Lionesses supporters demanded the England side get off the team bus to greet them after Friday night’s win over Scotland.
Sarina Wiegman’s side returned to winning ways in their first match since their World Cup final heartache against Spain last month with a 2-1 victory at the Stadium of Light.
Two late goals in the first half by Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp ensured England kicked off their Nations League campaign in style despite late pressure from Scotland.
Players and staff headed straight into the team bus after the match, to the dissatisfaction of fans who were camped just metres away.
Footage from social media shows fans chanting ‘get off the bus’ multiple times with the hope of meeting their heroes.
Lionesses fans were left frustrated after the players failed to greet them following Friday night’s Nations League win over Scotland in Sunderland
Sarina Wiegman’s side returned to winning ways after their World Cup heartache
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The Lionesses have become national figures since their success over the last year, having won the Euros last summer and becoming the first England side to reach a World Cup final since 1966 in August.
England fell short at the final hurdle as Spain lifted the trophy after a 1-0 win in Sydney, Australia.
In their inaugural Nations League match, Bronze opened the scoring with a diving header after a cross from Katie Zelem in the 39th minute.
Hemp doubled the lead on the 45 minute mark with a diving header of her own after being found by Rachel Daly.
Scotland halved the deficit two minutes later through Kirsty Henson and despite creating some clear cut chances after the break, they were unable to earn a point against their neighbours.
Some of the fans in the 41,947-strong crowd at the Stadium of Light remained behind in the hope of getting an autograph or selfie with the Lionesses stars afterwards – but were left disappointed.
When the video emerged on social media, however, the fans were branded ‘entitled’ and ‘disrespectful’ for demanding the players get off the bus and greet them having just played a match.
‘Lionesses fans chanting ‘get off the bus’ after the game is a new level disrespect,’ said one fan.
Lauren Hemp doubled England’s lead with another header after 45 minutes in a comfortable half for England
Another said: ‘People don’t realise. These players have another game on Tuesday which they need to be ready for. Also remember they have to fly to the Netherlands as well.
‘There’s not much time to sign autographs and see everyone. They are on a tight schedule right now.’
Another tweet on X said: ‘How embarrassing. It’s a game of football, not a meet and greet.’
One other posters wrote: ‘It must be a generational thing as when I started going in the 90s there were no signs begging, kids that wanted autographs stood in the car park before the game and got what they got. It feels entitled this kind of stuff.’
Wiegman was pleased her side were able to take the win – which left them alongside Belgium at the top of Group A1 after the latter’s surprise win over the Netherlands.
‘First of all I’m very happy with the three points, three very important points,’ she told a press conference.
Lucy Bronze broke the deadlock against the Auld Enemy with a brilliant header
‘You see how competitive the Nations League is with the other results we’ve seen.
‘I think the first half we’ve played a lot better than the second half and scored two good goals.
‘We also gave away a couple of counter-attacks where Scotland showed they were really dangerous in those moments – I think those were our own mistakes that gave them that opportunity – but I think overall we were a lot better the first half and second half we were struggling.
‘Overall we kept the win and that’s the most important thing off the back of the World Cup and a very short turnaround where players haven’t played any competitive games yet.’