It’s easy to understand why Gail Newsham can’t stop grinning as she prepares for England’s soccer team to play in the final of the Women’s World Cup
It’s easy to understand why Gail Newsham can’t stop grinning as she prepares for England’s soccer team to play in the final of the Women’s World Cup.
Newsham, 70, grew up at a time when women in England were banned from the sport — called football here — and helped lead a resurgence in the game once those restrictions were lifted. Now she’s getting ready to watch Sunday’s game against Spain on TV and hoping to see her team bring home a world championship.
“I’ll be wearing my shirt, I’ll be having a sausage roll and a glass of bubbles,” Newsham said, already sporting her blue England jersey. “That’s what I’ve done every match, so I’m going to do it again on Sunday and just, you know, cheer the girls on.”
She won’t be alone.
When the Lionesses take to the field, they will be backed by hordes of girls rooting for their heroes, mothers and grandmothers celebrating the progress that has been made since they were denied a chance to play the game, and rabid fans — men and women — from all backgrounds hoping that this football-mad nation can finally win a World Cup after 57 years of frustration. England’s only World Cup title came in 1966 when the men won.
If last year’s European championship final is any indication, much of the nation will be watching. More than 23 million people, or about 42% of the population, tuned in to see England’s women beat Germany that day.
Once again this summer, the success of 23 young English women and their Dutch coach has been a bit of good news in a nation struggling under the weight of crippling inflation, a health service in crisis and seemingly endless political squabbling.
Newspaper front pages were filled with pictures of England players Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo after they helped power the team to a 3-1 victory over Australia in Wednesday’s semifinal. Both King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak congratulated the team after the win.
“I feel like the Lionesses give us hope — to all of us, boys and girls, women and men,” said Huda Jawad, a feminist and member of fan group known as the Three Hijabis for their traditional Muslim headscarves. They provide “something to look forward to and to be proud of and to show that actually football, like society, can be joyous, it can be equal, it can be hopeful, that we can have community and friendship and solidarity.
