Boris Johnson urges England to 'bring it home' in Euro 2022 final

Boris Johnson urges England’s Lionesses to ‘go all the way and bring it home’ in Sunday’s Euros final against Germany as Larry the Downing Street cat also lends his support

Prime Minister Boris Johnson issues rallying call for England’s Lionesses to ‘bring it home’ in Sunday’s match
The footballers were in good spirits as they enjoyed the scenic views in Teddington on a boat ahead of final
Hosts England secured their place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday with a 4-0 victory over Sweden on Tuesday
Eight-time winners Germany will face Sarina Wiegman’s England team, who have won 11 consecutive matches

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a rallying call for England’s Lionesses to go ‘all the way and bring it home’ in their Euro 2022 clash against Germany at Wembley Stadium this weekend.

The premier, who also roared on the men’s team in their Euro 2020 final last summer, his former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss all shared positive messages as England bid to replicate the heroes of 1966 and lift their first major international trophy.

Mr Johnson said today: ‘On behalf of the whole country I want to wish the Lionesses the very best of luck in Sunday’s final. They’ve already inspired a generation of girls and created memories for millions, and now we want to see them go all the way and bring it home.

His potential replacements echoed his sentiment as they continue to jostle for the keys to 10 Downing Street.

Mrs Truss predicted a 2-0 win for the Lionesses, while Mr Sunak said he was proud his two daughters are ‘growing up in a country where they can see terrific role models at the top of their game’.

Meanwhile the much-loved Larry the Downing Street cat also tipped the Lionesses for victory in Sunday after an adorable video showed the feline playing in a box adorned with the England flag ahead of kickoff.

The squad were earlier pictured relaxing on a boat trip ahead of the grand finale of the women’s Euros against eight-time winners Germany at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Staying close to their 25-acre grounds of their Teddington hotel base, the footballers enjoyed a boat ride on the Thames in their sports gear just three days before the European showdown.

The footballers were in good spirits as they enjoyed the scenic views under overcast weather, having a moment to recuperate in-between training for the big day on Sunday.

Hosts England waltzed past Sweden in Tuesday’s semi-final, the second-ranked team in the world, with a 4-0 win on Tuesday and will face the eight-times European champions at Wembley in the highest attended edition of the tournament, with the 87,200 tickets having sold out.

Record TV audiences for the final are expected, with the highest UK peak for women’s football at 11.7million for the England World Cup semi-final against the US in 2019, where the Lionesses lost 2-1.

Bramall Lane reached a record attendance for a European Women’s Championship semi-final with 28,624 fans in the stands.

There was a peak TV audience of 9.3 million watching the England v Sweden semi-final on Tuesday, as well as two million streams for the game across BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a rallying call for England’s Lionesses to go ‘all the way and bring it home’ in their Euro 2022 clash against Germany at Wembley Stadium this weekend. He is pictured above with wife Carrie Johnson prior to England’s semi-final clash against Denmark last summer

Liz Truss predicted a 2-0 win for the Lionesses, while Mr Sunak (right) said he was proud his two daughters are ‘growing up in a country where they can see terrific role models at the top of their game’

England’s Lionesses have been relaxing on a boat trip ahead of the grand finale of the women’s Euros against eight-time winners Germany at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Pictured from left, Mary Earps, Alessia Russo and Ella Toone

Staying close to their 25-acre grounds of their Teddington hotel base, the footballers enjoyed a boat ride on the Thames in their sports gear just three days before the European showdown (pictured, defender Leah Williamson)

Sarina Wiegman’s side, who have won 11 consecutive matches, have now become the first England women’s team to reach a major final since 2009 (pictured, forward Bethany England)

The footballers were in good spirits as they enjoyed the scenic views under overcast weather, having a moment to recuperate in-between training for the big day on Sunday. From left, Beth Mead, Ellen White, Rachel Daly and Millie Bright

Tickets for Sunday’s showpiece at Wembley – which has a 87,200 capacity – have sold out.

Millions are also watching in Germany, Their quarter final against Austria was watched by 9.5m, 38 per cent of TV viewers, a German record for a women’s Euros match.

Sarina Wiegman’s side, who have won 11 consecutive matches, have now become the first England women’s team to reach a major final since 2009.

Mary Earps, Ella Toone, Lucy Bronze, Fran Kirby, semi-final goalscorers Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, Rachel Daly, Ellen White and Millie Bright smiled as they chatted amongst each other on the boat ride on Thursday.

Chelsea defender Jess Carter put her feet up on the boat’s wooden bench to put herself in good stead for Sunday’s big match – where she will face split loyalties as she goes head-to-head against her German goalkeeper partner Ann-Katrin Berger, 31.

The team are just 90 minutes from clinching the European trophy against Germany, who has already amassed eight European titles, and only twice since 1987 have they not reached the final.

English Beth Mead has scored six times so far in the tournament, and Germany’s Alexandra Popp has found the back of the net six times too – meaning they are neck and neck in the race for the Golden Boot prize.

They were pictured in a training session on Wednesday at The Lensbury Resort hotel base, as well as enjoying a sunny stroll with their manager yesterday, defusing the growing tension of the upcoming final with their round of takeaway coffees.

Head coach Sarina Wiegman, 52, joined the Lionesses as they drank down their refreshments, with only three days to go until they walk out of the tunnel before a sold-out crowd at Wembley Stadium on Sunday before the 5pm kick off.

Millie Bright was pictured deep in conversation with someone on the phone, as she and her fellow Lionesses approach the end of a month-long tournament that has kept them living out of hotels and in a state of intensive training.

Former England women’s coach Phil Neville said he was proud of the Lionesses and hailed the team that will contest Sunday’s Euro 2022 final against Germany as ‘very special’.

‘I don’t think I have ever seen a team approach a major tournament and basically destroy every team that comes in their path,’ Mr Neville said.

‘Seeing them with a smile on their faces, seeing them play with freedom, seeing those players play to their absolute maximum of their ability, I think it’s a brilliant thing.

‘The English FA must take a lot of credit for the investment that they put into the women’s game but those players and that manager are very special.’

The Lionesses are in their Teddington hotel ‘lair’, plotting a winning strategy for Sunday’s final against Germany. Pictured, left to right: Demi Stokes, Alex Greenwood and Jill Scott

While sipping on coffees on a sunny stroll through the 25-acre grounds of The Lensbury Resort, the Lionesses took a brief break from brewing up tactics for the sold-out showdown at Wembley Stadium. Pictured, left to right: Ellen White, Millie Bright, Rachel Daly and Beth Mead

Head coach Sarina Wiegman, 52, who has led the Lionesses to the final of the tournament, was carrying two coffees and wearing all white, along with a pair of Nike trainers

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