Linkedin EURO

Want role models? UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 certainly has them. There’s Nadia Nadim, the refugee from Afghanistan now representing her adopted nation of Denmark, who has qualified as a doctor while playing elite football. Then there’s Fran Kirby, who lost her mother as a child and has overcome depression and pericarditis to get back into the England squad. Or there’s Ada Hegerberg, already a Norway legend, who served out a self-imposed five-year exile from the national team in protest at the way women’s football was treated. A festival of football is about to begin – and LinkedIn is proud to be a national sponsor of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, highlighting visible female role models that will inspire future generations on and off the pitch. Whichever two women lead their teams out at Wembley on Sunday 31 July, the stands will be full and the flags will be waving as the two best teams in Europe battle for the right to lift the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 trophy. And though England can never guarantee warm weather, the likelihood is that in the middle of summer, it will be a fine evening, and a suitable showpiece to conclude what will be a thrilling tournament. This year’s tournament is the 13th official European Championship for women’s football, and England were also there for the first one. However, you don’t need to have a psychic gift to know that 2022 will be rather different from the their first foray into European competition.

1984-1997

2009-2021

1997-2009

2022

Carrie Dunn speaks with the key players since the inception of the tournament and charts its incredible growth

The rise and rise of the UEFA Women’s EURO: from 1984, when a report on the final was shorter than this headline, to 2022 when today’s superstars will play out the showpiece event to a packed Wembley

Blazing a trail

for future generations

Blazing a trail

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Action shots from the 1984 final show just how hard it was to play on a quagmire of a pitch

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‘We were fighting for recognition that

we could compete at the highest level’

Pia Sundhage

Thomas’s graciousness is typical of that group of England players – who were hailed in the Swedish press afterwards for their magnanimous behaviour in defeat. But it’s also characteristic of Thomas herself, the first woman to achieve 50 England caps – one of the most inspirational players of her generation, and who is now working with LinkedIn during UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 to inspire future generations of women. As for Sundhage, she was the very definition of versatile, breaking Sweden’s goalscoring records for the era as a striker, but handy in midfield and defence when needed. She went on to become one of the best coaches in the world, leading the USA to two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup final, and then returning to Sweden and winning Olympic silver with them – a textbook leader.

The original EURO set-up was tweaked slightly for the next few editions, which took place every two years rather than the quadrennial calendar football is used to. A host nation was selected for the semi-finals and the final, which were held over the course of five days. Teams were permitted to play with a standard size 5 ball next time round, in Norway in 1987 – although they were still playing truncated halves, 40 minutes each way. But 1991 was a real leap forward. It was the first time that 18 teams entered qualifying, more than half the UEFA membership at the time – enough to make the tournament truly official. That meant not just the full 90 minutes for matches, but it also warranted the full formal name of the UEFA Women’s Championship. That gave the entire game a real boost – with the 1997 edition expanding further. In fact, there were so many countries inspired by the trailblazers of the early competitions that it was necessary to introduce a group stage – meaning the finals ran over two weeks for the first time.

LinkedIn Insights*

of professional women believe they would have been more successful if they had a role model in the workplace

of professional women do have someone they look up to in life

LinkedIn Insights*

1984 vs

2,567

87,200

2022

(at Kenilworth Road, England v Sweden, second leg)

expected (at Wembley)

Attendance at the Women's EURO final

Nevertheless, these trailblazing women weren’t to be discouraged. England faced Sweden in the final, and with a Pia Sundhage a giving Sweden a very slight edge in Gothenburg, there was all to play for in the second leg. Linda Curl’s early goal levelled the aggregate scoreline for England during normal time (there was no extra-time), so it all came down to penalties – and player of the tournament Sundhage took the winning spot kick to give Sweden the inaugural European crown. “We were fighting for recognition that we could compete at the highest level,” Sundhage later said. “I do remember two things – I remember a diving header at home that made it 1-0, and the penalty kicks. It was very exciting, and the first time you win something big, it is the memory of my life.” Carol Thomas BEM, the England captain that day, remembers the game foremost for the horrendously muddy conditions, but acknowledges that Sweden were worthy winners. “The pitch was the same for both teams,” she says. “We played some cracking football, both teams, so I don’t think a drier ground would have made any difference really. There is some luck, the penalties might have been different, maybe if one of our players hadn’t slipped [taking the penalty], but you’ll never know…”

'How we reported 1984 - and how we would do it now'

