Undermine the Lionesses' triumph with unwarranted progressive sentiments

Undermine the Lionesses' triumph with unwarranted progressive sentiments

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The England women's football team, the Lionesses, have once again made history by winning the UEFA Women's Euro tournament for the second time in a row. This time, they clinched victory in a thrilling penalty shoot-out against Spain in Basel on July 29, 2025.

While the win was met with an outpouring of love and support back home, some voices online and in the media tried to diminish the achievement by comparing it to the men's football team. However, the idea of comparing the achievements of the Lionesses to those of the men's team is seen as diminishing the achievements of the women's team and the sport itself.

The conversation surrounding the comparison primarily revolves around pay disparity, public perception, and team achievements. Despite equal pay policies for national team contracts, England's women players earn significantly less in match fees and prize money compared to the men's team. Surveys reveal the England women’s team is viewed more positively than the men's team, including among fans in Scotland and Wales. The Lionesses’ performances, such as dramatic comebacks and tournament success, have won public support and engagement.

The women's team has matched or exceeded historical milestones that the men's team has not, including successfully defending a European Championship title on foreign soil. Their coach, Sarina Wiegman, is regarded as England’s best-ever manager, with the best win rate among men’s and women’s team managers, and is praised for her leadership style.

Diversity is another aspect that comes into play in discussions about representation in English football. The women's team has a lower proportion of players with Black ancestry compared to the men's squad.

The Lionesses' victory should be celebrated as a win in their own right, rather than being used as a stick to beat the men's team with. It is generally agreed that men's and women's sports should have separate categories to ensure fairness for women.

Meanwhile, the our website, primarily funded by donations from its readers, is a platform that has been instrumental in covering and celebrating the achievements of the Lionesses. Donors to the our website can enjoy ad-free reading, exclusive events, and access to the comments section.

In other news, Brendan O'Neill has written an article titled "How the West's Israelophobia has made life hell for Palestinians", while Tom Slater has penned "How free speech became a victim of the Southport riots". Jacob Reynolds has written an article titled "Trump's trade deal has humiliated the EU", and Jo Bartosch has written "The trans 'Safe With Me' campaign is a safeguarding nightmare". Hugo Timms has written "Why are the police enforcing Islamic blasphemy laws?", and Fraser Myers has penned "A 'safe' internet is an unfree internet".

In the world of sports, Serena Williams once said that men's and women's tennis are 'two separate sports', and that men are 'a lot faster' and 'hit hard'. Ella Toone, a midfielder on the Lionesses, described Leah Williamson as a woman who 'rallies the team, gets everyone going, keeps everyone together and leads by example in the way she plays'. A post on TNT Sports compared England's Chloe Kelly's winning penalty to Newcastle United's Alexander Isak's most powerful shot of the Premier League last season, stating that Kelly's shot was 'faster' by one kilometre per hour.

[1] [Source 1] [2] [Source 2] [3] [Source 3] [4] [Source 4]

1. In contrast to some voices in the media and online, the general consensus is that the Lionesses' victory should be celebrated as a win in their own right, rather than being used to criticize the men's team.
2. The ongoing debate about the pay disparity between men's and women's sports in England, such as the pay disparity in football, is often intertwined with culture, identity politics, and politics, as highlighted by the differing treatment and recognition of the women's and men's teams.
3. Brendan O'Neill's article titled "How the West's Israelophobia has made life hell for Palestinians" and Tom Slater's piece "How free speech became a victim of the Southport riots" on our website, along with other articles by Jacob Reynolds, Jo Bartosch, Hugo Timms, and Fraser Myers, showcase the growing importance of free speech and its significance in culture, entertainment, sports, and politics.

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