For a true victory, the Lionesses must address diversity

When the Lionesses lifted the European trophy, draped in the aggressive white and red of the St George’s flag, I was instinctively conflicted. It’s no secret that I care very little about the success of the English national team, actively choosing to support their opponents so that I can shield myself from the inevitable nationalist fervour that follows footballing success, particularly when that team is almost entirely white.

There are also too many awful people whose belief in the superiority of English football is intrinsically a belief in the superiority of Englishness/of the English. Despite the fact that much of the wonder and joy currently found in the game hails from everywhere but England, it’s still England that football supposedly returns home to. 

And yet, after a few minutes of watching the celebrations, I was beaming. It was hard to hold on to my well-worn cynicism when quite simply football continues to bring me a great deal of joy. England had been brilliant when it mattered and scored goals I’ll be thinking about for many years. They deserved to walk away winners, not least because it was a home tournament and so the narrative was perfectly primed. 

''If this victory for the Lionesses is truly going to be a victory for the aspirations of young women and girls across the country, they have to reflect and represent all of us. And whatever system is developed to capitalise on this enthusiasm has to be one that offers genuine access, from schools to community groups all the way through to the professional game.''

Having been involved in women’s football in some way my whole life - playing, coaching, organising pick-up games, women’s access to and enjoyment of the sport has always been intertwined with my own relationship with the game. And it was clear that this moment was critical for the progress of the women’s game in this country - not just as a point of inspiration and possibility, but also a rallying call to develop and improve structures of sport and physical activity so that this victory is part of a wider seachange demonstrating a genuine commitment to women’s football, from the grassroots to the professional game.

It felt like this might happen after the rebranding and relaunch of the top tier of women’s football - the Women Super League (WSL) in 2010, or getting to a World Cup Semi Final in 2019. But winning a European Championship feels different, precisely for the reasons Leah Williamson articulated: the legacy will not just be the taking part, the legacy will be the winning.

Women’s football in England has been making strides towards this kind of legacy over the last few years - attendances in WSL games have been steadily rising, with more and more men’s teams offering support and access (even if it is only done out of shame), whilst women’s teams are developing the breadth of expertise required to sustain the potential of long term success. And whilst instinct might be to replicate the hugely successful men’s version of the sport, it’s precisely this that the women’s game must resist. 

The rabid commercialisation, sketchy sponsorships, failures of safeguarding, a willingness to accept cash in whatever form and from whatever source alongside a deepening disconnect with the grassroots game have all left an increasing number of fans disillusioned with the sport. Whilst some crossover is inescapable - most top flight men’s teams either created women’s teams or affiliated with existing local teams - there’s still a chance for things to be done differently. Although wages, prize money and the value of commercial sponsorship deals vary hugely between the two versions of the game, the demands for better financial compensation should be tied to a better redistribution of wealth, particularly as the game grows. 

On the back of this European success, it’s also critical to address the glaring whiteness of the England national team particularly as it hasn’t always been like this. Anita Asante, former professional and current first team coach at Bristol City, details the possible reasons for this - acknowledging that a desire to replicate parts of the men’s system, namely moving training facilities out of cities is likely contributing to the exclusion of working-class women, particularly Black and Asian.

If this victory for the Lionesses is truly going to be a victory for the aspirations of young women and girls across the country, they have to reflect and represent all of us. And whatever system is developed to capitalise on this enthusiasm has to be one that offers genuine access, from schools to community groups all the way through to the professional game. 

Despite this, and the undeniable damage of Mark Sampson’s toxic, racist leadership of the England national team, the women’s game still has an incredible opportunity to build as an explicitly and actively anti-racist game and for the WSL to provide real leadership in this space. This can and should include a commitment to diversity, inclusion and anti-racism throughout all aspects of the sport, ensuring that staff across clubs, across the media, and across the broader ecosystem can incorporate the things that are being clumsily retroactively fitted to the men’s game.

As we’re all revelling in the love for womens football & the England Womens Team why not read my chapter on the incomparable Hope Powell in “A New Formation: How Black Footballers Shaped The Modern Game” with chapters from other legends such as @sanaa_mq https://t.co/bKwkOv7GMc pic.twitter.com/lxAPLV8rPr

— Sister Birkin (@judeinlondon2) July 31, 2022

It should also include a strong players union that isn’t afraid to demand better and more just playing conditions, including wages that can enable professional football to be a viable career for young women and girls across the country.

There are certain things that will be inescapable but football clubs are businesses and they no longer control or dictate the culture that’s built around them, nor of the fans that choose to follow them.

The women’s game has an opportunity to honour and build on the communities that are emotionally invested in the future of the sport by creating a culture that is inclusive and warm-spirited. Instead of commodifying this support and existing at a distance from the greatest thing football has - its fandoms. It’s not about expecting women to provide moral clarity, or assuming that there is an inherent goodness in the women’s game but more recognising that where there is an opportunity to make things better, we should absolutely try to do that. 

Sanaa lives in London and works in community sport. 

Follow her on Twitter: @sanaa_mq

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@alaraby.co.uk

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.