England Lionesses set to be rewarded with honours after Euros victory as PM praises champions as ‘true history-makers'
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
SIR Keir Starmer today hints England's Lionesses will be rewarded with honours after their Euros triumph, as he declares: 'Recognition is coming.'
The PM praised the two-time champions as 'true history-makers' who have inspired a generation — including his own daughter.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
6
The Lionesses are set to be rewarded with honours after their Euros triumph
Credit: Alamy
6
Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman could be made an Honorary Dame
Credit: Getty
6
Chloe Kelly celebrates against Spain
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
And he hailed England's great values of 'decency, fairness and respect' that spurred on the squad's success in Switzerland.
The Lionesses are back-to-back Euros winners after beating Spain in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
England heroes Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton are among those expected to get gongs in the New Year's Honours List.
Their Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman could be made an Honorary Dame after leading her squad to double glory.
Writing exclusively in today's Sun on Sunday, the footie-mad PM says: 'What Sarina and our Lionesses have achieved is nothing short of remarkable.
"So recognition is coming — and it will be worthy of their historic success.'
Sir Keir flew to Basel to watch them roar to victory in last Sunday's final at St Jakob-Park.
Supersub Kelly scored the winning penalty for England and goalie Hampton saved two Spanish spot-kicks to help secure glory.
The Cabinet Office oversees the honours and details of who is in line for a them are a fiercely kept secret until they are officially named but there is a long history of sports champs getting gongs.
The squad were widely honoured after winning the Euros for the first time three years ago.
Lionesses' Beatlemania-like homecoming shows women footballers are FINALLY getting the honour and respect they deserve
Captain Leah Williamson, also skipper for the second triumph, got an OBE, while Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Ellen White were made MBEs.
Kelly missed out on a gong in 2022 despite scoring England's match-winning goal in their extra-time win over Germany in the final at Wembley.
Gareth Southgate was handed a knighthood after leading the men's England team to their second consecutive Euros final last year.
6
Supersub Michelle Agyemang celebrates scoring with teammate Ella Toone
Credit: Getty
6
Lionesses wave to fans during the team's victory parade
Credit: Getty
The entire men's English cricket team got honours after beating the Aussies in the 2005 Ashes.
And in 2003, the England rugby union team were all given OBEs after their World Cup victory.
David Beckham was told earlier this year he will get a knighthood.
Meanwhile, Lioness Lauren Hemp has recreated the Euros trophy out of 3,000 Lego bricks.
The Man City forward shared a pic on Instagram captioned: 'When two of my favourite things come together.'
6
Lauren Hemp poses with a Euros trophy she recreated out of 3,000 Lego bricks
Credit: Instagram
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
10 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Chelsea have spent eye-watering £360MILLION on defenders in three years – but how many of them were worth it?
CASE FOR THE DEFENCE Chelsea have spent eye-watering £360MILLION on defenders in three years – but how many of them were worth it? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE arrival of £37million Jorrel Hato takes Chelsea's spending on defenders under their new owners past a record-shattering £360m. Yet the Blues back four which lines up against Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the new season may well include just one player who cost a fee. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Chelsea have completed a deal for Jorrel Hato Credit: Getty Play Dream Team now! Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season Free to play Over £100,000 in total prize money Play in Mini Leagues against your mates Submit a team for Gameweek 1 to enter £5,000 prize draw Play via Dream Team's app or website today! Marc Cucurella, who came in from Brighton three years ago in a deal worth up to £62m, is the biggest success of Chelsea's hit-and-miss defensive recruitment. The signing of Hato is a major coup for the Blues, with Liverpool and Arsenal among the other major clubs who wanted the talented and versatile teenager. The young Dutchman is the 12th defender brought in since the consortium led by Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly took over the club in May 2022. But Cucurella, a Euro 2024 winner with Spain, is the only member of the current Chelsea back four that you would describe as world class. READ MORE ON CHELSEA LEIP OF FAITH Chelsea stumbling block in Simons chase as Leipzig not interested in stars And if Chelsea are to win domestic and European titles, they will need more defenders to reach that level. To be fair, Enzo Maresca's side can already claim to be world champions. To beat a flair-filled Paris Saint-Germain side 3-0, just weeks after they had spanked Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final, was an impressive achievement. The back four which started the Club World Cup final was left back Cucurella, homegrown centre backs Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah, and right back Malo Gusto. