Sarina Wiegman said England’s 4-0 win over Sweden will resonate “all over Europe and the world” as she urged her players to “write history” in Sunday’s European Championship Final.
Germany or France stand in the way of the Lionesses winning a first Euros, after Wiegman’s side thrashed Sweden at Bramall Lane last night.
The Swedes were the highest-ranked side in the tournament, second only to the USA in the world rankings, but they were dismantled in style by England, with Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo and Fran Kirby on the scoresheet.
Wiegman who guided her native Netherlands to glory on home soil in Euro 2017, said her squad still have work to do to realise their dream.
“We’ll celebrate now, but before this tournament we had a dream,” Wiegman said. “We’ve come very far now and no one can take it away. We played so much better in the second half and it was such a good performance.
“This result will go all over Europe and the world. It was such a performance that tomorrow everyone will talk about us. I think we have shown that we are very resilient. I don’t think we started the game well, but still we found a way. [The media asked], ‘Are you ready to write history?’ This is history,” Wiegman added.
“We said before the tournament and throughout that we want to inspire the nation, I think that’s what we’re doing and making a difference. The whole country is proud of us and even more girls and boys will want to play football.”
The result was the biggest margin of victory in any Euros semi-final — men’s or women’s — and sets up England’s first final since 2009, when they lost against Germany, who face France in Milton Keynes tonight.
Substitute Russo stole the show with an audacious back-heel through the legs of Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl to make it 3-0, while Mead continued to march towards the Golden Boot by opening the scoring with her sixth goal of the tournament.
Bronze’s header at the start of the second half gave England a cushion and Kirby wrapped up the scoring with a fine lob.
There were wild scenes at full-time in front of a record crowd for a women’s Euros semi-final of 28,624 in Sheffield, with some players in tears and the squad dancing to Sweet Caroline, the anthem of a second successive English summer.
Captain Leah Williamson urged the squad and the country to enjoy Sunday’s showpiece.
“I am not much of a smiler pre-game, I keep it pretty game-face, because I am focused, but the last two national anthems I can’t help but smile because it feels amazing,” she said. “And this is what I mean, I know I have a job to do, but who says I can’t enjoy those moments and the team can’t enjoy those moments?
“That’s what I hope that we are giving off, that vibe, because that’s what it is. It’s genuine and the crowd can enjoy that with us. I hope the crowd at Wembley is going to have as good as a time as we are going to have, because, I promise you, we will enjoy it.”
Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson said: “In the first 25 minutes, we had chances. We had the more dangerous chances to score first. It would have given the game a different outlook.”
