Mickey Ambrose is still enjoying a triumphant glow after England women’s Euro win. Can the men now learn from it?

Bloody hell our girls have only gone and done it!

Ecstasy. Records tumbled, emotions raged and hearts burst as England, with a first international goal from Chloe Kelly, defeated the eight-time champions Germany and were crowned 2022 champions of Europe thanks to inspirational manager Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to victory last time around.

The Lionesses brought home their first ever major silverware and England’s first since 1966 when the men won the World Cup. I was then five-years-old, living in Poplar!

But this win was not without drama. Ella Toone’s stunning second-half chip over Merle Frohms looked to have been enough but Lina Magull equalised for Germany. With penalties looming ominously, Kelly pounced, turning in from close range to steal the headlines after battling back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ended her Olympic dream and threatened her European one.

Whipping her shirt off in celebration, replicating the historic image of the USA forward Brandi Chastain in the 1999 Women’s World Cup final that helped the game explode in the US, Kelly pointed to the revolution that the Lionesses have kick-started in England.

It was a record crowd for a European Championship final of 87,192, beating the 79,115 set in the men’s final in 1964 and also topping the 80,203 that watched the 2012 Olympic gold-medal match to set a record for a women’s international in England. That was added to the six Women’s European Championship attendance records that had tumbled with each round of this tournament.

The public impact of the tournament was exemplified by tube trains heading to northwest London crowded with England shirts from before midday. Hours before kick-off Wembley Way was flooded with fans. Amid the carnival-like vibes were whispers of nerves and heightened emotions from those deeply invested in the development of the women’s game – including the families of some of the players who had ducked out of the ground to soak up the atmosphere.

This was the final that Euro 2022 deserved, the two best teams in the tournament pitted together and a tie steeped in history. For England, it was a chance to prove the gap between the European powerhouse and the home team had closed in the 13 years since their 6-2 final defeat at the hands of Germany.

Women’s football has come a long way since the Women’s Super League with the first game kicking off on the 13 April 2011 between Chelsea and Arsenal.

Now we look to the men to maintain these winning ways when the FIFA World Cup 2022 kicks off. Hosts Qatar take on Ecuador on Sunday 20 November 2022, at 7pm.

Following the excitement of the Lionesses’ victory in the Euros it was back to the domestic league with West Ham losing both their opening games against Premier Champions Manchester City, going down 2-0 and then 1-0 to the new boys Nottingham Forest who were playing their first Premier League game at home since 1999.

One of their most charismatic managers of all time and one of the greatest managers of the English game – the late Brian Clough – steered Forest to two consecutive European Cups (in 1979 and 1980) and two League Cups (1978 and 1979) and a further two more League Cups(1989 and 1990). He would be so happy to see the club back in the big time. Let’s hope they can capitalise on this initial victory and remain in the division.

As for West Ham, don’t despair, at least they created chances but David Moyes and his backroom staff will be scratching their heads to try and work out how they did not score again in this emotional game with the atmosphere raucous long before kick-off at the City ground.

The Hammers hit the post, bar, had a goal disallowed, and Zouma’s header was cleared off the line by Neco Williams. Iit just wouldn’t go in and, to cap it all, they missed a penalty!

Finally, what the hell is going on at Manchester United? Dire Straits were a British rock band who had a hit with, dare I say it, ‘Money For Nothing’. According to Gary Neville that is exactly what the fans got against Brentford in their 4-0 thrashing.

WELCOME BACK TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Mickey Ambrose is a former Chelsea and Charlton player who lives in Stratford

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