The Women’s Euro 2022 kicks off on Wednesday with the hosts England among the favourites in an open tournament
and their 15 rivals serve up a feast of football on prime-time television, it may be hard to avoid them. Now – and with the greatest of respect to the Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon and the rest – comes the real jewel of the British sporting summer.For Williamson and her teammates, the trick will be in reminding themselves that what feels like a climax is just a beginning.
Led by the wise Irene Paredes and with one of the youngest squads in the competition, Spain are stacked with ability and clinical at blowing away weaker sides, but short on tournament pedigree and placed in the toughest group. The late withdrawal of Alexia Putellas is a terrible blow, and puts even more pressure on the likes of Aitana Bonmatí to provide the creative flourish in the final third.Alongside those three, the main threats should come from northern Europe.
The 4,700-capacity Academy Stadium and 8,100-capacity Leigh Sports Village are not a great look, considering that the smallest venue at next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will hold 22,000. The demand is there – tickets for the final sold out in an hour and overall sales will smash all previous records – but do not blame the organisers.
And yet perhaps the most refreshing aspect of this tournament is how little its success is dependent on a home victory. Even if taking into account Uefa’s recent record on big events, the likelihood of trouble is minuscule, the spectre of empty stadiums already avoided, the quality of the football guaranteed, the audience already in place.
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