1984-1997

First steps

Want role models? UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 has them. There’s Nadia Nadim, the refugee from Afghanistan now representing her adopted nation of Denmark, who has qualified as a doctor while playing elite football. Then there’s Fran Kirby, who lost her mother as a child and has overcome depression and pericarditis to get back into the England squad. Or there’s Ada Hegerberg, already a Norway legend, who served out a self-imposed five-year exile from the national team in protest at the way women’s football was treated. A festival of football is about to begin – and LinkedIn is delighted to be a national sponsor of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, encouraging visible female role models that will inspire future generations. Whichever two women lead their teams out at Wembley on Sunday 31 July, the stands will be full and the flags will be waving as the two best teams on the continent battle for the right to lift the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 trophy. And though England can never guarantee warm weather, the likelihood is that in the middle of summer, it will be a fine evening, and a suitable showpiece to conclude what will be a thrilling tournament. This year’s tournament is the 13th official European Championship for women’s football, and England were also there for the first one. However, you don’t need to have a psychic gift to know that 2022 will be rather different from the Lionesses’ first foray into European competition.

England defender Katie Chapman and Cathrine Paaske Sorensen from Denmark leap for the ball at the 2005 EURO

1997-2009

Football comes home – almost

England welcomed a women’s international tournament for the very first time in 2005. Almost 30,000 people watched the hosts at the City of Manchester Stadium, then a record for a women’s international tournament in Europe – and the unusually high number of spectators came as a surprise to the players. “We didn’t really know what to expect, and then when we realised how many people were there – that just doesn’t happen in women’s football!” winger Rachel Yankey told The Guardian at the time.

Now a coach and a regular fixture in the media, Yankey is using her high profile during the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 to help LinkedIn spotlight the importance of having visible role models in the workplace. Research from LinkedIn shows that just over 3 in 4 (76%) professionals who have a role model say this person has shown them what they can achieve – even if obstacles are thrown in their path. And women feel really strongly about this – with 57 per cent saying that having a relatable role model is crucial to achieving career success, and 70 per cent agreeing that it’s easier to be like someone you can see. As Janine Chamberlin, UK Country Manager at LinkedIn, says: “From the conversations we increasingly see on LinkedIn, visible role models play a vital role in shaping people’s careers, regardless of what stage they’re at. Seeing others in roles people wish to emulate, encourages them to believe in their own abilities and helps them set goals for themselves, regardless of gender, race, age or sexuality.

1984 vs

2022

Number of teams competing at the finals

(Sweden, England, Denmark and Italy)

(England, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Belgium, Iceland, Spain, Finland, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Portugal)

1984 vs

2022

Total prize money at the EURO

1984

2009

2013

2017

2022

LinkedIn data*

Just 25% of C-suite roles in the UK are held by women

of female professionals say relatable role models need to be more visible

LinkedIn Insights*

‘EURO 2005 moved it on miles,

people were saying it was much better

than watching the men’s’

Hope Powell

‘I think we’ve converted many

people to women’s football. We can

be proud of ourselves.’

Lieke Martens

2009-2020

“I think the EURO has improved from year to year, so every tournament has added something to the previous one,” Patrizia Panico, who played her last of five EURO for Italy in 2013, said. “And it’s not been small steps, but great improvements, because Europe, in general, has believed a lot in women’s football. There are business opportunities, there is huge growth, a lot has been invested, and a lot earned.” Panico is definitely qualified to judge. Generally agreed to be the best Italian player of her generation, her goalscoring exploits attracted attention from teams all around the world – no wonder, with 110 goals in 204 caps for Italy. Domestically, she fired her teams to an incredible 10 Serie A titles, finishing as the league’s top scorer 14 times, still a record. Now a coach herself, she only hung up her boots in 2016, at the age of 41.

Indeed, the 2013 final, at the Friends Arena in Solna, still holds the competition record for the highest attendance – 41,301 fans took their places to see Norway defeated by a single Anja Mittag goal, plus a superlative performance from their legendary goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, who saved two Norwegian penalties. Mittag shrugged off any praise afterwards, directing it all to the woman between the sticks, who was named player of the tournament.

The growth of the game

1984 vs

1,790

2022

Number of female professional footballers registered with UEFA

LinkedIn data*

Men are 21% more likely to be promoted to a leadership position than women

Marcus Rashford tops the LinkedIn list as the most influential role model in the UK (32%), followed by Kate Middleton (29%) and writer and activist Katie Piper (29%)

LinkedIn Insights*

“I am expecting so many high-level games,” she told englandfootball.com. “The game has developed so much and there are lots of countries who will be favourites for this tournament and I hope that it’s going to show, not only with the England team but other teams as well, how well women can play football and how professional it is and how they are such athletes on the pitch, and I hope that we are going to make a difference. “I am hoping that the stadiums are going to be full, people are going to be so excited by the games and the levels of the game – and that will help take the development of the women’s game to the next stage.”

