart disease and then fatigue. However, here she is preparing for the final after an incredible performance in the semi-final against Sweden. Chloe Kelly spent 11 months out of the game due to an ACL injury but returned in time.

And then there are those who want to make up for the previous disappointment in the England shirt. For those who have experienced the heartbreak of previous tournaments like Ellen White, the emotions became overwhelming after Wednesday’s game.

When Scott talks about her previous experiences, you hear her voice quiver slightly as she talks about the importance of her legacy and the people who have worn the shirt before her, and will in the future. But then there’s the competitive edge, and the focus on not letting this moment slip away and what she can personally affect this weekend.

“We really wanted to inspire the nation,” Scott said. “We’ve checked all of those boxes. Like I said before, all the players that have gone before, put on this shirt, the learning experiences we had as a team. players – this is for everyone, really, on Sundays.

“Everybody. .

“We’ve earned the right to the team go out there on Sunday and enjoy it. It’s been an incredible journey so far and hopefully there’s a big streak left to do.”



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