On Sunday, 27 June, the entire nation held its breath as the highly anticipated matchup of the two biggest teams in international football once again came down to the finest margins — a penalty shootout. With the score level at one a piece after extra-time, all that stood between the players and history was a straight shootout from 12 yards. 

However, within the respective squads, there was yet a further layer of anticipation, as Manchester City teammates Alex Greenwood, Jess Park, and Laia Aleixandri once again found themselves at the heart of a rivalry that has dominated international football in recent competitions — England vs. Spain. 

Before the tournament, the players spoke fondly of each other’s international triumphs. As Alex Greenwood reflected on the historic win at Wembley in the 2022 Women’s Euros Final, an equal measure of pride and respect coursed through her response.  

“The first one, obviously, happy because we won. I have great memories of that, of course. But I admire Spain, and I admire the way they play.”

And as she looked back on Spain’s victory in the 2023 World Cup Final, despite admitting the loss was tough to take, she was willing to concede, “Spain was the better team, and I think I’m okay with that.”

Similarly, despite not being present at the 2023 World Cup, Laia Aleixandri was also keen to reiterate the level of respect between the players. Reflecting on Spain’s win, she reminds her teammate, “I now have even more [respect], because I know you, and I train every day with you.”

However, as Chloe Kelly stepped up to the spot with the fate of a nation at her feet, time seemed to freeze. And as she got ready for her signature run-up, ending in the ball nestling in the top corner, it finally set in – England have made history. 

The Lionesses’ historic feat in Switzerland was a tale of resilience, belief, and togetherness — and with that fairytale ending, not only was history made, but the Third Act reached its conclusion. 

The response to the victory and the level of coverage throughout the tournament are also a testament to the growth and potential of women’s football. A far cry from what might’ve been possible at the start of their respective careers, these players have not only made history, but they’ve changed the course of women’s football forever. 

When we caught up with all three players before the tournament, we dove into their earlier memories of football. Not only does it make their feats on the pitch even more impressive, but it reiterates the monumental shift in the women’s game — even more so after this latest triumph.

What started as a passion has transpired into something much more significant. For Jess Park, football was often an escape, “When I play football, I don’t think about anything else. It’s just my freedom.” Similarly, Greenwood’s affinity for the game in her youth remains a core memory. “Even in school, actually. I was meant to be doing work, and I’d be sorting the teams out, in the back of my books.”

Looking back at her earliest memories of the game, Laia Aleixandri paid homage to a childhood coach. “When I was playing with the boys, I had a coach that treated me just as a player, not a boy or a girl, and that made a difference to me. I was just playing football, and I had to do the same exercises, give the same effort, and play just like everyone else, and that was important to me.”

Aleixandri is still only 24, and in the infancy of her career, but the recollection of how the coach treated her lives long in her memory. The necessity of playing with boys is a reality that many of the current crop of female footballers have faced, and so the impact of their presence goes beyond the pitch. 

Win, lose, or draw, they are ultimately shifting the narrative. And the Lionesses’ latest triumph will not only reiterate that women’s football is here to stay, but the impact it will have on the next generation of female ballers breaking into the game is seismic. All-girl teams are now a reality, and coverage and analysis are offered at the same level of detail and attention as it is in the men’s game — slowly but surely, the equality between the two is improving; nonetheless, there is still much more work to be done. 

What started as a winner-takes-all showdown, The Third Act represents more than just England vs Spain. 

The closing act of one of the most iconic rivalries in women’s international football is instead the beginning of a much bigger story — women’s football is taking over, and as the Lionesses brought football back home, it’s here to stay.