England’s win against Germany is only the beginning

England won. In the end, perhaps that was the only thing that mattered. This is the brutal bargain of high-end sport: it offers one pedestal and one precipice. And in front of 87,192 delirious fans at Wembley stadium, they beat Germany 2-1 to become champions of Europe for the first time.

But, of course, it had to mean more than this. And as captain Leah Williamson hoisted the trophy aloft in her rainbow armband, in front of a record crowd and a peak TV audience of more