Following their historic 2022 Euros win, the England Lionesses have reaped the benefits.
The stars of that squad — most notably, Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead — have graced the covers of magazines like Grazia and Hello!, done advertisements for brands like McDonald’s and presented awards.
“It feels like I’m managing a celebrity more than a footballer at the minute,” one player agent told The Athletic. “They’re demanding just as much — possibly even more — money than the male players. Brands and celebrities are passing on their numbers.”
According to The Athletic, one of the players is so popular that she needs three full-time staff members managing her commitments.
The players’ earnings have also grown as a result. Some agents described offers in the six figures, whereas before the tournament, “it wouldn’t have been anywhere near that.” Another player reportedly had to turn down a brand offering 5,000 pounds.
“After the Euros, our feet didn’t touch the ground for months,” the agent continued. “We had so many requests from so many different areas — areas that previously we’d been trying to push doors down in.
“Two days after the final, we booked in a day with our players where we had to sit down with pages and pages of requests. We had loads of big brands, including some that hadn’t done much work in women’s football, wanting to work with them.”
The increased popularity of the players is evidenced by their social media followings. Ella Toone gained 158,000 followers in the seven days after the final, while Leah Williamson’s account grew by 88,000 and Chloe Kelly’s by 68,000.
Nearly every player reported double-digit increases in their follower counts throughout the tournament.
Doors continue to open for players, including for those who didn’t play as many minutes.
“The players that scored the most goals and got the most assists are always going to get more attention,” an agent told The Athletic. “But it’s helped elevate players who haven’t got as many minutes to a point where they’re able to stand on their own two feet as Lionesses and get commercial partnerships. It helps them to get in the room. More brands are open to working in women’s football.”
Arsenal striker Beth Mead ruptured her ACL in a Women’s Super League match against Manchester United on Saturday, the team announced Tuesday.
The 27-year-old, who helped lead the England women’s national team to the Euros title in July, will spend “an extended period on the sidelines” as a result of the injury, per Arsenal’s statement, with the timeline for recovery to come after she sees a surgeon.
We’re right behind you, @bmeado9 ❤️
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 22, 2022
An ACL injury typically requires six to nine months of recovery time.
For example, U.S. women’s national team star Catarina Macario tore her ACL while playing for French club Lyon in June. The 23-year-old is expected to return to the USWNT in February, eight months after her injury, coach Vlatko Andonovski said ahead of the team’s November friendlies.
The 2023 World Cup kicks off July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, almost exactly eight months after Mead’s injury.
Mead excelled for the Lionesses at the Euros, which were held in England in July. She won both the Golden Boot and the Player of the Tournament awards.
She also finished as runner-up for the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the prestigious award for the second year in a row — though Putellas is recovering from her own ACL tear in the lead-up to the Euros.
A week before Mead’s injury, she made her 50th career appearance for England in a 4-0 win against Japan. She has scored 29 career goals with the Lionesses.
Mead led Arsenal with four assists and also had scored three goals this season before the injury. The Gunners are in second place in the WSL standings after Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Manchester United, trailing only Chelsea.
When BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Beth Mead sat down for a conversation with The Guardian to promote her new book, “Lioness: My Journey to Glory,” she touched on her mother’s battle with cancer as well as personal struggles that led to her on-field success.
But when asked about the England women’s national football team’s lack of diversity, Mead, a forward for Arsenal and the Lionesses, dismissed concerns of racism in elite women’s football, calling the makeup of the team’s roster “coincidental.”
Just three Black players featured on England’s Euros-winning squad: Jess Carter, Demi Stokes and Nikita Parris.
“I think it’s completely coincidental,” Mead said. “We put out our best 11 and you don’t think of anyone’s race or anything like that. I think that’s more an outsider’s perspective.”
Mead did mention that more should be done to make sure football is accessible to everyone at a grassroots level, but she didn’t see racism as a concern at the elite level of the women’s game, The Guardian reported.
Amid the Lionesses’ historic run in July, former England international Anita Asante criticized England’s player pipeline for creating exclusivity that bars many girls of color from playing at the highest levels.
“Like England, France have reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2022, but unlike the Lionesses their 23-woman squad contains 15 black or brown players,” she wrote.
Asante went on to note that the scouting process in England doesn’t have enough resources or “the imagination required to look in the right places.” She also spotlighted how coaches of color are rarely promoted or seen, and how a lack of resources to travel for training or games can be prohibitive to underserved populations.
