How England's female players became a great inspiration in the foggy country?

In 2021, when England women's team hosted Northern Ireland at Wembley, also Sarina Wiegman's first match as head coach, 15-year-old Michelle Agyemang took on the role of ball boy on the sidelines.

No one thought that 4 years later, Agyemang would be wearing the Three Lions shirt at EURO 2025. Not stopping there, the 19-year-old girl has become a savior many times, with an 81st-minute equalizer in the 2-2 comeback victory of the England women's team against Sweden in the quarter-finals, and a 90+6th-minute goal, equalizing the score 1-1 against the Italian team before Chloe Kelly sealed the score 2-1 in extra time in the semi-finals.

After all that she has shown, Agyemang is becoming the new idol of British youth. From her childhood team Brandon Groves AFC to Arsenal Academy, then Southend Girls' High School and King's College London, where she is studying business management, everyone speaks of Agyemang with pride.

Michelle Agyemang, the hero who turned the Three Lions into comeback kings.

Jason Carey, Headteacher of Southend Girls’ High School, said it was a very special occasion for a former pupil of the school to reach the highest level of sport . “Agyemang’s hard work and tenacity in pursuing excellence, from her time at the school until now, continues to be an inspiration to generations of pupils,” he said.

Agyemang, like other girls of the England team, not only makes everyone admire her talent, but also her story of determination and willpower in the journey to achieve her dream. For example, Hannah Hampton, the goalkeeper who often plays the role of hero, suffered from strabismus when she was a child. She even had difficulty pouring water into a cup without spilling it, let alone playing football.

Yet Hampton has overcome, not only becoming the number 1 goalkeeper but also continuously creating spectacular saves, bringing the England women's team to the EURO 2025 final. Not stopping there, the 24-year-old goalkeeper is also a skilled pianist, speaks fluent Spanish and is proficient in sign language to communicate with the hearing impaired.

Lauren James completed her high school exams at the training center.

Compared to her teammates on the national team, Lauren James is luckier because her father Nigel James is a famous football coach and her brother Reece James is currently the captain of Chelsea. At only 23 years old, Lauren James has played 33 times for England, scored 9 goals, and won 10 major and minor titles with big clubs such as Arsenal, MU and Chelsea.

Despite her outstanding talent, being compared to Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi in men's football, Lauren James does not underestimate her studies.

When she was first called up to the England squad, it coincided with her school exams for her GCSEs, the UK’s General Certificate of Secondary Education . So Lauren James still had to spend at least three hours a day studying, then doing her exams right in the IT room at the training centre.

The Three Lions women's team has a chance to defend the EURO women's championship.

Women's football has changed dramatically in recent years. Many players have made a wealthy living from football. Ten days ago, Canadian striker Olivia Smith became the world's first £1 million woman when she moved from Liverpool to Arsenal.

However, football is always risky and the current generation of players are becoming smarter. They invest time and effort into their football dreams, but at the same time they also prepare themselves with a backup plan, by studying and equipping themselves with other skills.

The England women’s players are living proof. And they are truly inspiring, making women’s football a more attractive sport for girls. Statistics show that after reaching the final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 29% of 500 girls aged 13-18 surveyed played football. That figure has now risen to 36%, and is expected to rise even higher after the 2025 Women’s EURO final.