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Euro 2022: Lionesses' captain to be honoured in home county

PA Media Leah Williamson with the Euro 2022 trophy at Wembley StadiumPA Media
Lean Williamson is to be given the Freedom of the City in Milton Keynes and a mural is to be painted of her

The captain of the England Lionesses' is to be honoured in her home county after she led the team to victory in the Euro 2022 tournament.

Milton Keynes Council said Leah Williamson was to be awarded Freedom of the City.

The 25-year-old will become the first person to receive the honour after Milton Keynes was awarded city status.

A mural is also to be painted of the Arsenal defender in her hometown Newport Pagnell, near Milton Keynes.

Pete Marland, leader of Milton Keynes Council, said: "I think it would be totally appropriate that the very first person to be given the Freedom of the New City of Milton Keynes is the first woman to lead a national side to international honours and is from MK."

Mr Marland said he hoped the win would have a "lasting impact" on women's sport and "inspire a new generation of women and girls".

Milton Keynes hosted four of the tournament's games at Stadium MK, including the semi-final between France and Germany on Wednesday.

Justin Dealey/BBC Football fans at the Kings Arms, Newport PagnellJustin Dealey/BBC
Fans celebrated England's win at the Kings Arm pub in Newport Pagnell, where a mural of Williamson is to be painted

Meanwhile, artist Marc Silver, who has previously created murals of Elton John, said he would paint an artwork of Williamson on the side of the Kings Arms pub in Newport Pagnell.

He said: "I've said all along I think this is going to change women's football but if they win it that's the difference, and they've won it now and women's football in this country will never be the same for the better."

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The pub's landlady Kat Birch said the Lionesses' first major tournament victory was "just a massive, massive thing for Leah".

"We've watched the whole journey, it's been great," she said.

Euro 2022: 'It's a special moment for women's football'

Meanwhile, members of Stevenage Football Club's women's team in Hertfordshire said the Lionesses' win - which comes 56 years after England's men beat West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final - was a "massive stepping stone".

The match was watched by more than 87,000 people at Wembley Stadium plus a peak BBC One television audience of 17.4 million.

Striker Dionne Manning, 37, said: "It's massive, it's such a big step for ladies' football. We're really pleased to be involved in women's football at this time; it's a special moment."

Club secretary Dave Potter, who has been involved in women's football for 18 years, added: "If nothing comes from this, it will be an absolute travesty - 87,000 is massive and it goes to show there is a want for women's football."

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