2022

This summer and beyond

About the author Carrie Dunn is a writer and broadcaster. Her book 'Unsuitable For Females: The Rise of the Lionesses and women's football in England', published by Arena Sport, is available now in all good bookshops

All hopes now are pinned on England and this summer’s UEFA Women’s EURO to grow the game even more across the continent. Of course, Germany’s record is impressive whichever way you look at it – eight-time champions, with six wins in a row. But this summer in England there are 15 other nations looking to get their names on the trophy – not least the hosts. England Women coach Sarina Wiegman won the trophy with the Netherlands last time round, and will be aiming to bring it home this year. She has faith that this will be the biggest and the best EURO yet – and she knows that the very best female players in Europe will capture the imaginations of the millions watching.

‘This tournament is going to

show how well women can play football

and how professional it is’

Sarina Wiegman

of female professionals say relatable role models need to be more visible

LinkedIn Insights*

Almost half of those with a celebrity role model say they respect them for standing up for what they believe in because they are proof that hard work can pay off

LinkedIn and Telegraph Media Group are partnering for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 to spotlight visible role models that will inspire future generations both on and off the pitch. Join in the conversation #FollowInHerFootsteps PAID FOR BY

LinkedIn Insights Research conducted by Censuswide between 01.06.22 and 06.06.22 among 2,044 UK working adults aged 18+. LinkedIn Data Taken from LinkedIn’s ‘Gender Equity in the Workplace’ report.

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LinkedIn, a national sponsor of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, is working with a group of female footballing trailblazers including Carol Thomas BEM, Anette Börjesson, Rachel Yankey, Chloe Morgan and Iqra Ismail to spotlight visible role models that will inspire future generations – both on and off the pitch. Follow them on LinkedIn and join in the conversation #FollowInHerFootsteps

Telegraph Media Group Creative Director: Jonathan Clayton-Jones, Picture Editor: Alex Kelly, Commissioning Editor: Jim Bruce-Ball, Words: Carrie Dunn, Sub Editor: Tim Cumming, Project Manager: Emma Simpson, Web Editor: Caroline Stacey Picture credits: Alamy, EMPICS Sport, PA, Getty, The National Football Museum

Captains Anette Börjesson of Sweden and England’s Carol Thomas BEM shake hands ahead of the 1984 final at Kenilworth Road

Current champions Holland taste victory in 2017

Sweden celebrate beating England on penalties in 1984

England coach Sarina Wiegman has high hopes for her team to go all the way on home soil

England’s Amanda Barr is denied by Sweden’s Hanna Marklund in a group game at Ewood Park at the 2005 UEFA Women’s EURO

Karen Carney, now an excellent commentator and pundit on the game, is mobbed by team-mates after scoring against Finland in 2005 at the City of Manchester Stadium

Jordan Nobbs tackles Spain’s Alexia Putellas in a UEFA Women’s EURO Group game in The Netherlands in 2017

*LinkedIn Insights taken from research conducted by Cenuswide between June 1 and 6, 2022 from 2,044 UK working adults aged 18+ for its ‘Gender Equity in the Workplace’ report

England were one of the four teams to make the finals stage of the inaugural EURO – or the European Competition for Women’s Football, as it was known then. It wasn’t a EURO as fans today would recognise it – with a group stage played across several months, then the semi-finals and final, all two-legged affairs, scheduled in April and May 1984. Plus there were amended rules. The women were presented with a size 4 ball for their matches, rather than the standard size 5, and played 35 minutes each way, rather than the usual 45 minutes. At the time, the Daily Telegraph covered the match the next morning with a short paragraph – 32 words – at the bottom of the sports news. Times have changed, of course, and The Telegraph has led the way, having the first and only dedicated women’s sports desk on Fleet Street which it set up in 2019. But in 1984, international women’s football faced a huge battle for recognition.

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Action shots from the 1984 final show just how hard it was to play on a quagmire of a pitch

Captains Anette Börjesson of Sweden and England’s Carol Thomas BEM shake hands ahead of the 1984 final at Kenilworth Road

In 2013, Germany made it an incredible six tournament wins in a row in Sweden – but tournament organisers were even more pleased with progress off the field, with the smashing of the Women’s EURO ticket sales record. With 12 teams competing for the second tournament running, the first six matches in the group stage were watched by more than 40,000 people. That included a sell-out crowd of 16,128 for Sweden’s opener against Denmark in Gothenburg and 8,861 in Vaxjo when defending (and future) champions Germany played the Netherlands – at that point a competition record for a match, other than a final, not involving a host nation.

