Toone and Mead bond in grief and moving celebration

England pair mark personal loss in win over Wales and reveal how they have created a mutual support system

- Suzanne Wrack

There are rare occasions when a moment in a match can remind you that football is both the most meaningless thing in the world and the most meaningful. On Sunday night, in the atmospheric Kybunpark, the proximity of the stands giving a feel of the pitch being held in a tight embrace, two goal celebrations stuck out.

The first came from the sublime Ella Toone, who became the only player on record to score a goal, provide an assist and have a 100% pass completion rate in Women's Euros history during her 45 minutes on the pitch. When she converted from close range after her initial effort was blocked, the 25-year-old kissed her hands and pointed to the sky, the emotion on her face shifting from sheer joy to stoic contemplation as she paid tribute to her father, Nick, who died in September.

In the 72nd minute it was Beth Mead's turn, the Euro 2022 golden boot and golden ball winner similarly raising her index fingers skyward after taking a touch past Rhiannon Roberts and firing low into the corner. Mead's tribute was to her mother, June, who died in January 2023, six months after Mead's Euro 2022 heroics, with ovarian cancer.