Lionesses one step from legendary status as Wiegman cements her status as one of the game's giants

The Lionesses have already created history in reaching their first World Cup final and on Sunday they can cement their legacy as an era-defining team.

The success of the side has a lot to do with manager Sarina Wiegman, and her tenure has surely put to bed the notion that only an English person can lead the England team, men’s or women’s.

Wiegman’s record in international football is phenomenal. Four major finals in a row, with her native Netherlands and the Lionesses, says it all, whether it is men’s football or women’s, football is football, and she is a giant of the managerial world.

There will always be the naysayers who refuse, whether through indifference, stubbornness or outdated attitudes, to watch the women’s game but the numbers don’t lie. Across the BBC there were 11 million viewers for the win over Australia and millions more are expected for the final. This team, and this sport, are hugely popular.

The negative voices are getting quieter and fewer with each game and for the ones who remain, well frankly, it is their loss. Weigman has produced a superb team and those who choose to ignore them or belittle the women’s game are missing out.

Win or lose the Lionesses have over the past year created a change in their sport that will live on long past their own playing careers.

Wiegman and the players deserve enormous credit but this is not only their success. It is a triumph of resources and planning. 

The Women’s Super League has taken the domestic game to new heights. The impact of having, for the majority at least, well-funded, professional teams has resulted in a production line of talent and the Lionesses are reaping the benefits of that. 

According to pundits and bookmakers, England’s chances were severely dented when Wiegman lost captain Leah Williamson, Euro 22 star Beth Mead and playmaker Fran Kirby to injury pre-tournament. But the coach never doubted her pool of players and adapted her plans. 

Just as she was forced to in Australia when key midfield Keira Walsh was stretchered off in the group stage, the tactics were altered and the Lionesses coped, as they did once more following the immature reaction from Lauren James that led to her red card against Nigeria.

Despite the loss of three key players to injury, Walsh having since recovered, and James to suspension the Lionesses continued to flourish, with Ella Toone and Alessia Russo moving seamlessly from substitutes to starters between the two major finals. England’s strength in depth and tactical flexibility is a credit to Wiegman and the club game.

The investment into women’s football has been a huge driver behind the Lionesses' success but there is still a long way to go, and not only in football. 

There needs to be an increase in focus on female sports, at grass-roots level in particular, from local clubs lacking changing rooms for girls’ teams to Nike not putting Mary Earps’ jersey on sale, there is an blinkered view that does not exist in men’s sport. 

If a team like the Lionesses cannot open our eyes and inspire the country to truly get behind female sport then an enormous opportunity will have been wasted.

Whatever the outcome on Sunday, Weigman’s side have done the country proud and deserve every plaudit they are getting. 

Win tomorrow and their legacy as one of the all-time great, if not the greatest, English sporting sides is assured.

As fans we need to make the most of it – era-defining teams don’t come around all that often and we are one game away from having one of our own.

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