Sir Geoff Hurst Reassures England Lionesses After World Cup Loss
Sir Geoff Hurst, the Wembley hero who propelled England to glory in 1966, has issued a message of reassurance to the embattled Lionesses after their agonising World Cup loss. The 81-year-old has spoken out about the disappointment felt by the team and their supporters, and has highlighted the legacy that the Lionesses have left from the Euros and World Cup.
The Lionesses’ World Cup Loss
The Lionesses’ journey to the World Cup final was a remarkable one, with the team going unbeaten in their first five matches. However, they were ultimately defeated by Spain in the final, with a score of 4-2. The loss was a bitter disappointment to both the team and their supporters, and has been met with much criticism from fans and pundits alike.
Sir Geoff Hurst’s Message of Support
Sir Geoff Hurst has sent a message of support to Sarina Wiegman’s squad, saying that they ‘will get over’ the hurt of their World Cup loss sooner than they think. He said: “On a personal level they will get over the loss. They are professionals and have bad times in sport – as we all do. You win stuff, you lose stuff. They will be bitterly disappointed – we’re bitterly disappointed as supporters as well – but what the Lionesses have achieved is just amazing.”
Sir Geoff watched the tournament unfold from his home in Cheltenham with his wife Judith, and excitedly texted with his granddaughter Amy during games. He added: “In the past, I’ve met female journalists who were once barred from playing football. It’s hard to imagine now with what we’ve seen in the last few years. They don’t have the trophy, but the Lionesses are still winners to me. The legacy they’ve left from the Euros and now the World Cup is making a huge difference. It will also change their lives. They’ll be 80 in a supermarket and someone will come up and go ‘oh you’re Millie Bright, you were captain in the 2023 World Cup.’ People don’t forget.”
The Impact of National Lottery Funding
Sir Geoff spoke with Metro from a girls training session at Youngs FC, a club which has bolstered its ranks with an under-17s team thanks to National Lottery funding. He said: “The National Lottery has invested £50 million into the sport over the last decade. It takes funds and time to run a football club. Youngs FC have an under 17s team now, and that’s coming in thanks to new money. It’s been really interesting talking with the coaches here and hearing what they are doing differently. In the past, an issue in football at a grassroots level has been parents standing on the line shouting and screaming. Here, they have a parent committee to officially deal with any issues. It’s a major step forward to make sure people can simply enjoy football and have fun. There are 200 new clubs since the Euros, who knows how many will come after this tournament.”
The Lionesses’ Future Prospects
Sir Geoff added: “And as a team, the Lionesses have plenty more chance at success. It’s a young and exciting squad, they’ve done us proud and will continue to do so.”
The National Lottery’s Women’s Euro Legacy New Team Grant now means £1million has been made available to set up new girls’ clubs or teams since the Euros win last summer. So far, £200k has been issued to set up 170 new clubs / teams across the country. Find out how your numbers make amazing happen at: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
Sir Geoff spoke to Metro alongside the National Lottery. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.