The England Lionesses have qualified for their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup final, and the excitement from fans is palpable – even days out from the Aug. 20 championship match against Spain.
To get there, the England women’s national team defeated longtime rival and tournament cohost, Australia, during Wednesday’s semifinal match, which ended 3-1. Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, and Alessia Russo scored England’s goals, while Sam Kerr scored for the Matildas, though it wasn’t enough to keep England down.
Their ascension to the final is extra satisfying after getting knocked out in the semifinals in both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. This year, though, they were ready for it. The Lionesses have been on a hot streak since last summer when they won their first major trophy at the 2022 UEFA Women’s European Championship. (They’ve also made strides off the field, too, advocating for period awareness in sports and notably ditching their iconic white shorts.)
“This is the one thing I’ve always wanted to get to the final of a World Cup,” Lioness defender Lucy Bronze told the BBC after the match. “After two times of getting disappointed . . . I can’t believe it. We all dreamed of being in the final and all of our family of friends have booked to stay here for the final because they believed in us.”
The Lionesses’ fervent fans are absolutely lighting up in support of the team, flooding social media with celebratory posts, including big names like David Beckham and Prince William. Beckham filmed a special message, shared by England’s national teams on Instagram, ahead of the semifinal match. He said: “Hey girls. I just wanted to say wow, what a tournament it’s been so far. It’s been so much fun to watch and we’re all so proud as a nation of what you’ve achieved already. But seeing you girls play as a team, it’s been really incredible . . . just know that our whole nation is behind you, as always.” And after their win, Prince William congratulated the team, tweeting: “What a phenomenal performance from the @Lionesses – on to the final! Commiserations to @TheMatildas , you’ve played brilliantly and been fantastic co-hosts of this World Cup. W”
Even the Spice Girls’ official Instagram account commented on a post announcing the team’s win, writing: “That’s Girl Power ✌?Congratulations @lionesses ❤️”
Tune in to watch the Lionesses take on Spain in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final on Aug. 20 at 6 a.m. ET on Fox Sports.
