'Beg to differ': Lionesses star roars response to Gareth Southgate claim

When will the football community truly remember, recognise and revere England's achievements in women's football?

When England Women play in the World Cup or Euros, the whole country gets behind them.

The Lionesseswon Women's Euro 2022, the country's first major tournament win since 1966, and reached the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup, falling 1-0 to Spain at the final hurdle.

Let's take nothing away from what the men's side is achieving - reaching the final of two consecutive European Championship finals is no mean feat, especially as these are the first two occasions in history the side has reached this stage.

But aside from major tournaments, and the immediate impact it has, women's football seems to get forgotten about when England's men's team is on the agenda - including from the top professionals and the media.

After England's 2-1 win against The Netherlands in the semi-finals of Euro 2024, TNT Sports Tweeted that England men's head coach Gareth Southgate is the only head coach or manager to reach two finals with England.

But what about England Women and its head coach Sarina Wiegmen, who was actually the first to do so, reaching the finals of Women's Euro 2022 and Women's World Cup 2023?

TNT Sports has since deleted the Tweet - but not before it was spotted by Lioness and Arsenal star Beth Mead.

She quoted it, called it out and said: "Hmm 🤔 beg to differ."

TNT Sports isn't alone in this - England men's captain Harry Kane has been guilty of this too.

When addressing comments Gary Lineker made about England's performance in the 1-1 draw against Denmark in the group stage being "s**t", as part of his response, Kane said: "The bottom line is we haven't won anything as a nation for a long, long time."

Women's Euro 2022? In extra-time?! At Wembley?!?! Against Germany?!?!?!

As previously mentioned, it's amazing what the men's side is achieving and this isn't to take away from that - if the side wins Euro 2024, it will be talked about for years, decades and centuries to come, just like the 1966 World Cup win, and rightly so.

But let's never forget the incredible successes of England Women - why shouldn't we, and can't we, celebrate it in the same manner?

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