England's Lionesses 'unspoken' good luck charm that worked in Women's Euros 2022

19 August 2023 , 12:05

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The Lionesses earned their spot in the final through hard work - but they also have a lucky charm (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Many athletes share superstitions, and the Lionesses are no different. While it's undoubtedly the squad's skill, dedication, and ability we have to thank for their success, it turns out they also have a good luck charm. Whether it helps to keep the players focused or serves as a funny post-match anecdote, it looks like the team is onto a winning formula.

Who could forget their triumph at UEFA Women's Euro 2022? Now, they've set their sights on the FIFA Women's World Cup, and the trophy is in touching distance. But how do they do it? One of their many tactics involves not packing their suitcases.

As midfielder Georgia Stanway told FourFourTwo, the team chose not to pack their bags during the Euros, confident they'd be returning to their hotel when they set off for each game. Grinning, Georgia explained: "It was never really spoken about, but for every matchday minus one, we would travel to a different hotel, and it became tradition to leave everything unpacked at our base hotel. It was where all of our clothes were and where everything was unpacked. We had made the rooms our own and made it the Lionesses' hotel, and there was always a bit of, 'Are we taking our bags?' But it became normal to leave them because we knew we were coming back. That meant we were coming back to the hotel for the final."

She added: "That was something we really enjoyed doing: not packing our suitcases, leaving our stuff exactly where it was." As we all know, it worked a charm. Fast forward to this week, the Lionesses triumphed over Australia in the World Cup semi-final and there's just one team between them and another victory.

Will our Lionesses triumph over Spain in Sunday's final? Or will they be sent home packing? Either way, they've sure to receive a glorious reception when they arrive home in England - but here's hoping their superstition holds.

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