“When Natze saved the first penalty in the first half and then a second one in the second half, that was just awesome,” she told uefa.com. “Which goalkeeper saves two penalties in a final? She deserves all the attention – it’s crazy what she has done for us today.” And yes, the stands were packed, but supporters met up outside the stadia too, with the first-ever fan zones in Women’s EURO history – an ideal way to celebrate the icons of the women’s game, and an innovation that expanded across the host cities in the Netherlands four years later. “Before the 2017 tournament, expectations were high, but during it they skyrocketed,” Netherlands’ Lieke Martens admitted afterwards. She was one of the home heroines as two first-time finalists battled it out for the trophy in a biggest-ever field of 16 teams. The hosts were the champions, beating Denmark 4-2, and enjoyed some impressive goalscoring throughout – with Vivianne Miedema netting four times, and Martens and Sherida Spitse getting three each. Player of the tournament Martens later reflected – just as Rachel Yankey and Powell had done 12 years previously – that success in a home EURO had changed the face of women’s football in the Netherlands forever. The final attracted the country’s highest viewing figures for a sports programme so far that year, with an average of 4.1m viewers (83 per cent share) – and a global audience of more than 13 million. “We had great backing, not just in the stadiums but from people watching at home on TV, all across the country,” Martens told fifa.com. “It’s amazing to see the viewing figures for the final and all the attention we got in the press. I think we’ve converted many people to women’s football. We can be proud of ourselves.”

“Before the 2017 tournament, expectations were high, but during it they skyrocketed,” Netherlands’ Lieke Martens admitted afterwards. She was one of the home heroines as two first-time finalists battled it out for the trophy in a biggest-ever field of 16 teams. The hosts were the champions, beating Denmark 4-2, and enjoyed some impressive goalscoring throughout – with Vivianne Miedema netting four times, and Martens and Sherida Spitse getting three each.

Player of the tournament Martens later reflected – just as Rachel Yankey and Powell had done 12 years previously – that success in a home EURO had changed the face of women’s football in the Netherlands forever. The final attracted the country’s highest viewing figures for a sports programme so far that year, with an average of 4.1m viewers (83 per cent share) – and a global audience of more than 13 million. “We had great backing, not just in the stadiums but from people watching at home on TV, all across the country,” Martens told fifa.com. “It’s amazing to see the viewing figures for the final and all the attention we got in the press. I think we’ve converted many people to women’s football. We can be proud of ourselves.”

Follow in her footsteps

Yankey was 25 during that summer, and had gained some celebrity as the first official female professional in England when she signed for Fulham in the year 2000. Although EURO 2005 was a disappointing showing from the hosts – losing two out of their three group matches to crash out before the knock-out stages – it got Yankey and her team-mates some prime-time exposure on television. And there were plenty of people watching – a peak television audience of three million gave the FA plenty to be pleased about for the future. Attendance was strong too – England’s matches drew 29,092 to the City of Manchester Stadium, while 14,695 and 25,694 came to the matches at Ewood Park in Blackburn – with the first of those kicking off at 6pm on a Wednesday.

“In the same way the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 tournament provides trailblazing female footballers a sporting stage on which to be seen and inspire others, we want to spotlight and celebrate inspirational women across LinkedIn’s community of 32+ million UK professionals. “It’s this visibility which enables today’s and tomorrow’s professionals to overcome barriers that may impact their progress, and ultimately supports building a fairer and more equitable workplace.” History suggests that a whole new audience will be attracted to the game simply because this years finals taking place right on their doorsteps. Hope Powell, England’s manager at that tournament, thinks that hosting a tournament did wonders for boosting interest in the women’s game. “EURO 2005 moved it by miles,” she told Catherine Etoe and Natalia Sollohub for their seminal Three Lions on her Shirt book about England women’s football. “I had a lot of comments afterwards, even though we didn’t get out of the group, with people saying it was much better than watching the men’s – and that’s a massive thing.”

And there are records that could be broken. Will Netherlands’ Vivianne Miedema – already an Arsenal legend at the age of 25 – score more goals over the course of the finals than the six that Inka Grings of Germany managed in 2009? Could Spain’s Alexia Putellas – the reigning Ballon d'Or holder – hit the back of the net five times in one match to break Marianne Petterson’s mark set back in 1997 for Norway against Denmark? And will any goalkeeper in the 21st century ever manage to go a whole tournament without conceding, as Reidun Seth did en route to Norway’s triumph in 1993? One thing is for sure – there will be a new generation inspired by these sensational role models.

LinkedIn data*