The Lionesses' Women's Euro Success Immortalized In New Documentary Film

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 31: Leah Williamson and Millie Bright of England lift the UEFA Women's EURO ... [+] 2022 Trophy after their sides victory during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final match between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium on July 31, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Sarah Stier - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)UEFA via Getty Images With women's soccer currently overshadowed by the all-consuming coverage of the men's FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Lionesses: How Football Came Home, is a timely reminder of how the women's game captivated England during a glorious summer heatwave. Six of the players - captain Leah Williamson, Mary Earps, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Jill Scott and Keira Walsh - contribute with their own recollections of the three-week tournament alongside journalists Faye Carruthers and Nicole Holliday. The players also take it in turns to reflect on their own individual paths to reaching the top using home-movie footage from their childhood. A young Leah Williamson featured on Lionesses: How Football Came HomeATTITUDE FILMS She admits, "I hate conceding a goal, whether it's a friendly match or a European championship final. I hate conceding, I always want to keep clean sheets." There are many behind-the-scenes moments of humour such as when the players recall how on the night before the final against Germany at Wembley Stadium, their sleep was interrupted by electronic curtains in their rooms which opened and closed seemingly of their own free will. The six matches are also interspersed with poignant reminders of how far the women's game has come in spite of the numerous obstacles hindering its development. From the ban the English Football Association placed on playing women's matches at professional club grounds, through England's first official international match in 1972, their first European championship final in 1984 and their previous final in 2009 when coach Hope Powell confessed not a single member of the media were at the airport to welcome home the runners-up in the tournament. Other former players, such as Carol Thomas, the first woman to win 50 caps for England and former defender Anita Asante are interviewed as well as Powell to give the story of the Lionesees' triumph a historical perspective, alongside archive footage of those teams and the conditions and apathy they encountered in their time. The film beautifully interweaves the match action with footage of the England fans around the country to capture the zeitgeist of the summer, from marches in Sheffield to the festival in Trafalgar Square to the viewing screens around the capital.Fans at the BOXPARK, Croydon watch a screening of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final held at Wembley ... [+] Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday July 31, 2022. (Photo by Rhianna Chadwick/PA Images via Getty Images)PA Images via Getty Images She also reveals Wiegman's final words at the team meeting ahead of the final which alleviated the tension amongst the players, "we don't need to win, but we really, really want to." "My initial feeling was one of relief but the feeling of winning has stayed with me forever."