Fresh from securing their second consecutive European Championship title, England’s Lionesses received a hero’s welcome on Monday evening at 10 Downing Street, where head coach Sarina Wiegman made a direct call for greater investment in women’s football.
The England women’s team landed back in the UK after their dramatic penalty shootout triumph over Spain in Sunday’s Euro 2025 final in Basel, becoming the first England squad to win a major tournament on foreign soil. Arriving in London just before 7 p.m. BST, the players were met by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock at a special reception held in the garden of No. 10.
With St. George’s flags adorning windows and bunting lining the railings, the Downing Street event marked the first formal celebration of a historic win that has captured the imagination of a nation once again.
As the evening unfolded, Wiegman addressed the gathered guests in a light-hearted tone, reflecting on the intensity of the tournament and the emotional rollercoaster her team had taken fans on.
The Lionesses’ return comes just hours before the UK Government unveiled a new set of measures to expand access to grassroots football. Seizing the moment, Wiegman reinforced the importance of ensuring that all girls have the opportunity to play the game.
“This incredible team won the Euros and then straightaway sent a letter to you, the Government, asking for attention and asking for access to football for all girls,” she reminded the audience. She added, “Steps have been taken but we’re not done yet, we have to keep moving forward and we need a little bit more.”
“We need some more investment,” she said. “We’re not there yet. In England we’re up there but England needs to stay the trailblazer, it needs to be the big example. The players first but also the FA, the clubs, the Government, the country, the fans — let’s keep being the trailblazers.”
“With grit, with determination and with skill. You roared, and I know I wasn’t the only one roaring with you,” said the deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner praised the team’s performance and echoed public sentiment in her own tribute to the squad’s achievement.
Earlier in the day, following their victorious month-long campaign in Switzerland, the England squad touched down at London Southend Airport on a flight emblazoned with the word “home.” Fans waited to greet them as they disembarked, with captain Leah Williamson and coach Wiegman leading the way while holding the gleaming Euro 2025 trophy.
The team posted a photograph on social media showing the trophy draped in an England flag resting on an aircraft seat, offering a first glimpse of their return from glory.
The homecoming celebrations will continue with a public open-top bus parade in central London. The procession is expected to travel down The Mall and culminate with a celebratory stage ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.
With their second European title in three years and growing global recognition, England’s Lionesses are cementing their place at the summit of international women’s football, but their head coach insists the journey is far from over.
