Ideas sought for how to honour Lioness heroes

Bootle-born Alex Greenwood was in the team that beat Spain on penalties

Ideas for how to honour Merseyside's trophy-winning Lioness Alex Greenwood and other members of the England squad from the region are being sought by the metropolitan mayor.

Bootle-born Greenwood was part of the England team which beat Spain to retain their European title at Euro 2025, and was also in the winning squad in 2022.

Steve Rotheram said he was looking for suggestions for how the 31-year-old and her teammates could be officially recognised.

"I just think that what they achieved as double winners, to do it twice, it shows consistency and it will inspire a whole new generation of girls to play football," he said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, he said the combined authority was in discussion about potential naming rights and joked one of Liverpool's new bendy buses could be named after her.

Greenwood was part of the England team which beat Spain at the Euro 2025 final

"It would be a case of 'bend it like Alex,' " he joked, with a nod to the David Beckham-inspired film.

England Goalkeeper Mary Earps had a Nottingham tram named after her in 2023.

Rotheram said he was open to ideas about how to honour the team's achievements and would welcome members of the public who come forward with ideas.

His comments echoed those of Sefton Council leader Marion Atkinson, who said it had been "fantastic" to watch the Lionesses progress and that Greenwood had been an "absolute inspiration".

"Young girls in football teams across the country are aspiring to be Alex Greenwood, and the fact that she's from Bootle is fantastic," she said.

Greenwood scored in the penalty shootout in Basel on Sunday

The defender, who began her career with Everton aged six, scored England's second penalty as they triumphed 3-1 in the shootout, following a 1-1 draw in the match in Basel, Switzerland.

She has also played for Liverpool and and currently turns out for Manchester City.

Following the Lionesses' 2022 victory, a mural of her was painted above Hyper Bar on Stanley Road in Bootle.

In 2023 she was the first woman to be given the Freedom of the Borough of Sefton.

She was one of three Liverpool City Region players in the England squad for the 2025 tournament alongside Grace Clinton from Liverpool and Niamh Charles from Wirral.