As we hurtle excitedly towards the Cricket World Cup final on Sunday it is worth reflecting a little on another recent English sporting success now disappearing out of sight in the rear-view mirror. This one was not on home soil but in France, where England’s women footballers made it to the World Cup semi-final before being defeated by Megan Rapinoe and her unstoppable USA team.
It was unarguably a success story for the Lionesses, despite them not ultimately winning the tournament. It was a success because they played good football. It was a success because they reached the semi-final, where it took the best team in the world and the tightest of VAR offside decisions to stop them making the final.
Most of all though, it was a success because the team brought women’s football into the British mainstream and got the country behind them.
