After England’s Lionesses dramatic Women’s Euro 2025 triumph, the phrase “proper England” lit up headlines. Pundits and players alike hailed the Lionesses’ grit, togetherness and clarity of purpose. But for grassroots coaches, the lesson isn’t to mimic the Lionesses. It’s to understand how they built their identity – and why the process matters far more than getting the content “right.”
What does “proper England” actually mean?
The Lionesses never sat down to write a brand manual. “Proper England” wasn’t scripted by marketers – it emerged through shared experiences, conversations and choices. It was shaped in training camps and team meetings, refined through pressure, and lived out in action.
This identity was forged in questions like: What does it mean to be one of us? How do we play when we’re at our best? What do we want others to feel when they watch us?
The answers mattered – but the act of answering together mattered more.
Shared identity drives belonging – and performance
When players define who “we” are, it unlocks powerful emotions: inclusion, pride, loyalty. That sense of belonging isn’t fluffy – it’s deeply human. And it drives behaviour. Players fight harder, support each other more, and align their decisions without needing to be told.
That’s what we saw from England this summer – a team who knew who they were, trusted each other, and played with total commitment. They didn’t wait to feel united. They built unity through the process of shared identity.
Copying other teams misses the point
It’s tempting to look at the Lionesses, or the British & Irish Lions, or any iconic team, and ask: How can we be like them?
But that’s the wrong question.
The real insight is that their success came from doing the work to define their identity – not from finding the perfect slogan or culture code. What matters isn’t whether you call it “proper England” or “Spartan rugby” or “gritty Yorkshire grit.” What matters is that it means something to your team – and that it came from your players.
A playbook for building your own tribe
That’s exactly what For the Love of the Game offers. It doesn’t tell you what your team identity should be. It gives you the tools to create one for yourselves. The TRIBE framework developed from extensive academic research, helps coaches guide players through the conversations and challenges that lead to deep shared identity:
- Traditions – connecting your team to something bigger than just this season
- Relevance – making it personally meaningful to every player
- Identity – defining your distinctive edge
- Belonging – creating clear expectations and emotional safety
- Effectiveness – turning beliefs into behaviours that drive performance
It’s not about copying elite teams. It’s about creating your version of “proper” – your shared language, your agreed behaviours, your collective pride.
Every team deserves to feel like this
When a team builds identity from within, everything changes. Attendance improves. Effort increases. Players hold each other to account. The pitch becomes more than just a place to play – it becomes a space to belong.
So yes, celebrate the Lionesses. Admire their unity. But don’t try to replicate their identity. Use their story to fuel your own.
Because “proper England” isn’t a style of play. It’s a shared belief system. And with the right process, every team – from Sunday leagues and school squads, to elite – can create their own version.