“Visibility – or the lack of it – remains the biggest problem,” Assante concluded.
Current England captain Leah Williamson also has addressed the team’s lack of diversity head-on, telling BBC Sport in October: “Within the squad, this is an important issue and we’re all aware of it. There’s nothing that we can do right now to change it.”
Lotte Wubben-Moy, a teammate of Mead and Williamson on Arsenal and England, also discussed the issue with BBC Sport.
“I’m from London, I see a lot of deprivation,” Wubben-Moy said. “I see a lot of young children who don’t have opportunities. And while I feel like I have responsibility to talk about it, I think everyone does.”
Less than 10% of the 300 players in the Women’s Super League are players of color, The Athletic reported in July, much lower than the estimated 33% in the men’s Premier League.
“The visibility, the accessibility, all of those things from the bottom need to be better so that we don’t lose the diversity of the game,” Williamson said.
The Lionesses also have faced allegations of racism within their program in the past. In 2017, Angel City FC director of recruitment Eni Aluko, who played for England at the time, accused then-manager Mark Sampson of making racist comments. Incidents included making a joke about Ebola towards Nigerian-born Aluko and asking forward Drew Spence how many times she had been arrested.
The English FA eventually formally apologized to Aluko for her experiences. Sampson’s tenure ended before Mead’s first call-up to the England first team.
In contrast with her comments on diversity, Mead has spoken out about other social issues, most recently in relation to the men’s World Cup that will be held in Qatar in November.
Last week, Mead — who is openly in a relationship with Arsenal teammate Vivianne Miedema — told BBC Radio 4 that Qatar’s laws banning homosexuality were “the complete opposite to what I believe and respect,” and that she would not be backing or promoting the event.
“Although I’m cheering for the boys who are going to play football there, from the minute it was announced I thought it wasn’t the best idea,” she said. “We’re in the 21st century and you fall in love with who you fall in love with. It doesn’t matter who they are.”
The Women’s Super League kicked off its season over the weekend after a week’s delay to honor Queen Elizabeth II, who died Sept. 8 at 96.
The opening matches featured new names, familiar faces and stunning upsets amid a swell of excitement and record ticket sales.
WSL plays of the Week
Rachel Daly’s dream debut
Rachel Daly returned to the WSL in style.
The English international notched a brace and an assist in her debut with Aston Villa, helping her side to a 4-3 win over Manchester City.
Daly signed with the club in August, ending her six-season stint with the NWSL’s Houston Dash.
It took just 22 minutes with her new club for Daly to make her mark, as she assisted Alisha Lehman for Aston Villa’s opening goal. Ten minutes later, Daly buried a goal of her own, rifling a curler to put her side up 2-0.
What a peach that is from Rachel Daly 🍑
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) September 18, 2022
Talk about instant impact for the new signing! pic.twitter.com/hFF3RPtYY0
Daly’s most consequential contribution, however, came in the 76th minute, when she tapped in the game-winner to secure Aston Villa a thrilling victory.
WOW 🔥
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) September 18, 2022
Do not take your eyes off this game for one second 🍿
Rachel Daly puts Villa back in front with just under 15 minutes to go! pic.twitter.com/UHz8hlgbcF
“Some would say a dream debut,” Daly said after the match. “Obviously it’s nice to get on the scoresheet not one but twice, but importantly three points at Villa Park in front of a great crowd.”
Beth Mead’s brace
Beth Mead is on a tear, riding momentum from the Euros into the WSL season.
The England national team forward logged two goals and an assist while creating four chances in Arsenal’s 4-0 shutout over Brighton.
Both of Mead’s goals came in the second half, as she buried her first in the 63rd minute and her second in the 83rd minute.
The 27-year-old’s impressive season opener comes after a breakthrough 2022 Euro tournament in which Mead clinched the Golden Boot award, logging six goals and five assists for the Lionesses.
Beth Mead put Arsenal four up against Brighton in the 83rd minute!pic.twitter.com/KIQQL9Mtuc
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) September 16, 2022
Ashleigh Neville’s rocket
Ashleigh Neville struck the rocket of the weekend, powering a long-range banger to help Tottenham to a 2-1 win over Leicester City.
The 29-year-old ripped a stunning shot from 35 yards out to put the Hotspurs up 1-0 early.