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK The Frenchman, now 22, could end up costing Chelsea £30.7m after signing from Lyon in January 2023 and spending the rest of that season on loan back at the French club. Gusto has done a decent, sometimes very good, job at right back. He covered for the long injury-related absences of Reece James over the last two seasons and kept his place when James was employed in midfield - as he was against PSG. How Nicolas Jackson could make £80m Newcastle switch | Transfers Exposed 8 Marc Cucurella has been the club's best-performing defender since joining Credit: Alamy 8 Malo Gusto has also impressed at times Credit: Getty But if you believe Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will start the biggest games in front of the defence, and James will mostly play as an inverted right back when he is fit, then Gusto will not be in Enzo Maresca's strongest 11. Chalobah did well after returning from half a season on loan at Crystal Palace, but could yet find himself being sold this summer. As a product of the Chelsea Academy, he would generate pure profit for financial rules purposes and there could be clubs willing to pay £40m for him. If Chalobah left, his replacement as right-sided centre back at the start of the season would almost certainly be Tosin Adarabioyo. The free transfer from Fulham last summer has carved a niche for himself off the pitch as well as on it. At just 27 he is one of the senior members of the squad, and plays an 'Uncle Tosin' role to the youngsters, enjoying a particularly close relationship with fellow Mancunian Cole Palmer. But no-one, not even Tosin himself, would claim that he is one of Europe's best defenders. If Wesley Fofana is able to put his injury hell behind him and rediscover his previous form, he could yet meet those standards and become a Chelsea stalwart for years to come. Fofana, still just 24, has made only 34 appearances for the Blues since arriving from Leicester in the summer of 2022 in a deal worth up to £75m. He is the most expensive of all Chelsea's defensive signings and that means, through no fault of his own, he has also been the biggest let down. But only just. 8 The Blues really have had trouble finding a settled and satisfactory centre back pairing. Within weeks of the 2022 takeover, Kalidou Koulibaly became the new regime's first defensive signing. The Napoli star's £35m fee felt a little steep for a player about to turn 31, but the Senegal international was highly-rated and on the radar of other big clubs. Koulibaly failed to live up to his billing, although he could point to the chaos of playing under three different managers and a hamstring injury as decent explanations. He was offloaded after just one season to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal - and played for them in this year's Club World Cup. When Chelsea set a new record for winter window spending in early 2023, Benoit Badiashile's £35m arrival from Monaco went a little under the radar in the wake of massive deals for Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk. The Frenchman did fine in a struggling team in the remainder of the 22/23 season, but not well enough to seal his spot. And when injury kept Badiashile out of the start of the following campaign, Colwill took his chance after returning from loan at Brighton. 8 Wesley Fofana has been unlucky with injuries Credit: Getty 8 Kalidou Koulibaly left after just one year Credit: Getty 8 Tosin Adarabioyo has impressed since joining Chelsea on a free transfer Credit: Getty Meanwhile the unfortunate Fofana had suffered the second major knee injury of his short Chelsea career in the summer of 2023. Within weeks, the Blues had gone back to Monaco to bring in Axel Disasi for another £38m. The France international was a first choice under Mauricio Pochettino for much of the 2023/4 season. But new boss Maresca did not fancy Disasi, and he was sent on loan to Aston Villa for the second half of last season. The signing of Hato, 19, fits Chelsea's current transfer philosophy of signing the best young players and trying to turn them into superstars. If they fail, they can usually be sold on for a profit, as is likely to be the case with Renato Veiga. The versatile Portuguese was signed only last summer, did well enough to earn a loan to Juventus for the second half of the season and could find himself joining Atletico Madrid for a chunky fee. In addition to Veiga, Chelsea signed two teenage defenders last summer in centre back Aaron Anselmino and left back Caleb Wiley. The latter has now returned to Watford for a second season on loan, while Anselmino may well also leave on a temporary deal after recovering from injury. Mamadou Sarr, 19, is likely to be loaned back to Strasbourg after the Blues paid £12m to their sister club. Hato is also 19 but at a fee of £37m, he will surely need to deliver for Chelsea this season. The Blues will probably ease him in, perhaps initially as cover for left back Cucurella. In the longer term, Hato should end up challenging Colwill for that left-sided centre back slot or forming a partnership with the England international. And finally, after spending more on defenders than any club, Chelsea could end up with a world-class back four to show for it. 8 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
Daily Mirror
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Xabi Alonso makes Trent Alexander-Arnold stance clear as Real Madrid star sent message
