Blackpool Tower illuminated in red and white to honour victorious Lionesses

The famous landmark, which also hosted a fan zone for supporters took the step after the women’s team defeated Germany 2-1 in the final on Sunday night.

England’s history-making team captain has joked that “we’ve partied more than we actually played football in the last 24 hours”, as thousands of fans marked their Euros triumph.

The Lionesses beat Germany after extra time in front of 87,000 supporters at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, securing the first major tournament title for the country since 1966 and setting a television viewing record.

The team has been credited with inspiring the nation and being “fantastic role models” for young girls.

Fans in Trafalgar Square looked on as captain Leah Williamson summed up the last day by saying: “I think we’ve partied more than we actually played football in the last 24 hours.”

Supporters hailed the victory as a “massive” moment, while the Football Association’s director of women’s football, Baroness Sue Campbell, said England’s win will make a “phenomenal difference”.

Crowds descended on central London to join the team at an event hosted by ex-player and TV presenter Alex Scott.

Cheers rang out as confetti cannons and giant sparklers greeted England once again lifting the trophy.

Sally Butler, 43, the chairwoman of Stafford Soccer Mums FC, was among those in Trafalgar Square, and said that the Lionesses’ victory was a significant moment for her personally.

“I wasn’t allowed to play (football) at school, I’m from that generation where it wasn’t accepted, because I was a girl,” she said.

Ms Butler, who was nine at the time, recalled how she staged her own protest.

Her daughters, Connie and Faye, aged 14 and 17, joined her to celebrate with the team on Monday and are keen footballers themselves.

They travelled from their home in Staffordshire to attend the match at Wembley on Sunday and Ms Butler said that the atmosphere was “indescribable”.

“Even talking about it now is really spine-tingling. It was a real moment in history,” she told the PA news agency.