England's record-breaking feats at Women's EURO 2022

Excitement in England ahead of UEFA Women's EURO 2022 was high: more than half a million ticket sales was testament to that.

But the Lionesses' feats in the competition took things to another level altogether. We look at the various records they set on their way to a maiden major title at Wembley.

Most goals in a final tournament (team): 22

England went into the final against Germany just one goal off their opponents' record of 21, set during Germany's 6-2 defeat of the Lionesses in the 2009 decider in Helsinki. The hosts' two strikes at Wembley avenged that loss and broke new ground for goals scored. It also ensured Sarina Wiegman's side, just like her Netherlands team in 2017, won all six of their matches (only possible since the addition of the quarter-finals in 2009).

Most goals in a group stage (team): 14

The previous best for a single group was 11 goals, racked up by Germany as hosts in 2001. That was comfortably beaten by the Lionesses, five years after they had fallen one short of the record in the Netherlands.

Fewest goals conceded in a group stage: 0 (joint record)

In 2005, Germany beat Norway, Italy and France without conceding a goal. That remained a unique feat until England kept three clean sheets in Group A, the hosts also scoring six more goals than Germany managed during their trio of group games in England 17 years ago. One day after the Lionesses' third shutout, Germany's 2022 side did it again.

Biggest win: 8-0 vs Norway

The opening 1-0 victory against Austria at Old Trafford settled nerves in front of nearly 70,000 fans; four days later, the Brighton & Hove crowd witnessed history of a different kind as England secured the competition's biggest win, a record they had set themselves by beating Scotland 6-0 to open the 2017 group stage. The aggregate of eight goals in a single game also equalled the tournament record (jointly held by England's 6-2 loss to Germany in the 2009 final).

Most goals in a first half: 6

On 10 July 2022, France became the first team to score five goals in the opening half of a Women's EURO finals game during their 5-1 defeat of Italy. That record stood for 24 hours before England went one better against Norway, though Beth Mead was not quite able to match Grace Geyoro, who struck the competition's maiden first-half finals hat-trick for Les Bleues.

Most points in a group stage: 9 (joint record)

England completed the seventh perfect campaign in a Women's EURO group, having put together the sixth in 2017. That made them only the second nation to register nine points on more than one occasion, Germany having done likewise en route to their triumphs in 2001, 2005 and 2009 (when they maintained their perfect record in the knockouts). The Germans went on to become the eighth side to win three out of three, while France came within a few seconds of becoming the ninth.

Most goals in a final tournament (player): Beth Mead 6 (joint record)

Inka Grings scored six goals for Germany in 2009, a record that remained untouched until Mead drew level with her semi-final strike against Sweden. Germany's Alex Popp also netted her sixth a day later.

Most goals in a group stage (player): Beth Mead 5

Mead struck the opening goal of the finals against Austria, then added a hat-trick versus Norway and scored from a deflected effort as Northern Ireland were beaten 5-0.

Scoring in all three group games: Beth Mead

Many great strikers have lit up Women's EURO final tournaments since the group stage was introduced in 1997, but none had scored in all three matches in a single campaign until Mead's superb streak. Remarkably, Popp followed in her footsteps just a day later.

Most goals by a substitute: Alessia Russo 4

England fielded the same XI in every game from the start of the group stage to the final – a first in either a women's or men's EURO. That meant Russo never started, but she still managed to finish third in the Top Scorer rankings behind Mead and Popp, getting one against Norway, two versus Northern Ireland then another thanks an outrageous back-heel in the semi-final with Sweden. Never before had someone scored four Women's EURO goals coming off the bench.

Most different players scoring in single game: 5 (joint record)

Not only did Mead get three against Norway, but Georgia Stanway's penalty, Ellen White's double, and a goal each by Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo made it five different scorers. That had only happened once before, when Germany beat France 5-1 in the 2009 group stage.

Record crowd: 87,192 (England 2-1aet Germany, Wembley)

Not only did the attendance figure for the final set a new record for a women's international in Europe (beating the 80,203 who watched the 2012 Olympic final, also at Wembley), it likewise broke new ground for a women's or men's EURO final tournament game. That record had previously been held by the 79,115-strong crowd for the men's 1964 decider between Spain and the Soviet Union at Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu.

Record crowd (group stage): 68,871 (England 1-0 Austria, Old Trafford)

The Old Trafford crowd that watched England defeat Austria surpassed the previous overall tournament record by more than 27,000 spectators, 41,301 fans having attended the 2013 final between Germany and Norway in Solna, Sweden.

Record crowd (quarter-finals): 28,994 (England 2-1aet Spain, Brighton & Hove Community Stadium)

England's dramatic extra-time triumph was watched by more than double the previous quarter-final record, set when the Netherlands downed Sweden 2-0 five years previously. The following day came the second-highest quarter-final crowd, and a new record for a last-eight tie not involving the hosts, with 16,025 seeing Germany oust Austria in Brentford.

Record crowd (semi-finals): 28,624 (England 4-0 Sweden, Bramall Lane)

England made sure of a clean sweep of crowd records in Sheffield, though that figure was nearly caught the next day by the 27,445 who watched Germany edge past France in Milton Keynes, a new high for a semi not featuring the hosts.

Highest aggregate attendance: 273,313

In all, the number that watched England's six matches was more than 30,000 higher than the 240,055 that attended the entire 2017 edition in the Netherlands, the previous record for a final tournament as a whole. That figure now stands at 574,875.

Highest aggregate attendance in a group stage: 128,503

England's group crowds were 68,871 for the opener, 28,847 in Brighton & Hove against Norway and 30,785 in Southampton versus Northern Ireland. Those three games alone attracted an aggregate crowd bigger than for the entire 15-match 2005 finals in England.