Anita Asante believes a ‘golden age’ for women’s football in the UK is just around the corner after the Lionesses ’ inspirational run to the World Cup final.
England broke new ground by reaching a first ever final in Australia, eventually falling to Spain 1-0 courtesy of Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute strike. Sunday’s showpiece brought to an end a month of football that has enraptured the nation, with record-breaking numbers registered for those tuning in to watch England’s run to the final.
Current Bristol City coach Asante, who earned 71 caps for England between 2004 and 2018, believes that despite the disappointment of defeat, the breakthroughs made this summer have already laid the foundations for much bigger successes to come.
“I still feel a bit dejected knowing they were so close, and I really believed they could get the win,” said Asante, speaking at an event at Youngs FC, an inclusive football club from North West London formed in 2016 that were able to establish a new Under-13s girls team following last summer’s Euros with help from National Lottery funding.
“To get to the final off the back of winning the Euros is a massive achievement, we couldn’t have predicted that especially with all the different challenges. Key players missing and during the tournament having an injury to Keira Walsh and suspension of Lauren James, the team overcame so many different obstacles and still found their way to the final.
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“Upon reflection, we will all look back and say, ‘wow the girls did good.’ We saw the impact of the Euros win across the nation in terms of attendances domestically and the number of people, young women and girls, who wanted to start playing football across the country was massive; it is because of the Lionesses’ achievements and success over the past few years.
“We are set for a golden age now because the transformation has been significant from my early days playing the game until now. That is largely because of all the investment; £50 million has gone into grassroots and community football from National Lottery players.
The game has been transformed by financial backing from National Lottery players, more than £50 million has been invested in the last 10 years“Nearly 200 new girls’ teams and clubs across the UK have been set up off the back of the Euros success, so you can only imagine what the numbers might be post-World Cup. That’s the impact we want to see from the success and so the momentum continues.”
The game has been transformed by financial backing from National Lottery players, more than £50 million has been invested in the last 10 years.
To continue creating more opportunities for women and girls all over the UK to play football, The National Lottery has committed an additional £15 million into the FA over the next four years (2023-2027).
Greater investment in the grassroots game is just one of the areas Asante believes is key to the capitalising on current momentum.
But the Chelsea and Aston Villa defender also highlighted the need for improvement in other areas, pointing to recent low-balling over TV rights and win bonuses, and kit manufacturer Nike’s refusal to produce replica goalkeeper kits.
“All pillars of the game have to move forward simultaneously for it to have the desired impact we want to see,” she added.
“That is attendances domestically, WSL, Championship and throughout the tiers and also supporting grassroots from a facilities and access to the game perspective.
“It is about valuing the women’s game as a whole. We have seen what it can do in terms of inspiring the nation, that has to be followed up by all stakeholders.
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“That means TV rights, that means the England girls and their bonus structure with the FA improving – all those things are going to impact the game more positively for the future.
“It would be great to not have to have these conversations anymore. I would love it for a time where we anticipate this level of interest.
In the flight path of Heathrow Airport, National Lottery funded club Actonians Ladies’ FC welcomes the Lionesses home with pride (Getty Images for The National Lo)“People do want to buy England women’s match shirts and Mary Earps ’ goalkeeper shirt, and that is just a given because of the quality of those players and the team; that is the foundation for which the women’s and girls’ game continues to grow from.
“We need to stop being shocked by women achieving these heights in sport, and in women’s football. They have already arrived, they are performing, they are delivering, they are committed and they are professionals.
“Now they need to be valued for what they are doing, equally. We want to see that they have the same respect and are treated in the same way as anyone else.
“It’s about us anticipating what the next progression is as opposed to being reactive. The change is happening, it’s happening right now.”
National Lottery players have transformed women and girls’ football in the UK, with more than £50 million invested in the last 10 years alone. Find out how your numbers make amazing happen at: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk #MakeAmazingHappen #ThanksToYou
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