How England’s Lionesses & Nigeria’s Super Falcon’s Are Elevating Women’s Football | OneFootball

In recent years, women’s football has undergone a remarkable transformation. While England’s Lionesses have sparked a power shift in Europe, Nigeria’s Super Falcons continue to reign supreme in Africa.

These teams have not only achieved significant success on the pitch but are also reshaping the global perception of the women’s game, inspiring millions and redefining ambition.

Both international sides are coming off the back of two highly successful tournaments, where both have come out as champions of their respective continents.

The Lionesses: Rising Stars on the Global Stage

The Three Lionesses’ recent performances in major tournaments have signalled England’s arrival as a dominant force in women’s football. Players like Lauren James, Alessia Russo, Michelle Agyemang, Chloe Kelly, and Hannah Hampton have become household names, embodying the next generation of exceptional talent.

When England won the Euro 2022 title at Wembley, in front of a record crowd of 87,192, the Lionesses achieved more than silverware; they triggered a cultural awakening. That campaign saw England score 22 goals, overtaking Germany’s previous tournament high of 21 goals, which they set in Helsinki in 2009. The Lionesses’ triumph in Wembley earned Sarina Wiegman the distinction of being the only manager to win Euros with two different nations.

Their success continued at Euro 2025, where they became the first English national team to defend a title on foreign soil, toppling Spain in a dramatic shootout, with Chloe Kelly once again proving to be the supremely clutch supersub.

Coach Sarina Wiegman made history as the first manager to reach five consecutive major tournament finals across national teams. Since her appointment in 2021, England has won 34 of their 47 competitive matches, drawing six and losing seven, a remarkable 72.5% win rate. This positions the Lionesses as the most consistently elite English national team in recent history, surpassing their male counterparts in both results and tournament performance.

Super Falcons: Continental Legends, Global Challengers

On the African continent, the Super Falcons continue to build on a legacy of dominance and resilience. Stars such as Mitchelle Alozie, Asisat Oshoala, Esther Okoronkwo, Rasheedat Ajibade, and Chiamaka Nnadozie combine raw athleticism with skilful creativity, making the Super Falcons a team that is both feared and admired.

The Super Falcons had their dominance tested in the 2022 edition, where they finished in fourth place. However, they rebounded strongly in WAFCON 2024 with a dramatic 3–2 comeback win over hosts Morocco in the final, securing a record-extending 10th title and dominating individual awards.

Their World Cup performances offer equal proof of impact. In the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Nigeria advanced to the last 16 without losing in regulation time.

Star-Studded Lineages: Comparing the Lionesses & Falcons to Their Male Counterparts

A compelling aspect of the Lionesses and Falcons’ rise is their striking similarity to their male counterparts. England’s Three Lions and Nigeria’s Super Eagles, both known for their star-studded lineups and passionate fan bases.

The Three Lions, featuring iconic figures such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Reece James, and Declan Rice, are stacked with individual brilliance and have long carried the hopes of English football fans on the world stage. Likewise, the Super Eagles, powered by talents like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, William Troost-Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina, and Samuel Chukwueze, are one of Africa’s most talented squads and have been African football giants and global competitors.

Just as the men’s teams are packed with recognised talent and star power, so too are the women’s squads. The Three Lionesses feature exceptional athletes, many of whom play for top European clubs. Similarly, the Super Falcons feature a roster rich with international stars playing in top leagues around the world.

The shared legacy of excellence between the male and female teams also enhances national pride. Fans who cheer for the Three Lions or the Super Eagles now have equally compelling reasons to rally behind their women’s teams, who have already carved their place in history with recent continental championships and continue to lead their nations with distinction.

Where the Men Have Fallen Short

The contrast is striking. The Three Lions have not secured a major international title since 1966, with recent decades marked by high expectations and repeated shortcomings, most notably in the form of penalty shootout defeats and narrow losses in the European Championship finals. While the Super Eagles have asserted dominance within Africa, this success has not translated to the global stage; despite producing multiple generations of exceptional talent, the team has yet to advance beyond the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup.

Now, the women have eclipsed both. The Lionesses’ Euro victories and World Cup final berth mark a peak sustained across five consecutive finals under Wiegman, spanning two nations and rewriting the modern history of the game.

Despite previous setbacks, the Super Falcons rose again to reclaim their dominance at WAFCON 2024, capturing their record 10th continental title in commanding fashion. Driven by a renewed sense of purpose under the Mission X campaign, they reasserted their place at the summit of African women’s football.

Unlike their male counterparts, whose tournament glory remains elusive, the Lionesses and Super Falcons have delivered, powering narratives rather than perpetuating frustration.

More Than Just Football: Breaking Barriers

These successes extend beyond the scoreboard. In England, women’s football has forced conversations about pay and participation. The Lionesses were feted with a Downing Street reception and a public celebration in front of Buckingham Palace.

In Nigeria, the Super Falcons—Africa’s most decorated women’s football team—have long shouldered the weight of a nation’s expectations with little of the structural support their success demands. Yet, against this backdrop, their WAFCON 2024 triumph in Rabat was more than a record-extending 10th continental crown; it was Mission X accomplished.

On this occasion, the recognition at home rose to meet the magnitude of their triumph. National honours were conferred on all 24 players and the 11 technical crew members. Nigeria’s president bestowed each with the title Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)—one of the country’s highest honours awarded to Nigerians who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation. The team were also awarded three-bedroom homes in Abuja under the government’s Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and received significant financial bonuses: $100,000 for each player and $50,000 for each coach. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum added ₦10 million per team member, signalling a rare and unified gesture of appreciation.

But the broader significance endures. The Super Falcons’ achievements, like those of the Lionesses, are about more than silverware. They are beacons of what women can do when given even a fraction of the support their male counterparts receive. Their plight has spurred advocacy from groups like Women Who Win Africa, calling for grassroots investment and athlete welfare reforms. And as the noise grows louder around equity in sport, their legacy may yet prove as impactful off the pitch as it has been on it.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Across England and Nigeria, football academies and school programmes are seeing a surge of female participation. The rise of national heroes such as Leah Williamson, Lauren James, Lucy Bronze, Chloe Kelly, Rashedat Ajibade, Mitchelle Alozie, Esther Okoronkwo, and Asisat Oshoala is transforming what young girls believe is possible.

This success has fuelled grassroots momentum. Post-Euro 2022, the number of registered women’s teams in England roughly doubled, with nearly 1,500 new teams entering in 2022–23 alone. In tandem, FA Cup attendances, media visibility, and club-level investment have surged, marking women’s football not as a future promise but present power.

A New Era

While their male counterparts continue to grapple with legacy and unfulfilled potential, England’s Lionesses and Nigeria’s Super Falcons are setting new standards for excellence, purpose, and pride.

Their recent continental championships are more than sporting victories; they are cultural milestones, redefining what is possible for women in sport. With every goal, they are not only changing scorelines but shifting narratives, from overlooked to unstoppable, from support-starved to spotlight-commanding.

Their rise is a rallying cry to federations, sponsors, media, and fans to invest, believe, and follow. The world is watching, and this time, it is being led, loudly and proudly, by women who roar and soar.