Football Features

England beat Germany to win Women’s Euro 2022 in record-breaking fashion

By Harry Edwards

Published: 19:40, 31 July 2022

England brought football home by beating Germany 2-1 to win Women’s Euro 2022.

One year on from the men’s side going agonisingly close to winning Euro 2020, England’s Lionesses, led by Sarina Wiegman, secured the nation’s first major senior trophy since the 1966 World Cup through goals from Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly.

It is the first time Germany’s Women’s team have lost a Euros final, winning their previous eight appearances in the fixture.

England have been hosts of the Women’s Euros before in 2005 but that was a tournament to forget as they bowed out of the group stage, finishing bottom of their group behind Sweden, Finland and Denmark, but for Euro 2022 it feels different.

In Wiegman, England have a manager that has won the European Championships before, leading Netherlands to glory in 2017 while also leading the Leeuwinnen (Lionesses) to the World Cup final in 2019, only losing to the all-conquering United States.

England’s path to Euro 2022 final

As hosts for the tournament England did not have to go through qualifying which meant they missed out on competitive fixtures following the end of the 2019 World Cup, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as the Lionesses went through a period of change. After managing just one win at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, Phil Neville left England at the start of 2021 and was replaced on a temporary basis by Hege Riise, who also took charge of Team GB at the Olympics.

But Wiegman had already been in line to replace Neville and finally took over after the Olympics, ending her time with Netherlands, and she’s had an excellent start to life as Lionesses manager.

The Dutchwoman has taken charge of 19 games since the start of September 2021 and England remain unbeaten, winning 17 matches (including one after extra-time) and drawing just two in the Arnold Clark Cup – which they still managed to win. Under Wiegman, England have now scored 104 goals and conceded just four times, including their three big wins of the tournament so far, not least the 4-0 thrashing of Sweden in the semi-final.

England were placed in a group that many expected them to win before a ball was kicked, and they’ve made good on that assessment after taking down Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland by an aggregate scoreline of 14-0.

England Euro 2022 group stage fixtures and results

6 July 2022: England 1-0 Austria

11 July 2022: England 8-0 Norway

15 July 2022: Northern Ireland 0-5 England

England’s route to the Euro 2022 final

  • England have secured top spot in Group A.
  • Quarter-finals: England 2-1 Spain (AET)
  • Semi-finals: England 4-0 Sweden

Records Wiegman’s England team have already broken

1. Biggest Euros win

England’s 8-0 win over Norway has ensured the nation have recorded the biggest triumph in European Championship history. Goals from Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Ellen White, Beth Mead and Alessia Russo got the job done on the South Coast on Monday night as Guro Pettersen could only sit haplessly as Wiegman’s side ran riot in Brighton.

2. First to score eight

Not only did England record the biggest triumph in the history of the Euros, but they also became the first nation to net eight goals in a single game. It was a truly emphatic triumph for the host nation.

3. First half flourish

On Sunday France set a new record by becoming the first nation to score five goals in the first half of a European Championship game. The following day Wiegman’s Lionesses not only equalled that record, but then set their own by becoming the first ever nation to bag six in the opening 45 minutes of a European Championship game.

4. England’s biggest scoreline

Naturally, the Lionesses also set a national record for their biggest triumph in Women’s Euro history, surpassing the 6-0 win over Scotland in 2017, a man in which Ellen White was also on the scoresheet, alongside Jordan Nobbs, Toni Duggan and Jodie Taylor, the latter of whom netted a hat-trick.

5. Biggest margin of triumph

Not only was England’s 8-0 win the biggest triumph in Women’s Euro history, but it was also the biggest margin of triumph, with the previous record being that above 6-0 victory over Scotland. Prior to that, the record stood at three 5-0s, coming in 2013 as Sweden beat Finland, 2001 as Germany beat Russia and 1997 as Norway beat Denmark.

6. A Women’s Euro first

Never before have two players scored a hat-trick at one Women’s European Championship, but that is no longer the case. Following Grace Geyoro’s hat-trick at the weekend, Mead’s match ball-claiming exploits on Monday now mean we have witnessed a first in the competition’s history. Incredibly, it has only ever happened once in the Men’s game, coming in 2000 as Patrick Kluivert and Sergio Conceicao got the job done for the Netherlands and Portugal respectively.

7. Most goals in a Euros group stage (team)

England finished the group stage perfect for the second Euros in a row, but there was something even more special about this one. Beating Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland, England scored 14 goals – more than any other team has managed in the group stage of a Women’s European Championship, beating Germany’s record of 11 set in 2001.

8. Most goals in a Euros group stage (player)

While all of England’s stars have stepped up, the Player of the Tournament was Beth Mead. The Arsenal forward has been phenomenal since Sarina Wiegman took charge, scoring 19 goals and providing 12 assists. Six of those goals have come at Euro 2022, including the most a player has ever scored in the group stage (5).

9. Biggest Euros semi-final win

At Euro 2017, England were on the receiving end of a 3-0 defeat against Netherlands, led by Wiegman – the joint-biggest win in the semi-finals of a Women’s European Championships. But that record is no more. England themselves have broken it, beating Sweden 4-0 to book their spot in the Wembley final.

10. Most goals at a single tournament (team)

England’s total tally for Euro 2022 was 22 goals across six games, including three matches of scoring at least four. Germany previously hold the record for most goals scored in a single Women’s European Championships, netting 21 in Euro 2009 but  the record is now England’s.

England full squad:

Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Ellie Roebuck.

Defenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes, Lotte Wubben-Moy.

Midfielders: Fran Kirby, Jill Scott, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Leah Williamson.

Forwards: Bethany England, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo, Ellen White.