Lionesses leave England fans disappointed after some waited at Heathrow overnight to welcome home their ‘heroes’ – but squad leave without greeting their supporters
- England’s Lionesses arrive in London today after Spain beat them 1-0 on Sunday
- There are calls for a homecoming parade after team reached final for first time
Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of England’s Lionesses arriving home at Heathrow Airport were left disappointed today after the players left via a private exit.
Supporters had intended to give the footballers a rousing welcome as they returned to home soil following their Women’s World Cup final heartache two days ago.
Sarina Wiegman’s side touched down in London amid calls for a homecoming parade after reaching the final for the first time and inspiring a generation of girls.
Around 40 fans including children had gathered at Heathrow Terminal 3 early this morning in the hope of greeting them, with one group having arrived last night.
One girl waited while holding a homemade sign saying: ‘Lionesses! You have inspired me to play with I love! Football! All of you played amazing! Welcome home!’
Former player Alex Scott was spotted walking through arrivals, which raised hopes the squad would follow, but the squad are understood to have left via a private exit.
The team’s bags were carried through the arrivals hall on large trolleys by a group of airport workers, but it was later confirmed by staff that they had left Heathrow.
Upon their descent, the players would have seen 1,000 footballs spelling out ‘Proud’ on the grass of Actonians Ladies’ FC pitch in Chiswick, under the flight path.
The team had flown in from Sydney Airport following their agonising 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final on Sunday – which came after a run during the tournament in Australia and New Zealand that drew unprecedented audiences domestically.
England fans Sian and Minnie, from Coventry, wait at London Heathrow Airport this morning
Lionesses fans wait for the England team to arrive at London Heathrow Airport this morning
England football fans await the arrival of the women’s team at London Heathrow Airport today
Lionesses fans wait for the England team to arrive at London Heathrow Airport this morning
Yesterday, fans saw off the players in Sydney – and they looked glum, but stopped to sign autographs and pose for pictures while dressed in their pale blue tracksuits.
Alex Greenwood, who was hailed a hero for playing on with a bandage around her head after she was kneed in the face during the game, had a visible black eye as she made her way through Sydney Airport. She wrote on Instagram: ‘We will be back.’
READ MORE England’s Women’s World Cup final defeat to Spain watched by 12m people on BBC in second most-watched event of 2023 as ITV figures are dwarved despite viewer complaints
The 29-year-old left back added: ‘This one hurts a lot and will for a while. However, I just want to say thank you to the whole team I have just spent the last nine weeks with, it was an incredible journey with amazing people, I am so proud of you all.’
The Lionesses’ next target is qualifying for the Olympics, to be held in Paris in 2024.
Defender Lucy Bronze, 31, said: ‘The Olympics is always the goal, even if we had won this tournament. The goal is always to win tournaments with this team.
‘We have shown that we can do that. We have made a final again. There is no reason why the team cannot go on and create more legacies and more winning legacies.’
It came as figures showed the match between the Lionesses and Spain, which kicked off at 11am UK time, was watched by an average of 13.3million, setting a new record for a women’s football match.
The number of viewers peaked at 14.8million in the closing minutes around 1pm as England fought to find an equalizer after going 1-0 down in Sydney, according to overnight data released by the ratings organisation Barb.
The viewing figures are the combined TV audience from kick-off to the final whistle across BBC One and ITV, both of which showed the game live.
It also includes people who watched the match on their TV set using the BBC iPlayer or ITVX, but does not include non-TV devices.
The average TV audience for Sunday’s final was more than two million higher than the previous record for a women’s football match, which was at the Euro 2022 final at Wembley in July last year when just over 11million viewers watched the Lionesses beat Germany 2-1.
Airport workers move luggage as England fans await the team at Heathrow this morning
Airport workers move luggage as England fans await the team at Heathrow this morning
1,000 footballs spell out ‘Proud’ on the grass of Actonians Ladies’ FC pitch in Chiswick
The ‘Proud’ tribute to the players is under the flight path they would have taken into Heathrow
However, it was lower than England men’s 2-1 defeat to France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, which had an average audience of 20.4million.
