Just over a year after the England men’s team reached a major European final at Wembley, the women have earned the right to go one better.
Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses will meet Germany in a historic Euro 2022 final at Wembley this weekend with every chance of breaking a sequence of three successive runner-up positions in major championships.
England secured their spot in the final in exhilarating fashion, dispatching Sweden 4-0 on a memorable night at Bramall Lane.
The third goal, an audacious backheel from Alessia Russo, summed up a euphoric evening which left home fans belting out “Sweet Caroline” as they dreamed of glory – here’s when to see the Lionesses in the final.
What time is the Euro 2022 final?
The Euro 2022 final between England and Germany kicks off at 5.00pm on Sunday 31 July at Wembley Stadium.
It is being broadcast live on BBC One, with the build-up starting from 3.50pm, while you can watch live online via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
The live coverage will be presented by Gabby Logan, who will be joined by Alex Scott and Ian Wright in the studio, while commentary comes from Robyn Cowen and Rachel Brown Finnis.
What can you expect from the Euro 2022 final?
Germany – who booked their place at Wembley with a semi-final victory over France – are a powerhouse of European women’s football, having won all eight finals it has played – and they crushed England 6-2 in the 2009 final.
However, the side’s momentum had slowed somewhat in recent years as other countries invested heavily in women’s leagues.
England, meanwhile, have scored a tournament-leading 20 goals en-route to the final, more than half in two storming wins over former European champions, with an 8-0 against Norway before the semi-final demolition of Sweden.
More on Women's Euro 2022
With little to separate the two sides, how events will unfold on Sunday depends on who wins the key head-to-head battles – here are three of the most crucial:
Millie Bright vs Alexandra Popp
Bright has been a stalwart of England’s defence throughout the Euros and led the backline of a team who have only conceded one goal so far – however, she faces a tough challenge against Germany captain Alexandra Popp.
Having missed the last two Euros through injuries – including a potentially career-threatening cartilage tear – Popp has had a Euro 2022 to remember.
The 31-year-old Wolfsburg forward is joint leader – alongside England’s Beth Mead – in the race to win the Golden Boot with six goals from five matches and she will provide a formidable test for Bright and her defensive colleagues.
Rachel Daly vs Svenja Huth
England’s left-back Daly arguably struggled against Spain during England’s quarter-final victory and most of the Spanish attacking threat was down their right-hand side, but the 30-year-old has been a source of strength during other matches.
Germany forward Huth has done well against English opposition this season – scoring twice during Wolfsburg’s Champions League win over Chelsea – and could look to exploit Daly and cause similar problems to the ones posed by Spain’s Athenea del Castillo, as well as limiting the defender’s ability to break forward.
Keira Walsh vs Lena Oberdorf
Walsh has been impressive all tournament for England in the centre of midfield, and embodies the spirit installed into the team by Wiegman, while 20-year-old Oberdorf has grown throughout the competition.
Although defensive midfielders are usually the ones who go under the radar, the battle to gain the upper hand in the middle of the park could go a long way to determining the outcome of the final.
Additional reporting from agencies
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