England women's Euro 2022 win is the greatest moment in English football since 1966, when the men's side lifted the World Cup.
Beth Mead played a pivotal role in that European Championships triumph, becoming the golden boot winner with six goals and being named player of the tournament, too.
Indeed, she shone throughout all six games as England stormed through the group stage with nine points - which included an 8-0 win against Norway and a 5-0 defeat of Northern Ireland - to set up a quarter-final tie with Spain.
Spain proved arguably England's most difficult game of the tournament, the nation taking a 1-0 lead before a late goal from Ella Toone took the game to extra time. A stunning Georgia Stanway finish from distance ensured they won and progressed to the semi-finals.
There, England faced Sweden at Bramall Lane. What initially promised to be a tight and cagey affair actually turned out a lot more comfortable, with Mead and her teammates running out 4-0 winners.
When they came into the Euro 2022 final, against Germany at Wembley, England were certainly the favourites. They had a lot of pressure from a majority home crowd, though, but Dutchwoman Sarina Wiegman managed to temper those pressures, ensuring her squad made the most of the opportunity through her calming management style.
Speaking to FourFourTwo in the latest issue available to order, Beth Mead recalls what Wiegman told the Lionesses during the preparations for the game
"She told us, ‘We don’t have to win but we really want to , and today is just another game of football, though of course it has a lot riding on it. We’re playing a game that we love and we have to go out and enjoy it the best we can’.”
Enjoy it they did. Ella Toone sent Wembley crazy by scoring in the 62nd minute with a delightful lob, before Germany equalised in the 79th minute through Lina Magull, sending the game to extra time.
Chloe Kelly then sent Wembley into raptures, scrambling the ball over the line from a corner in the second period of extra time. Kelly's goal handed England's women's team their first-ever international tournament victory with that goal, while Mead proved her class throughout the tournament.
Wiegman's words of wisdom clearly worked wonders.
Beth Mead's new book Lioness: My Journey to Glory is out now and available to order.
