Women's European Football Championship | England celebrates its European Championship heroines

Prince William and Aleksander Ceferin conducted the awards ceremony at St. Jakob-Park with great restraint – the stage was to belong solely to the English women's football team, who were making history with their title defense. Only one player received a firm handshake from the royal family and the UEFA President as she presented the winner's plaque: Lucy Bronze, who gritted her teeth like no other in the 3-1 penalty shootout victory in the final match of the European Championship between England and Spain.

The 33-year-old is now being celebrated as a new role model, especially in the homeland of football – because she played the tournament with a broken tibia. "Nobody knew about it. It's very painful, but I'm going to celebrate," admitted the right-back, who collapsed several times on the Basel pitch on Sunday evening but was only substituted in the second half of extra time.

Bronze as a symbol of the English mentality

As the deeply moved, successful coach Sarina Wiegman handed out most of the compliments to her players at the press conference, the 55-year-old Dutchwoman suggested that winning bronze for the gold medal had gone beyond reason. "She had some problems with her shin," but on that enchanting evening, she became a symbol of an "insane mentality." Bronze, who was voted World Player of the Year in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, played 598 minutes at the European Championships. When Wiegman is knighted soon, perhaps England's No. 2 should also receive an invitation.

Bronze is still one of the best right-backs in the world, but she also demonstrated a host of other qualities at this European Championship: In the quarterfinal against Sweden, she bandaged her own thigh before a massive penalty miss, then gave younger teammates guidance with a powerful penalty. This experience, too, brought the "Lionesses" together, this time forming an indomitable community.

In her eulogy after winning the title, Wiegmann not only included her team, but also the press and Switzerland as a convincing and sympathetic host in every respect. Who would have wanted to leave the "most chaotic, craziest tournament" in sporting history earlier than necessary? England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton also resisted this. The 24-year-old, who was criticized on social media shortly before the European Championship for supposedly not being as good as the Mary Earps celebrated in 2022, not only kept a clear view of the Spanish penalties saved in the final. She once revealed that she used to be so cross-eyed that she couldn't pour herself a glass of water without accidents. Hampton was born with an eye condition and underwent several operations as a child. Doctors actually advised her against football because she lacked depth perception. "I proved people wrong," she said proudly.

Satisfaction for endgame specialist Kelly

Chloe Kelly, who had already scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Italy, felt a similar sense of satisfaction. The fact that the 27-year-old was given the role of heroine as a substitute, just like three years ago, was another fairytale story to go down in history. In the winter, the footballer, who was also visibly extroverted on the pitch, was no longer even in Manchester City's squad and wanted to end her career. "I've had tough times and I'm happy and grateful to have made it back," said the striker, who has blossomed again at Arsenal. It was perhaps no coincidence that she first delivered the dream cross for Alexia Russo's equaliser in the final, and later completed England's luck from the penalty spot.

Wiegman noted in a gentle tone: "Every player has their own story. I think that has to do with our team, but also with their character." After the coup against the world champions, the team will travel this Tuesday in an open-top bus in London to Buckingham Palace. Beforehand, King Charles III conveyed his "warmest congratulations" to the new and old European champions. For "more years than I can remember, the English fans have been singing the famous song 'Football's coming home,'" he wrote. The men's World Cup triumph in 1966 and the women's European Championship title in 2022 were achieved at home tournaments in the old and new Wembley, and now this team is truly "bringing football home."