The Lionesses are demanding their victory sparks ‘real change’
England Lionesses have followed their European Championships success by penning a powerful open letter to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss – demanding that every girl is given the opportunity to play football.
England’s women beat Germany 2-1 in Sunday’s Euro 2022 final, becoming the first senior Three Lions side to win a major tournament since the men won the World Cup on home soil in 1966.
Addressing Sunak and Truss, who are going head-to-head to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister next month, the letter makes clear that they view their victory at Wembley as ‘only the beginning’ and should be the catalyst for ‘real change’.
It calls on them to help support their cause should they become prime minister next month.
‘We want every young girl in the nation to be able to play football at school,’ the letter explains.
‘Currently only 63% of girls can play football in PE lessons. The reality is we are inspiring young girls to play football, only for many to end up going to school and not being able to play.
‘This is something that we all experienced growing up. We were often stopped from playing. So we made our own teams, we travelled across the country and despite the odds, we just kept playing football.
‘Women’s football has come a long way. But it still has a long way to go.’
The letter goes on to demand that all girls have access to a minimum of two hours PE in school on a weekly basis, demanding that female PE teachers are supported in their delivery of football sessions.
‘We have made incredible strides in the women’s game, but this generation of school girls deserve more. They deserve to play football at lunchtime, they deserve to play football in PE lessons and they deserve to believe they can one day play for England.
‘We want their dreams to also come true.
‘This is an opportunity to make a huge difference. A change that will impact millions of young girls’ lives. We – the 23
members of the England Senior Women’s EURO squad – ask you to make it a priority to invest into girls’ football in
schools, so that every girl has the choice.’
"We see this as only the beginning."
An open letter from our #Lionesses… pic.twitter.com/Ty9kA7zgGa
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) August 3, 2022
The letter echoes comments made by Ian Wright, who also called on girls in England to be given more opportunities to play football in PE after the Lionesses beat Sweden in the semi-finals last week.
Related links:
- David Baddiel says it’s time to retire ‘Three Lions’ after England’s Euro 2022 win
- England to celebrate EURO 2022 triumph with Trafalgar Square victory party
- England stars gatecrash Sarina Wiegman press conference singing ‘it’s coming home’
