Lionesses-on-Thames – England stars take a break at Teddington HQ ahead of Euros final
By Rory Poulter
29th Jul 2022 | Local News
The England squad have been enjoying trips on the Thames as they prepare for the Euros final against Germany on Sunday.
The team has been based at the Lensbury, Teddington, which sits on the river, throughout the tournament and it has provided the perfect facilities for their winning run to the final.
Victory over Sweden, who are the number two ranked team in women's football, secured a spot in the final at Wembley in front of a sell-out crowd of some 87,200.
The team celebrated to the tune of Abba hits and they subsequently received a message of support for success in the final from the Swedish super-group's Bjorn Ulvaeus.
https://twitter.com/ABBAVoyage/status/1552966367380443136
The victory meant that Sarina Wiegman's side, who have won 11 consecutive matches, have now become the first England women's team to reach a major final since 2009.
Goalkeeper Mary Earps, Ella Toone, Lucy Bronze, Fran Kirby, semi-final goal scorers Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, Rachel Daly, Ellen White and Millie Bright smiled as they chatted amongst each other on the boat ride.
Chelsea defender Jess Carter enjoyed the sun ahead of the big match, where she may well come off the bench and go up against her partner, the German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.
The Lensbury has been chosen as the base for number of major sporting teams, including the men's England rugby squad.
England star Fran Kirby, who plays for Chelsea, said: "The Lensbury is not far from my house so I know the area quite well and they have done an amazing job with kitting it out, in terms of making it feel like home and everyone being able to go in the relaxation room, play a bit of table tennis, pool, basketball and things like that."
She said squad members have been into nearby Teddington to relax on recovery days between training and matches.
The team have posted a number of social media video of sessions at the riverside club, which has transformed the rugby pitch into a training ground for the squad surrounded by perimeter branding organised by the tournament organisers UEFA.
The Lensbury has 155 rooms in a variety of styles available to the England team. Following a £1.2million investment in 2019, it has high quality fitness equipment, plus two heated indoor pools, and a thermal suite for the players to relax in.
There are tennis courts, squash courts and two UEFA standard pitches for training.
A spokesman said: "We are humbled to be part of such an incredible experience and will be cheering on the Lionesses."
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