England’s mastering the art of ‘winning ugly’ will fuel them through the World Cup

The sigh of relief breathed from Lionesses fans at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane could be felt all the way back in England. Supporters back home stood inches away from their TVs with their hands on their heads. Sarina Wiegman’s side edged their way into the World Cup quarter-finals after a nail-biting penalty shootout against Nigeria.

Many expected it to be a tense affair — after all, the Super Falcons beat co-hosts Australia 3-2 in their run to the round of 16 — but a red card and a penalty shootout probably wasn’t on many bingo cards. Lauren James, England’s star of the tournament so far, was sent off with just minutes of regular time left after stamping on the backside of Michelle Alozie.

It summed up England’s frustrations, really. Nigeria would not allow the European champions an easy way through, but the careless split second decision from James now leaves the Lionesses without their top scorer of the tournament and that could prove costly.

The euphoria of winning the shootout will have papered over the red card decision temporarily, but Wiegman and the rest of the team will now be adapting their gameplan for the quarter-finals, and it will have sunk in how big a loss James is going to be.

Was that one of the best England performances we’ve seen? Definitely not. Did they come away with a win and book their place in the final eight? You bet they did, and that’s all that matters when it comes down to it. If England go on to win the World Cup, people will only remember the fact that they won, not the ins and outs of how the did it. Of course, everyone loves to watch heavy metal football — there’s not much better than when your team drops an absolute masterclass with goals coming from every angle — but that’s not the reality of the game and it’s certainly not how teams become serial winners.

Embracing the art of ‘winning ugly’ is just as important as fine-tuning the world class performances that leave the opposition bamboozled. Other than their match against China, England have ducked and dived their way through the World Cup so far, banking narrow wins and producing just enough to see them over the line, but sometimes that’s how the game goes. Not every match can be a 20-0 stroll against Latvia.

Before Euro 2022, the Lionesses had not won a major tournament. Legends like Karen Carney, Alex Scott and Kelly Smith tried their best but England never managed to get their hands on a trophy. England as a footballing nation in fact, were of course constantly chasing their first piece of silverware since 1966 — a drought many believed would never end. But Wiegman’s Lionesses managed it.

On home soil, England fought off powerhouses Spain, Sweden and Germany to bring football home, and when Leah Williamson lifted that cup, something came alive inside every player on that podium. They were no longer just international players, they were champions, and that lit a fire that will never go out. Once a team tastes glory, that feeling is banked and archived, ready to be opened up and dusted off like an hardback manual in the attic when the next big opportunity rises.

“How did we do it at the Euros?”

Wiegman has a team of winners, there’s no denying that. But as well as Euro 2022 instilling a winning mentality into the players, their bond was strengthened beyond what any fan or onlooker could fathom. When you graft your way to your first major title and end your country’s historic heartbreak, you become a unit. An unbreakable, idolised unit. We recently took a look at how adaptation and sisterhood will play the biggest role in England’s run this summer. You can see just how strong the team’s mentality is, and it was on full display against Nigeria.

James was sent off but the Lionesses kept their heads to see out another 30 minutes of high intensity football. With legs and minds both exhausted, they then stepped up for a penalty shootout. Georgia Stanway missed the opening spot-kick, heads did not drop. Instead, they rallied, dug deep, and converted their remaining penalties to snatch the win.

The moment between Millie Bright and Rachel Daly after the latter smashed home her penalty said it all. A knowing and encouraging glance from the skipper but above everything, a look shared between two best friends, backing each other all the way.

Winning is about togetherness and support. It’s about that ‘never say die’ attitude. It’s drawing on your previous success and knowing how to tap into that to use as fuel when your tank is almost empty. But it’s also about knowing how it feels to be heartbroken too. Chloe Kelly, who rocketed home the winning penalty against Nigeria, picked up a devastated Chiamaka Nnadozie and comforted her before celebrating with her team.

It’s important to remember how to win but it’s just as important to remember what it feels like to lose. The humble and grateful England may not be showcasing their best electrifying football, but the resilience and mentality learned from Euro 2022 is definitely carrying them through, as as Kelly herself said: “There’s more to come from this special team.”