England’s monster mentality
England have proven beyond all else that they are not a side to write off.
In their opening defeat by France, questions were raised over whether or not this group of 23 players were capable of defending their title.
After the quarter-final and semi-final, those doubts have been surely put to bed.
Not because of their performances on the pitch as such, but more so because of a significant shift in mentality that means they never know when they’re beaten. Reflecting on their win over Italy, Lucy Bronze told ITV: “We find a way to win.
“We find a way to get the goals and the ball in the back of the net. I’m so proud, we showed it in the last game [too].
“The substitutes make such an impact. We talk about the importance of them being ready — they add enthusiasm and tenaciousness.”
Going behind early on and having fans on edge for the rest of the 90 minutes is, unsurprisingly, not part of the plan for Wiegman. This side being able to dig deep in moments they need it most, however, is.
“I think every team should not know when they are beaten,” she told the media in her post-match press conference.
“[The performance] showed that when we do go behind, we’re not done, and we will fight to score a goal… we really had to play good football to score a goal.”
If they keep approaching games with this attitude, particularly a final against formidable opposition, there is not telling what they can go on to achieve.