'We're gutted but they've done country proud' - England fans react

In the end, it came down to that connection that has haunted England fans for decades: hurt.

But aft the Lionesses' heartbreaking decision to Spain successful Sunday's final, it was intolerable to find a azygous idiosyncratic gathered successful the instrumentality portion to ticker the lucifer who thought this was the extremity of the enactment for a broadside the state has fallen caput implicit heels successful emotion with.

At Croydon Boxpark successful London, hundreds of supporters began the greeting hopeful arsenic they crammed into the stiflingly blistery instrumentality venue.

In scenes repeated crossed the country, the faithful had arrived early, waving flags, galore wearing shirts with names of their heroes connected the back, and hoping for a historical win.

The last whistle mightiness person brought the curtain down connected this peculiar World Cup imagination - but this team's spot successful fans' hearts has been cemented.

Dani and Georgia Beazley were the archetypal successful enactment erstwhile the doors opened, queuing from 07:30 BST to unafraid a beforehand enactment seat.

"We're gutted, but they've done the state proud," said Dani. "And I deliberation this decision volition lone marque radical emotion them more."

Coach Sarina Wiegman has built a winning squad and mentality - and a procreation of fans who person got utilized to winning.

Before kick-off, Holly Cornford, 30, said: "I started watching women's shot earnestly during the [2022] Euros and conscionable thought it was incredible. Before that it felt similar you had to leap done hoops to ticker it.

"I don't deliberation there's immoderate accidental it volition spell backwards from here", she said. "It's lone going up."

Her person Phoebe Shavelar, who's 25, said: "This England squad conscionable marque maine consciousness affirmative astir women's athletics successful general.

"For a small boy, that imagination was ever determination for them. That's changing for small girls now."

Among those watching was 10-year-old Isla Burton, from Horley, West Sussex.

Her dada Luke described them arsenic a "football family" arsenic helium played for AFC Wimbledon, his sons vie astatine younker level and present Isla plays astatine Brighton's centre of emerging talent.

"The modular of women's shot is astonishing and for my girl to beryllium capable to spot that, it gives her thrust and belief," Luke said.

"She was brought up connected shot but adjacent 5 oregon 10 years agone I didn't cognize if she'd beryllium capable to person a vocation successful it.

"But present there's conscionable specified a buzz astir the sport."

Mum Sarah agreed, saying she hoped to spot her girl "up connected that surface 1 day".

Similar events were held elsewhere crossed the country.

Aston Villa instrumentality Rhiannon Williams said: "It's bully seeing however radical person started watching it and [they] proved that they tin play football.

"Hopefully Villa Park tin beryllium sold retired astatine a women's game."

The assemblage successful Croydon watched arsenic England started to effort and interruption down a stubborn Spain broadside and determination were groans erstwhile England went adjacent aboriginal connected (so adjacent that 5 radical sharing a seat ended up level connected their backs) and the nerves were palpable.

But crossed London, astatine a instrumentality portion successful Victoria Park successful the eastbound of the city, England supporters were stunned into soundlessness arsenic Olga Camona scored the opening extremity connected 29 minutes. A azygous Spain instrumentality celebrated.

Back successful Croydon determination was inactive content astatine half-time but the crippled slipped distant from England.

In the 2nd half, a punishment prevention from Mary Earps sent the assemblage into raptures and pints were thrown successful the air.

At a screening successful North Walsham, Norfolk - the location municipality of England guardant Lauren Hemp - determination was anticipation England could inactive find an equaliser.

"We volition support moving hard and cheering them on," said Nicola Wicks.

But successful the end, determination were tears.

In Croydon, a despondent Holly Sohail was consoled by friends aft the last whistle.

"I woke up astatine 2am and was convinced we could win", she said dabbing astatine her eyes with her England shirt.

"But we'll travel back. We volition triumph this tourney successful 4 years' time."

Nicola Byrne said: "We're devastated but they were amazing. We couldn't beryllium immoderate prouder. Will they beryllium back? 100%."

Mum Helen Davies and daughters Emma and Laura, had arrived early, with their replica kits on.

And disconnected the pitch, Emma said, this team's power is beyond doubt.

"Girls are present seeing shot arsenic a vocation which ne'er could before. Even immoderate older players similar Lucy Bronze - she wouldn't person dreamt of this arsenic a child."

One of them who mightiness spell to furniture contiguous dreaming of playing connected the large signifier is Lilly Rush.

The three-year-old had 1 of the champion seats successful the location nether the large surface alongside dada James Rush and mum Lisa Campbell.

"She plays shot connected a Saturday and loves it," Lisa said.

"This last volition amusement her that playing athletics is thing tin bash erstwhile she grows up.

"Even conscionable earlier the Euros successful 2022 it was hard to imagine.

"Let's look it, everyone wants a squad to judge in."

World Cup winners oregon not, England has one.