The England Women's Football Team, known as the Lionesses, is England's national team representing the country in international women's football. Officially recognized by The Football Association (FA) in 1972, the team evolved from early independent governance by the Women's Football Association (WFA) before the FA assumed control in 1993[2][5]. The Lionesses have been pivotal in advancing women's football both competitively and culturally. Historically, the team played its first recognized match in 1972, shortly after UEFA lifted restrictions on women's football in England. Early milestones include winning the invitational Mundialito tournaments in 1985 and 1988, and reaching the Euro 1984 final under WFA governance[2][4]. The Lionesses' international profile grew steadily, with six FIFA Women's World Cup qualifications since 1995, achieving their best finishes of third place in 2015 and fourth in 2019[3][5]. Their breakthrough came with winning the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 on home soil, defeating Germany 2-1 in front of 87,192 spectators at Wembley Stadium—the largest crowd for a European Championship final, men’s or women’s. This victory marked the first major international trophy for any England football team since the men's 1966 World Cup win and significantly raised the team’s national prominence[3][4][7]. The Lionesses successfully defended their European crown in 2025, beating Spain in a penalty shootout, further cementing their elite status[4]. Key achievements include multiple tournament wins such as the SheBelieves Cup in 2019 and the Arnold Clark Cup in 2022 and 2023, as well as individual player records like Fara Williams’ 172 caps and Ellen White’s 52 goals for England[2][4][6]. The team’s success and visibility have fostered national pride, inspired a surge in female football participation, and garnered recognitio