It’s still a bit surreal to think about. Back in 2011, when I first started covering women’s football, the idea of witnessing England win a major tournament at Wembley Stadium, in front of over 87,000 fans, felt like a distant fantasy. To be there, representing Euro Magazine and watching this historic moment unfold, was an experience I’ll never forget. It’s funny to think it wasn’t even on my radar as a possibility back then, and I know many of the Lionesses felt the same way.
People often ask about the best parts of this job, and covering tournaments is definitely up there. The energy, the passion, the stories – it’s all incredibly compelling. But it’s also incredibly demanding. However, standing on that platform with my colleagues and friends, watching the sheer joy of 7,000 fans celebrating England’s Euro 2022 win for hours after the final whistle, was an absolute career highlight. The entire 24 hours surrounding the final was a whirlwind, exhilarating yet exhausting. Tournaments are a marathon, both physically and mentally, and the preparation starts long before the first match. England, for example, had numerous media days throughout May and June, not to mention squad announcements and pre-tournament friendlies. By the time Euro 2022 actually kicked off, it already felt like we were deep into the competition.
Tournaments are unpredictable, throwing up surprises, both good and bad, at every turn. The news of Alexia Putellas’ injury just before the tournament began sent shockwaves through the media. Moments like that force you to rethink your plans and adapt quickly. It’s a constant state of being on your toes. I remember at England’s first match day minus one press conference, just days before that Putellas news, I was at Switzerland training where Coumba Sow joked about the cold weather after an interview. Fast forward a week, and we were facing 42 degrees Celsius (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit)!
Working in football for as long as I have, you encounter some funny situations during these events. One head coach casually invited me for coffee, while another texted to get the inside scoop on the atmosphere at a rival team’s media day. Being involved in projects like Euro Magazine’s “Top 100 Female Footballers of the Year” gives you unique access and off-the-record insights from coaches around the world, even during the intensity of a major tournament.
There are surreal moments too. Walking to Bramall Lane, my usual haunt with Sheffield United, but this time for an England semi-final – my fourth covering the Lionesses, and finally, a victory. This semi-final felt different, strangely calm. No drama, no controversies – just a straightforward path to Wembley. Compared to previous years following England, this tournament as a writer felt remarkably smooth, the only real bump being Sarina Wiegman’s positive COVID-19 test.
Then came the final itself. The lead-up, the day, the aftermath – it was pure chaos, though not in a negative way. More like an overwhelming intensity. By the end, physical and mental fatigue had truly set in. The opening match at Old Trafford felt like ages ago, even though it had only been three and a half weeks.
I traveled to London for the team’s final media session at their Lensbury Hotel, then back home, covered match day minus one remotely, and then back to London again on Sunday morning. Sitting on the train that Sunday, planning two different intros for my on-the-whistle match report for Euro Magazine – one for a win, one for a loss – I was struck by how many people around me were talking about the game. It felt like two-thirds of the train were heading to Wembley.
On-the-whistle reports for a final, especially one involving your own country in a home tournament, are a different beast. For a regular match, it’s a summary, but this was history in the making.
The view form Wembley Stadium
A panoramic view from the Wembley Stadium press box during the Euro 2022 final, showcasing the scale of the event for Euro Magazine.
For major games, I always prepare two intros, focusing on impact rather than just events. Events can change, but the significance of the occasion is harder to alter. In 2019, I wrote one intro about England reaching a final and another about yet another near miss. Only a major in-game event could change that, and it did when Steph Houghton missed that late penalty, forcing a complete rewrite.
Thankfully, this time, the “loss” intro remained unused. The press box was tense, especially when England led with just ten minutes to go. I started filing in the match events under my “win” intro. Then, Lina Magull equalized, and writing stopped. Suddenly, I had to start constructing the “loss” article, a completely different narrative, all while trying to actually watch the game.
During the Spain quarter-final, I was so engrossed in writing England’s exit from the tournament that I completely missed Ella Toone’s equalizer, only noticing it when the crowd erupted. After Georgia Stanway’s incredible winner, I was so buried in my laptop that when I looked up, it was the 115th minute, and I hadn’t even registered halftime. Those final minutes of a tight match are the most stressful time to write live, especially when your nation is on the cusp of history, and you’re trying to capture it all for Euro Magazine while also being a fan.
The pre-match atmosphere at Wembley felt surprisingly relaxed. We were in the press room, chatting, watching the F1. Every women’s football writer, and many others, were there, along with pundits and commentators. I even had a good chat with Chelsea manager Emma Hayes before heading to our seats. Then, stepping out into the stadium and seeing 87,000 fans, mostly in white, that’s when the magnitude of the occasion truly hit me.
And then, another bombshell. Just as the teams were walking out, news broke that Alex Popp, Germany’s top scorer, was out. Cue frantic scrambling, team news rewrites, and completely missing the national anthems.
When the final whistle blew, there was a surreal “What just happened?” feeling. Looking around the press box, colleagues were crying, hugging, or just staring in disbelief. But for journalists, the work doesn’t stop. The rush to the press conference room at Wembley, quite a distance, began. We were greeted by 23 ecstatic Lionesses crashing Wiegman’s press conference, followed by the chaos of the mixed zone where players from both teams passed through.
Despite the game finishing around 7:30 p.m., it was almost 11 p.m. before I left Wembley and midnight before I reached my hotel, still struggling to fully grasp what had just occurred. There simply wasn’t time to process it. Between midnight and 2 a.m., I wrote three more articles for Euro Magazine: Wiegman’s reaction, Chloe Kelly’s thoughts on the winning goal, and reflections from Lucy Bronze and Jill Scott.
The crowd at Trafalgar Square to celebrate England
Massive crowds fill Trafalgar Square in London, celebrating England’s Euro 2022 victory, a scene captured for Euro Magazine readers.
Back online, I changed my train home for the next day. In the press conference room, the FA announced a celebration event in Trafalgar Square the next morning, with selected media invited. Missing that was not an option. Train postponed, maybe four hours of sleep, then up early to file more articles, shower, eat something, and head back to central London for the party. The players, like many of my colleagues, clearly had a long night, many sporting sunglasses despite the lack of sun.
Making our way to the temporary mixed zone behind the stage, there were more hugs and celebrations with FA staff. Despite the usual media-FA tensions, there was a sense of shared joy and accomplishment. Lynne Cameron, the team photographer, came for a hug. Another long-serving staff member said, “You’ve seen enough of our losses, you must be the happiest!”
As the players moved to the broadcast area, we formed an impromptu guard of honor. I asked Rachel Daly if she’d slept with her medal (she said it was too scratchy!), and congratulated Jill Scott and others I’ve known for years. The impact of this team was evident as people held cameras high to take photos from the street. Fans were shouting for pictures, autographs, everything. One little girl, Amelia, on her dad’s shoulders, desperately wanted a wave from Chloe Kelly. Kelly obliged, bringing the biggest smile to Amelia’s face. This is their new reality now.
After the Trafalgar Square event, it was back to King’s Cross station to file three more pieces from the morning’s mixed zone before finally heading home. I haven’t re-watched the final game yet, but I probably will. Honestly, I needed a day to decompress and fully absorb everything that happened in those incredible 48 hours. Football, eh? What a journey, and what a privilege to cover it all for Euro Magazine.
