Sarina Wiegman believes the Lionesses have inspired the whole of England by winning Euro 2025.
England won the tournament in Switzerland on Sunday after beating Spain on penalties in the final.
It was the third game in a row that England came from behind to win, with Wiegman admitting the tournament was “crazy and chaos”.
The Lionesses battled through adversity to retain the European crown they won three years ago on home soil—and Wiegman believes that will have a transformative effect.
We know with winning, and now again winning the Euros, that makes change and inspires people
“We’re England and we want to win, but there’s so much more than winning a game,” said Wiegman, who was speaking to the Lionesses’ media channels.
“Of course, we know with winning and now again winning the Euros, that makes change. It inspires people.
“Young kids but also you see so many people that you inspire – not just little girls but little boys and grandads and grandmas and whole families, in England but also beyond.
“I feel this tournament was crazy and chaos on the pitch. I think off the pitch, everything was pretty calm.
“Also in the three games, we came behind – we came from 1-0 or even 2-0 down – I think that shows so much quality of the players.
“The team showed so much resilience but also belief: belief that we can turn things around and we can win by any means. That’s also the words they used. That’s what we showed over and over again.
“The bonding in this team has been incredible. Everyone was ready to play, everyone showed up and everyone has had a contribution to the team on and off the pitch.
“Of course, for the wider public, not everyone has been visible because of not having that many minutes or having no minutes but everyone had such a contribution to the team and showed value.”
England celebrated on Sunday night at their team hotel in Zurich, before flying back home on Monday afternoon for a parade on Tuesday.
The Lionesses players partied until the early hours of the morning, with Wiegman admitting she joined in the fun.
“I feel very good,” said Wiegman. “I feel a little bit tired because we didn’t get that much sleep but I feel most of all, a lot of pride of the team.
“A new England, going into a new tournament and then finishing again with the cup. That’s just incredible.
“During the tournament, we go the group stage, then you go to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final and you have these really small, like an hour, nice celebrations, you be happy with what we have accomplished and then move on.
“But now, when you win the final - and it was so tough and such a tight game and everyone was so exhausted - then the relief and the happiness was so huge that we were ready to celebrate.
“I’ve seen a lot of dancing, a lot of singing, happy people, happy players, happy families. It was lovely.”