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The Three Lions’ Euro 2020 final against Italy attracted an average of 29.8million viewers.
The biggest TV audience of 2023 so far was for the King’s Coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6, which was seen by an average of 18.8million people across 11 channels.
It is understood the Lionnesses have been invited to a reception at Downing Street, with discussions ongoing between the Government and the Football Association about other ways to mark their achievements.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was among those calling for the team to be given honours, saying they had ‘galvanised the whole nation through their historic achievement’.
Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, also said ‘everyone on the team’ deserved an honour. The sentiment was echoed by fans, who called for a parade or celebration.
Asked about honours for the Lionesses yesterday, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said it was for the Honours Committee to decide.
He added: ‘I think no one’s in any doubt about what an inspiration they have been, and that they’ve represented this country incredibly well.’
The Spain team already landed back in Madrid yesterday, where they paraded the trophy in front of thousands of fans.
Meanwhile Sir Geoff Hurst criticised Prince William yesterday for not attending the Lionesses’ final against Spain.
The Lionesses look tired yesterday as they arrive at Sydney Airport to head home to England
England footballer Lauren James looks downcast as she prepares to leave Sydney yesterday
Alex Greenwood leaves their Sydney hotel yesterday – seen with a black eye following the final
He spoke out following wider criticism that the lack of official support for the women’s team amounted to sexism.
READ MORE Heartbroken Lionesses wave to fans and sign autographs as they begin long journey home from Australia following Women’s World Cup final defeat by Spain
The former England star, 81, said a member of the Royal Family ‘should definitely’ have attended the World Cup final at the Stadium Australia in Sydney over the weekend.
The Prince of Wales, who is also the president of the Football Association, has faced criticism over his decision not to fly to Australia for England’s first World Cup final since 1966.
Spanish Queen Letizia and daughter Infanta Sofia were at the game.
Asked if he believed a member of the Royal Family not attending the final was a mistake, Sir Geoff told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Yes, I do.
‘I think if the royals attend the men’s game, they should definitely. It’s an English team, a world cup tournament, a member of the Royal Family should definitely have gone. No argument at all about that.’
And speaking on Good Morning Britain later he merely responded ‘Yes’ to a question asking whether Rishi Sunak and Prince William should have attended the final.
The football legend took England to victory in the 1966 World Cup with a hat-trick at Wembley Stadium. The Queen was there to hand over the cup to England captain Bobby Moore and the game was watched by the then prime minister Harold Wilson.
Prince William apologised for not attending in a video message with Princess Charlotte holding a football. He shared a second message after the game.
English players console each other after losing in the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday
Lucy Bronze slumped in England’s huddle after their 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final
William said: ‘Lionesses, I want to send you a huge good luck for tomorrow. We’re sorry we can’t be there in person but we’re so proud of everything you have achieved.’
READ MORE World Cup hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst blasts Prince William for snubbing Lionesses’ final as sexism row reignited over No 10’s ‘weak’ support and players getting a fifth of men’s £500k bonus if they had won
After the game, which he watched at his Norfolk home, he said: ‘Although it’s the result none of us wanted, Lionesses you have done yourselves and this nation proud.’
Palace sources cited the cost of the trip and carbon footprint as reasons for the prince not to go.
The lack of support by major figures for the women’s team has led to accusations of sexism – and the Government has been accused of not celebrating the team’s success as much as it did for the men’s Euros final in 2021.
No 10 has been accused of showing ‘weak’ support for the team, while it was reported that the Football Association had refused the players a £100,000 bonus if they had won – a fifth of the £500,000 promised to the England men if they had won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
A few flags adorned the entrance to No 10 on Friday but it appeared a lacklustre effort compared to Boris Johnson’s decorations for the Euros in 2021. In response to criticism, the decorations were increased on Saturday.
Mandu Reid of the Women’s Equality Party, told the Mail earlier: ‘You can guarantee that there’s no way the men’s football team would be treated with such disregard and disrespect.’
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