Lionesses could rule the world
ENGLAND’S women are capable of upsetting the world’s No.1 side at Wembley on Friday — and can lay down a marker for next year’s World Cup in Australia.
That is the warning from former US great Kristine Lilly, the world’s mostcapped footballer who played 354 times for her country over 23 years.
She also won two World Cup titles — and witnessed the transformation of the women’s game in the country.
Now she believes that England’s Euro heroes can continue to do likewise on this side of the Atlantic.
“Winning tournaments changes things,” she said.
“We saw it in the USA when we won the World Cup in 1991 and 1999.
“From our 1999 win, we saw a massive acceleration of interest in the game.
“That’s why I would very much compare that with what England achieved this summer in the Euros.
“You’re seeing so many more young girls wanting to play the game and so many more people coming to watch matches in your domestic league.
“When you win huge competitions then things happen pretty quickly.”
Like that USA side, which contained the likes of Lilly and Mia Hamm — still one of the most recognisable names in the sport — England also boast some of the biggest names on the planet.
That includes defender Lucy Bronze who, like Lilly, played for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
“She’s one of the best players in the world, there’s no doubt about that,” says Lilly. “She’s a North Carolina girl, like me!
“But it’s not just her, there’s talent throughout that side.
“Look at Alessia Russo, her backheel in the Euros was fantastic.”
England wins against the USA are rare, the most recent coming back in 2017 when a last-minute goal from Ellen White secured a 1-0 win in the SheBelieves Cup in New Jersey.