England's Euro 2022 victory is 'a powerful thing' - ex-Lionesses boss Hope Powell
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Euro 2022: Lionesses' victory party in Trafalgar Square
England's victory in the Euro 2022 final is "a powerful thing" for the future of women's football, says their former manager Hope Powell.
The Lionesses won their first major trophy as they beat Germany 2-1 in extra time.
And the Brighton boss thinks their success will have a major impact and change views - not just in football.
"This gives us a fantastic platform to launch even further than where we are now," Powell told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Today at Brighton, I was told season ticket sales have gone up by 222%.
"So the impact it's already had on the domestic league is there and visible. The challenge going forward is that it has to be sustainable over a period of time."
The final on Sunday was watched by a crowd of 87,192 at Wembley, an all-time Uefa tournament record.
It also reached a peak BBC One television audience of 17.4 million, making it the most-watched women's football game on UK television.
Euro 2022 highlights: England 2-1 Germany
"The domestic game in terms of attendances is hit and miss for some clubs," Powell said.
"I am hoping that as a result of all of this euphoria and the fact that everyone has witnessed some fantastic displays of football, from all the nations involved, that fans and people who are interested in the game look at the product and go 'this is worth going to watch.'"
Powell, the first black and first female coach of an England national side, managed the Lionesses for 15 years from 1998 until 2013.
She also played for England between 1983 and 1998, appearing in the first ever 'European Competition for Women's Football' in 1984 when England lost a two-legged final to Sweden on penalties at Kenilworth Road in Luton.
"If that was today, the game would not have been played - it was horrendous conditions to a point that the ball wouldn't roll. It was an absolute mud bath," Powell reflected.
"You look at the conditions the players are playing in now at Wembley, the best surface there is, in front of a capacity crowd of 87,000. It's unbelievable.
"That was a moment. An absolute moment that 30 years ago we would only dream of."
For Powell, the success achieved by Sarina Wiegman and her squad have changed the way people view women's football and women's sport in general.
"It is a societal change. Women are firmly on the map and can do just as well as their male counterparts.
"It's a powerful thing that happened yesterday. Hopefully that can have a knock on effect to other female sports."
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