Football might just be coming home, after all. After a stunning 4-0 victory against Sweden on Tuesday, the England women's team will head to Wembley Stadium this Sunday for the Euro 2022 final.
The Lionesses will face Germany in their first appearance in a final since Euro 2009 - and, if they win on Sunday, it will be their first ever major trophy.
Manchester has gotten behind the team, with countless pubs set to show the final and a fan park ready to go in Piccadilly Gardens. The M.E.N. asked people in the city why they were excited for the big game.
READ MORE: All the best places in Manchester to watch the Lionesses in the Women’s Euros final
Nick Jenner, 33, a product designer from Stockport, said: "I watched the second half of the semi-final, after missing the first half because I was getting my son to sleep. My partner is quite into women's football - she goes to watch the City women's team play.
"We actually went to the first Euros game at Old Trafford against Austria, which was good. I think it's getting more popular, and will do even more if we win in the final. I don't know if more men will watch it, though."
Fin Neary, 19, a student from Fallowfield, said she watched the match at The Friendship Inn pub in Fallowfield.
"It was quite busy, lots of people watching - I was surprised by how many lads seemed to watching and enjoying it. I think the thing is with women's football - if you give it the time of day, more people will also give it the time of day - but when you're not gonna show it on TV or it's getting missed out, people aren't going to have much time for it.
"But it seems to be getting better, like the fact there's the bit in the city centre now [fan area in Piccadilly Gardens] will definitely make people pay more attention to women's football."
Asked whether the success of the Lionesses would help to get more young girls into football, M Gilsenan, 23, a bartender from Salford, said: "100%. When I was a kid, I wanted to get into football but it was very much that I was the only 'girl' who would take part, and I got bullied out of it.
"But now I've seen it get more mainstream, and it's always on the news and stuff. It's much more popular. Sometimes when I'm flicking through TV channels, you notice lot more women's sports and things like that. It'll definitely help more young girls get into football - I saw loads of girls in Piccadilly Gardens who seemed to be playing football which is nice. We'll be watching the final on Sunday - why not?"
'We all need to get behind them'
John Kirby, 56, a Geography teacher from Bury, said: "I'm a big football fan, I've supported Man Utd since I was little. So I'm watching this Euros because I love the game and it's a laugh with everyone down the pub and things like that.
"I'd never really watched the women's game before, I'll be honest, but they're doing so well we all need to get behind them. They might even bring it home!"
Beth Royle, 26, an accountant from Castlefield, said: "I watched the Euros because I thought it was good to support the girls - it's not been as heavily supported in the past.
"I watched the semis at Kampus, near the Northern Quarter, and it was quite busy. We were sat near the front of the bar, and it was well busy when I looked round. I think more people are watching the women's game now, it's gonna keep up on picking up in years to come, too. And the atmosphere in the stadium looked good on TV too."
Lorna Hale, 42, a HR manager from Chorlton-cum-Hardy, said: "I'll definitely be watching Sunday's final with my two daughters, they're five and eight. It's so good to see the women's team getting all this attention and support from everyone, it makes young girls feel like sport is a place for them, whereas when I was younger it always seemed to be a boys only thing. If we win, it'll bring everyone together and get everyone back excited like we saw last year with the men's final. I just wish we had tickets to go and see it live."
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