England at the moment are back-to-back European champions after beating Spain on penalties in the ultimate of Euro 2025.
The likes of Chloe Kelly, Leah Williamson and Lucy Bronze became overnight heroes after bringing football home three years ago and now, their legacy is secure.
Interest in the ladies’s game has increased exponentially after that Wembley final and can little doubt accomplish that again after the triumph in Basel on Sunday.
But speaking exclusively to the Metro, Fara Williams, the Lionesses most-capped player, says there are still many barriers in place holding back women’s football, calling for more to be done at grassroots level.
‘By way of there being access into it, where the signposts are, learn how to get into it. The price of it after which having the appropriate environment whenever you’re there for these grassroots players,’ the previous Chelsea midfielder said.
‘I feel what the Lionesses did in 2022 was encourage more women to get on the market, and not only the youngsters. They’d obviously inspired the youngsters, which they might naturally do.
‘But I feel the proven fact that more women wish to get on the market and alter their lifestyle. And if it’s mental health and so they get out and do some exercise, it’s really vital that additionally they have a possibility and don’t feel like they’re too far gone from it.
‘The transformation has been massive. I feel back to after we were growing up when it comes to grassroots access, and even opportunities to be on a team, and even those that volunteer, that may wish to put themselves on the market and coach grassroots teams. There wasn’t very many around.
‘Just Eat with their Feed the Game program, you take a look at what they’re doing there, over 100 women and girls grassroots teams, getting kit equipment, coaches, facilities to play and all of that.
‘I feel the proven fact that that’s all modified is as a result of the success of the Lionesses. So, I feel that’s really in a great place.
‘Now, it’s about continuing that. Greater than anything, kind of constant, attempting to construct the fan base off the back of this tournament, attempting to filter it right down to the club, keep giving opportunities.
‘There’s so many barriers into football. I feel of underprivileged families, like I grew up in, giving them a possibility and a platform to play and express themselves. It’s vital that that’s accessible.
‘I do know financially with how football has modified, that becomes tougher. So it’s important where we invest our money and where the opportunities come from. By way of where can the sport go, I don’t just want it to rocket and take off to where the boys’s games are.
‘We keep it sustainable. We keep giving opportunities, and we keep developing. Hopefully, if we are able to really grow the domestic game, there’ll be less and fewer pressure on the Lionesses to sort of draw attention and funding through their success.
‘And as I say, with support from Just Eat and funding that goes in, it really does give women and girls the chance to only play and revel in, which is what all of us started off doing, right?’
Constructing on their long-term support for girls’s football, and to have a good time the Women’s Euros, Just Eat is providing training equipment to 100 women’s and girls grassroots teams via the Feed the Game Fund so that they can proceed to play the game they love. Teams can apply for training equipment at justeat-101.co.uk.
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