“I took that kind of touch and saw it and just thought why not,” Neville said after the match. “It went in, so yeah, happy with that.”
Simply stunning 🔥
— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) September 18, 2022
pic.twitter.com/rArHykJX8g
Beth Mead racked up the awards after claiming the Euros title Sunday with England.
The forward was named the best player in the tournament and won the Golden Boot, given to the tournament’s top scorer.
Simply the best 💯💫
— UEFA Women's EURO 2022 (@WEURO2022) August 1, 2022
🏆 What a campaign for Player of the Tournament @bmeado9 👏#WEURO2022 | @Lionesses pic.twitter.com/9Q56wZCipm
Mead edged Germany’s Alexandra Popp for the Golden Boot. Both finished with six goals for the tournament, though Popp missed the final match with an injury, but Mead added a tournament-leading five assists, which served as the tiebreaker. Popp did not have an assist in the competition.
The success for Mead comes after she was left off England’s Olympic team last year.
“I can’t believe it,” the 27-year-old told BBC Sport. “Sometimes football puts you down, but bouncing back is the best way. I’m speechless, I can’t take it all in… I’m in shock. I’ve had a good cry with my mum and dad. I am so proud of this team, I love this team and I love this country!”
Lena Oberdorf, a 20-year-old midfielder for Germany, was named the best young player of the tournament.
After the Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 in extra time Sunday at Wembley Stadium, Mead and the rest of the team celebrated with fans in London’s Trafalgar Square on Monday.
“I’m just so proud of just being a part of this team,” Mead told Sky Sports. “The player of the tournament means nothing to me. Being part of this team means more.”
"The player of the tournament means nothing to me, being part of this team means more" ❤️
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) August 1, 2022
Humble as ever… we all love Beth Mead 🥺🤩 pic.twitter.com/WvGDPCQOVQ
As England and Germany enter the Euros final Sunday, Beth Mead and Alexandra Popp are deadlocked in the Golden Boot race.
Each player, Mead for England and Popp for Germany, has scored six goals so far in the tournament. That number puts them in a tie for the most ever in a women’s Euros with Germany’s Inka Grings, who scored six in 2009.
With six goals through five games, each has a goals per game ratio of 1.20 – good for second best in history behind England’s Jodie Taylor, who had five goals in four games in 2017 for a ratio of 1.25.
Sunday’s match will decide not just the championship but the winner of the Golden Boot. Of course, they could finish the tournament tied at six goals apiece, but where’s the fun in that? Just Women’s Sports breaks down the state of the competition.
Beth Mead, England
Five of Mead’s six goals came in the group stage, three during England’s 8-0 rout of Norway.
Perhaps even more impressive is that of Mead’s 15 total attempts, just six have been on target – and all of them have gone in. She also ranks first in assists (5) and chances created (14) in this tournament, making her quite the threat for Germany on Sunday.
BETH MEAD PUTS ENGLAND AHEAD IN THE SEMIFINAL! 🏴 pic.twitter.com/weE5V4vccA
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 26, 2022
Alexandra Popp
Playing in her first Euros, Alexandra Popp is making her name known.
Of her six goals, four have come on headers – something that England should look out for come Sunday. In total, she’s made 17 attempts, with seven on target.
She came up big for Germany during the semifinal, scoring both of the team’s goals. But she credits her team for helping her with the chances.
“If I don’t get these passes, I don’t score. It makes me happy when they create chances for me to score,” Popp said following the team’s semifinal win. “It’s not my main objective to win the Golden Boot, the main objective is to win the Euros.”
ALEXANDRA POPP DOES IT AGAIN! 🔥
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 27, 2022
Germany lead over France in the semifinal 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/6sTOB4LjAM
England star Beth Mead tied the Women’s European Championship goal-scoring record Tuesday.
With her strike in the 34th minute of the Lionesses’ semifinal against Sweden, she recorded the first goal of the match and her sixth of the tournament.
BETH. MEAD. 💥@bmeado9 #WEURO2022 pic.twitter.com/4CS5lCB8rJ
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 26, 2022
The 27-year-old striker has scored six through five matches played for the host nation. That number matches Germany’s Inka Grings, who scored six goals for her nation en route to the country’s seventh European Championships title in 2009.
The tally also firmly cements Mead into Golden Boot position, with Germany’s Alexandra Popp having scored the second-most goals so far at four.
