Why I’m supporting England at World Cup – Kezia Dugdale

Things are really starting to heat up in France as the country saw its highest ever recorded temperature of 45.1C yesterday in the southern town of Villevieille.

It seems fitting that as the temperatures peak, so does the FIFA Women’s World Cup, entering the knockout stages and swiftly moving towards the much-anticipated final on July 7 at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.

Sadly, Scotland, in true World Cup form crashed out early in the group stages, meaning that the only remaining home team still in the competition is England under player turned coach Phil Neville.

The Lionesses, as they are affectionately known, have been working with their new coach for just over 17 months, but they are storming towards the final in France on current form.

Although the team have never won a major trophy, it really is looking like it could be third time lucky following hard fought campaigns that saw them reaching the last four stage in 2015 and Euro 2017 under former boss Mark Sampson.

It’s been so encouraging to see so much positive coverage of this year’s tournament and the continuing rise in the popularity of women’s football. Encouraging more women into the sport and for them to seek out a career at professional level is something you would might have ridiculed even just 15 years ago, but it is clear the sport now has significant momentum behind it and a victory for England will help build the sport up even further across the UK

Let us put old rivalries aside. I am not afraid to say it, C’mon England. Bring it home. Let’s hear those Lionesses roar!