For some players, it’s all about determination and teamwork. For others, it’s more about resilience and being difficult to defeat. Regardless of the motivation, "proper England" - which can be interpreted as "an England worthy of its name" - is embraced in every possible way by the Lionesses, functioning as a mantra that unites a team that experienced a real scare at the start of the Euros.
With their backs against the wall after a 2-1 loss toFrance in their opening match, England first spoke of this famous "proper England" before their match against Wales.
"We've discussed our aspiration to be a 'proper England'," Georgia Stanway stated at the press conference.
"We want to return to our roots, to a traditional style of football - tough tackling, reconnecting with our origins and remembering why we are here, playing for the little girl who dreamed of being here."
This is more an issue of identity than tactics for a squad that is not the same as the one that won EURO 2022 - only 13 of the 23 players in the current squad are European champions.
A question of identity
"We're a new England and a new team. We have many young players who have vastly different experiences representing England compared to myself.
"We're a highly skilled team, equipped with both technical and tactical abilities, and everything that comes with it, but we must never forget that we are England, that we embody the true England and that, if challenges arise, we can secure a victory by any means necessary," explained the seasoned Lucy Bronze at the press conference.
However, while the Lionesses "frequently use that phrase," as England coach Sarina Wiegman acknowledged at the press conference, the term 'proper England' was first introduced by the women's team on February 26th, after a 1-0 triumph over Spain.
Thanks to Jessica Park's second-half goal following Alessia Russo being fouled by Irene Paredes, England avenged their defeat to the team that had bested them in the final of the 2023 World Cup. It was an ungraceful victory, marked by resilience and defensive struggle, yet one that pleased Millie Bright, undoubtedly the finest representative of this 'proper England'.
"We spoke about being authentic Englishwomen tonight. To possess that spirit of fight and the desire to support one another, to work hard for each other and to be tough to beat,"Bright remarked after that victory.
The Chelsea central defender chose not to participate in EURO 2025 due to mental and physical exhaustion, but her message has resonated with this new generation of English players.
In an England missing three of its key players - Bright, as well as Mary Earps and Fran Kirby - 'proper England' also serves to unify the team following a turbulent lead-up to the Euros, during which the English media suggested that Wiegman had lost part of her dressing room. It also helps alleviate some pressure on them as reigning European champions.
A reimagined version of the 'English' game
The coach, for her part, takes the phrase seriously: "'Proper England' is what we are and what we aim to demonstrate," Wiegman stated.
"There are moments in a match when you need to exhibit that resilience, but concurrently, when we have possession, it’s crucial for me that our passes are purposeful, and today you truly witnessed the intent in every pass we made, and for me, that’s also 'proper England'."
While the 'proper England' strategy - stringent on marking, with numerous duels, fouls, and shots allowed - was originally a masculine signifier, the English women refer to a 'fighting spirit' rather than a punishable level of commitment.
"For us, 'proper England' signifies that we will exert ourselves and battle until we can no longer run," said Russo. "We remain united, even if we frequently have possession of the ball."
An inspiring comeback victory over Sweden
It was a mantra that proved effective against Sweden in the quarter-finals, when England found themselves trailing 2-0 after 25 minutes against the Swedes and managed, for the first time in their history, to overturn such a deficit within 103 seconds, thanks to goals from Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang (79th and 81st minutes), following passes from Chloe Kelly, who had entered the game just a minute earlier.
Ultimately, they advanced on penalties."We must discover multiple ways to win: through extra time or penalties... And even if we miss penalties, we need to have the mindset to dig deep into our resources and rely on players like Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton to step up.
"Tonight's victory embodies everything we mean when we refer to 'Proper England' - it wasn’t pretty, but we made it through!" Bronze smiled in the mixed zone.
Tactically, England still has a long way to go to showcase a robust style of play, and they are the team with the fewest successful tackles in the group stage, second only to Belgium. They even came perilously close to being outplayed at their own game against a Swedish team known for its solidity and physicality.
However, while defense may not currently be the Lionesses' strong suit, as they have already conceded twice as many goals as when they were crowned champions in 2022, they can at least rely on a collective spirit if they hope to surprise an Italy team that utilizes the same resources.
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