How 'proper English football' helped Lionesses triumph over Netherlands at Euro 2025

As Dutch supporters, clad from head to toe in orange, flooded into the streets surrounding Stadion Letzigrund, one fan held aloft a homemade cardboard sign hand-painted with the words: “Sarina come home.”

Just over 90 minutes later it would become abundantly clear exactly why such a request was being made.

But as Sarina Wiegman stood looking out at the wall of orange here to support her own nation, the only thing she cared about bringing home was football.

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And she took the first step towards that aim by overcoming Andries Jonker’s poor imitation of the so-called Dutch ‘totaalvoetbal’ with a performance the players insisted embodied ‘proper English football’.

A crushing 4-0 victory in front of the 22,600 in support at Stadion Letzigrund was certainly a statement of intent from the Lionesses, and it represented a necessary three points.

It was a triumphant return to form in Zurich for an England side who had come under increasing pressure after stuttering to a 2-1 defeat in their opening match against France.

A dismal display had cast doubts on their ability to defend a European Championship crown and resulted in a first group stage defeat in 10 years - a position that only two of the squad had experienced before.

But in the face of the unknown, the Lionesses returned to a place of familiarity as they looked to epitomise an abstract notion of Englishness.

“The players use [the phrase proper English football] a lot now. We started using it when we played Portugal and we drew and then we played Spain,” said Wiegman.

“When we played it was really the togetherness and the fight and there are moments in the game when you have to do that.

“But at the same time when you’re in possession it’s important that the passes we play are with purpose and today you saw the purpose in every pass we played was with purpose. For me, that is also proper English.”

Pinning down what Englishness is has occupied the minds of historians for centuries, while each individual also has their own notions of what evokes such patriotism.

Is it hammering in the windbreakers on a bracing day at the beach to enjoy the five minutes the sun decides to emerge from behind the clouds? Or stoically enduring unfathomably long queues without complaint?

Each stereotype, however true, betrays a certain determination that seems to be at the heart of the Lionesses’ interpretation of what makes a ‘proper English’ display.

“Someone like Alex Greenwood [embodies proper English], today. She was playing against one of the fastest players on the pitch,” said Lucy Bronze.

“Alex isn't the fastest player on the pitch and I think she completely marked her out of the game. She was front-footed, she was aggressive.

“Jess Carter was completely covering her every single minute of the game as well. That's a proper English performance.

“It might not be your strength, but you put in the hard work to make sure you're doing a job for the team and that your team-mates got your back.

“Those two on the left really embodied that, especially from the very beginning, and gave a lot of the rest of the team confidence.”

It was one of two changes Wiegman had made from the defeat to France as Carter moved into the centre-back role alongside Williamson to swap with Greenwood who moved out to left-back.

The move paid dividends with Chasity Grant and Kerstin Casparij kept silent on the Dutch right-flank.

Georgia Stanway too had insisted she wanted to show a proper English performance through action and her low-driven goal from range just before half-time certainly did the talking.

But four unanswered goals did not just emerge from pure grit, and while Jonkers’ tactics fell flat as Jill Roord looked lost at left-wing, it was England’s right-flank that offered the magic to instigate such a thumping victory.

Among the hard yards and crunching tackles, one player glided through them all with a breath-taking effortlessness that moves beyond determination and into the sublime.

Lauren James had threatened to change the game against the French and in the 22nd minute on Wednesday she had got bored of waiting.

Surging inside across the edge of the box she whipped her shot into the top corner from an impossibly tight space to give England the lead and settle nerves.

Her combination with Bronze saw Jonker change his entire left side at half-time but it made little difference as James got her brace before taking a rousing ovation as she left the field on 70 minutes.

Englishness, then, whether in Ella Toone’s tireless pressing that was rewarded with a goal in the 67th minute or James’ breathtaking ease, can come in many forms.

But whatever their conception of it is, ‘proper English’ football helped the Lionesses return to form and get their title defence back on track.

It is a phrase that helped England find safety and purpose under intense and unfamiliar pressure, so perhaps right now it is ‘proper English football’ that feels most like home for Wiegman.