Trent Alexander-Arnold is hoping to make a quick impression at Real Madrid following his high profile transfer from Liverpool and boss Xabi Alonso wants him to be his first choice right-back Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has decided Trent Alexander-Arnold will be his starting right-back at the Bernebeu ahead of long-serving Dani Carvajal, according to reports in Spain. The England defender is a new arrival in the Spanish capital after the La Liga giants fought hard to bring him in from Liverpool, even agreeing to pay the Premier League side £10m to ensure he arrived in time for the Club World Cup in June. Alexander-Arnold arrives in Madrid with pedigree having just won his second Premier League title with Liverpool, where he won eight cups in total - including the Champions League in 2019. Alonso sees the 26-year-old as "the chosen one", according to Spanish outlet E-Noticies, who says the manager has put his faith in the England star due to his "quality, vision and offensive contribution". Alexander-Arnold knew he had work to do in order to unseat Carvajal - the boyhood Madrid star who has made 428 appearances for the club, winning every trophy available to him. That includes four La Liga titles and an astonishing six Champions League titles. But the report claims that Carvajal will "have to get used to the bench" and says the veteran defender is "no longer untouchable" after spending much of last season on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament tear. Carvajal - who has been at the club for so long that he played with Alonso at Real Madrid - will turn 34 in January and no longer has the same pace and power he was once renowned for. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has been a huge hit since arriving in Madrid - wowing the press with his fluent Spanish-speaking ability. He also gets along well with the club's centre-backs, the report adds, and has the "character, talent and profile" that fits the playing style Alonso wants to implement on the team. It says Alonso is looking more towards a youthful outlook for the team, saying that stars like Endrick, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz could start becoming "key pieces" of the puzzle at Madrid. Carvajal is not the only long-serving star who faces a bench role in the upcoming season. Rodrygo appears to have fallen down the pecking order under Alonso already after the coach after he was benched for their Club World Cup semi-final clash against PSG. Alonso said he needed "another player" when asked for a reasoning behind the decision, but said he hadn't decided whether on the Brazilian's future just yet. "The fact that he didn't play again is a game-by-game decision," he said. "The way things were going, we needed another player. There haven't been any decisions about the future throughout this entire championship." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Lionesses hero Chloe Kelly hosts huge hometown street party as Euros celebrations continue
Chloe Kelly hammered home the decisive penalty as England's women retained the Euros last weekend and the Arsenal star has continued her celebrations by hosting a street party Lionesses star Chloe Kelly threw a huge street party in her hometown after playing a key role in England women's second successive European Championship win. Kelly scored the winning penalty as England retained their crown, seeing off the Spanish in Switzerland last Sunday. The Arsenal star also scored a late winner in extra-time to down Italy in the semi-final. It has seen her stock skyrocket and she was among the star names as the Lionesses celebrated with fans in central London earlier in the week. They enjoyed an open top bus parade down the Mall before lapping up the love of the supporters back home. Kelly's celebrations have extended to a week as she partied on the street with friends and family in Hanwell, west London over the weekend. A video went viral on social media and showed the 27-year-old dancing in the middle of the large group. The Lionesses hero has admitted in the aftermath of the Euros that she was going through some 'dark moments', which had seen her change club, leading to her turning her year around as she responded to those who doubted her. Kelly said: "There were a lot of tears at full-time, especially when I saw my family, because they were the people that come me through those dark moments. 'I am so grateful to be out at the back end, but if that's a story to tell someone who maybe experiences something the same, then tough times don't last and just around the corner was a Champions League final. I won that and now a Euros final, I've won that. So, thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I'm grateful.' Kelly's iconic moments in an England shirt date back to her also scoring the winning goal in extra-time when the Lionesses downed Germany to win their first ever Euros three years ago at Wembley. The Arsenal star walked off the pitch last weekend and told the camera: "The first time was so nice, we had to do it twice." The 27-year-old has hailed the efforts and influence of Sarina Wiegman, whose success at England women's boss continues to elevate the game with Kelly reserving special praise for her manager. She said: 'What she has done for me, individually, she gave me hope, when I probably didn't have any. She gave me an opportunity to represent my country again. I knew that I had to get game time, because representing England is never a given. But what she has done for the women's game, not just in England, she has taken it to a whole other level." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
