Englandβs Lionesses are set to play the US in the Womenβs World Cup semi-final game today β and we are so here for it.
Led by captain Steph Houghton, the team have delivered win after win after win. Not every result has come easily (hats off to Scotland) β but the playersβ determination has us all thinking football might finally be coming home.
Here are six reasons they might just be our favourite World Cup squad yet.
1. Theyβve proven theyβre a classy bunch.
Their match against Cameroon was a game filled with controversies: Nikita Parris was elbowed in the face, Toni Duggan was spat on, and letβs not even get into the VAR decision rows. But England took the moral high ground, receiving praise from their manager Phil Neville for staying professional.
βIt wasnβt a World Cup game in terms of the behaviour that I want to see from footballers,β he said. βThis is going out worldwide and I canβt stand here and say that I particularly enjoyed it or my players enjoyed it. At half-time they were confused about what was going on, what they should do β but they kept their concentration brilliantly.β
2. Theyβre fighting for visibility.
Football fans were able to tune into Englandβs quarter-final game against Norway at Glastonbury β and they had Georgia Stanway to thank.
The midfielder tweeted Glastoβs organisers asking for the game to be shown for festival-goers β including her brother. Organisers responded by showing the game on big screens at the festivalβs popular West Holts stage.
Elsewhere, coverage is also improving. For the first time the BBC has committed to showing all Womenβs World Cup matches across TV, radio or online.
But the number of matches shown live on TV is still lagging behind the menβs game β so weβve got a way to go.
3. Theyβre proud feminists.
From showing support for the rewrite of the Three Lions song, to saying time and time again that womenβs sport deserves equal coverage, the Lionesses are feminists through and through.
βMy role models were Kevin Phillips and David Beckham,β captain Steph Houghton told PA earlier this year. βNow girls can look up to female footballers and want to aspire to be them. They can try to follow in their footsteps and even be better than us.β
4. Theyβre inspiring the next generation.
Girls across the country have been sharing their support for the Lionesses, like young Nevaeh, who sent the team the adorable video below.
Defender Abbie McManus spoke to COPA90 about how it feels to be a role model. β[Womenβs football] is just getting bigger and better and itβs great to have the young girls who are aspiring to be there one day,β she said.
βThey have more of a pathway into an actual career now and itβs exciting to be a part of that and create somebody elseβs dream.β
5. Theyβre open about mental health.
In this yearβs World Cup squad, strikers Karen Carney and Fran Kirby have both shared their experiences of mental illness, helping to break down stigma and provide hope for fans currently struggling.
Carney told BBCβs Newsbeat that she has self-harmed in the past due to depression. βIβve done some bad things to myself, that was probably the lowest point,β she said. βWe just want to inspire people to get through dark places and come through it, because you can.β
In a UFEA documentary, Kirby shared her own experiences of depression and anxiety after the death of her mother, telling fans βitβs okay to need to talk to someoneβ if youβre struggling with your mental health.
βIβve accepted now that itβs okay not to be okay,β she said. βThatβs what I think I would emphasise to anyone, try to not shut yourself away, try to be open about it and donβt think people are going to judge you because you cry about something β itβs a normal part of life.β
6. Theyβre just good fun.
The Lionesses are the kind of women we want to be friends with. Whether theyβre larking about on unicorn floats in the pool or fighting with water pistols at the beach, their official Instagram account is constantly making us smile.
How could you not want these women to win?