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England boss Phil Neville wants Lionesses to start winning tournaments

Thursday 01 Feb 2018
Phil Neville's first match in charge is against France on Thursday 1 March

New England boss Phil Neville has a plan to help grow the women’s game – turn silver and bronze into gold.

The Lionesses are ranked third in the world following successive semi-final appearances at major tournaments.

The two nations ahead of them are USA and Germany, who have won five World Cups and five Olympic gold medals between them and boast more than double the amount of female players.

England were runners-up at Euro 2009 and finished third at the 2015 World Cup, but the gold medal still eludes them.

And Neville, who won six Premier League titles as a player with Manchester United, believes breaking that duck will spark an interest in the game like never before.

He said: “Everyone wants to raise the profile of their own sport and I know the women’s game is growing massively in this country.

“Ultimately, the interest will grow, and more money will come from commercial partners, if a team is successful, if a team is winning.

“Commercial viability and popularity of sports teams is very much a by-product of winning.

“Winning is the most important thing. The main thing I said to the players was that in every single training session and every single match we’ve got to start thinking like winners.

“If we want to win the World Cup we need to make winning a habit and we need to think like winners.

“And if we win the World Cup there will be more fans for the women’s game, there will be more players wanting to play, more coaches wanting to coach. The game will explode.

“You look at the best athletes and best sports teams on the planet; they constantly think like winners.

“I think like a winner and I’m going to make sure that message is drummed into my players.”

Neville’s first assignment as England head coach is the SheBelieves Cup in USA next month.

His first home match is a World Cup qualifier against Wales in Southampton on Friday 6 April.

Tickets are already on sale, priced £1 for children and £10 for adults.

Tickets can be purchased at TheFA.com/Tickets or by calling 02381 780 780.

By Glenn Lavery