Mead’s goal put England ahead 1-0 at halftime. If the score holds, the Lionesses would make their first Euros final since 2009, when they lost to Germany.
The England women’s national team sailed to an 8-0 win in Monday’s Euros group stage match against Norway after rocketing to a six-goal lead in the first half.
Georgia Stanway got the scoring started in the 12th minute, then Lauren Hemp added another in the 15th.
Both Ellen White and Beth Mead secured braces before the half to make it 6-0. Their four goals came in a span of 12 minutes. White’s two goals sandwiched Mead’s tallies, which came just four minutes apart in the 34th and 38th minutes.
Beth Mead carving up Norway's defense ⚡ pic.twitter.com/OFVa32RrZ6
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 11, 2022
Mead completed her hat trick in the 81st minute, tapping the ball into the net after Norwegian goalkeeper Guro Pettersen deflected a Keira Walsh shot.
🏴 Beth Mead = hat-trick hero ⚽️⚽️⚽️#WEURO2022 | #ENG pic.twitter.com/nVZVZ6aWwZ
— UEFA Women's EURO 2022 (@WEURO2022) July 11, 2022
England got 16 shots on target, while Norway failed to get one. The hosts of UEFA Women’s European Championship held possession for 61 percent of the match, and their pass accuracy sat at 89 percent.
The Lionesses became the first team to score eight goals in a Women’s Euros match, and also the first team in this year’s tournament to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals.
This victory provided a much different look from the team that beat Austria just 1-0 last Wednesday in the opener. Mead also proved the difference-maker in that game, scoring the team’s one goal.
Austria later rebounded Monday with a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland.
England won the Women’s European Championship opener Wednesday thanks to a goal from Beth Mead that put the tournament hosts ahead of Austria 1-0.
The goal came in the 16th minute off an assist from Fran Kirby. While there was some question about whether or not the ball crossed the goal line, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check revealed that it had.
Beth Mead gives England the lead!
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 6, 2022
What a ball from Fran Kirby 😲 pic.twitter.com/EEVZr1HSjw
A sold-out crowd of 68,871 fans turned out to watch England in the opener in its first time hosting the tournament since 2005, setting a record in attendance for a Women’s European Championship game.
That number likely will be broken before the tournament’s end, however, as matches like the final at Wembley (capacity 90,000) are also sold out.
75,000 fans welcome the start of the Women's Euros at a sold out Old Trafford! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PbVwER3boO
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 6, 2022
Before the match began, players could be seen kneeling as a protest against racism and discrimination.
During the match, there were a few close calls, as England put four shots on goal to Austria’s two. Ultimately, English goalkeeper Mary Earps secured the clean sheet.
Arsenal started their season off in thrilling fashion, beating Chelsea 3-2 at home in Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Vivianne Miedema put Arsenal up 1-0 early, getting in behind Chelsea’s backline and firing a low shot into the near post. The score marked Miedema’s 61st goal in 68 Women’s Super League games.
Meanwhile in London… Miedema does not disappoint 😵🔴 pic.twitter.com/tNvv0nQPY0
— ata football (@atafball) September 5, 2021
Chelsea responded just before the break, with Erin Cuthbert rifling a shot past the keeper from close range to make it 1-1.
Chelsea get the equalizer! What a game 👀 pic.twitter.com/EeduKIPdts
— ata football (@atafball) September 5, 2021
A pair of goals from Beth Mead early in the second half put Arsenal ahead of Chelsea once again. First, the English striker split Chelsea’s center backs and delivered a rocket into the far post.
Beth Mead. That’s it. That’s the tweet. pic.twitter.com/mXq8Agxzpi
— ata football (@atafball) September 5, 2021
After a well-executed build-up play, Mead beat the keeper to score her second goal and give Arsenal a 3-1 lead.
What’s better than a Beth Mead goal? A Beth Mead brace ⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/eSX3itCBeg
— ata football (@atafball) September 5, 2021
Chelsea attempted a comeback late into the second half, with Pernille heading in a corner kick in the 64th minute to cut into Arsenal’s lead.
PERNILLE HARDER 💙
— ata football (@atafball) September 5, 2021
How are we feeling ata fam?? Tell us in the comments below… we’ll go first 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/EEqn4JBpVR
Arsenal held on until the final whistle, defeating the 2020 FA WSL champions for their first win of the season.
Next up: Chelsea will look to rebound against Everton on Sept. 12. Arsenal will met Reading on the same day.