England's dramatic victory against the Netherlands in last night's Euro 2024 clash sparked a heated debate between two presenters, as GB News host Ben Leo claimed the Lionesses are playing a "completely different sport".
Ollie Watkins sent the team through to the final against Spain after scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute.
A comment made by a GB News viewer sparked debate on GB News after it was argued that the England women's team, often referred to as the Lionesses, aren't getting enough of a mention in the aftermath of the men's team's success.
Nana Akua said the Lionesses "do get a big mention", but added she "doesn't see why they should get more of a mention".
Asking co-host Ben Leo for his verdict, he claimed that women's football is a "completely different sport" and "cannot be compared".
GB News hosts clash as England progress to the Euro final against Spain
GB News / Getty
Angered by Ben's remarks, Nana asked him "what are you talking about?", before questioning why he "cannot compare the two teams".
Ben argued: "It's comparing two different sports, it's two different standards of sport. Elite men's football is far different to elite women's football."
Pressing Ben for an explanation, Nana claimed that both men's and women's football "can be compared", and the "women are as good as the men in their field".
Ben doubled down on his argument by explaining: "The US women's national team, who won the World Cup many times, they were the trailblazers for women's football.
England sailed through to the grand final of the tournament after Ollie Watkins scored the last-minute winning goal
PA
"As a spectacle in a competitive competition, you can't say 'the women have done much better' just because they've won the thing - it's a different sport, a different competition."
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Nana disagreed, hitting back: "You say that, but I can imagine you gathering some boys together to play England's women, and you'd be thrashed.
"Listen, ladies, if you are listening to what he just said, I tell you now to challenge him in a game with his mates, because he thinks that he could beat you."
Ben said he had "not given it a second thought" about playing women in a game of football, before arguing that people "can't compare the Lions to the Lionesses because they have gone further".
He added: "They have their two different competitions and two different sports."
Hosts Nana Akua and Ben Leo butted heads over the women's game vs the men's
GB News
Nana again shut down Ben's remarks, commenting: "They're not two different sports, they are both football. One played by women, the other played by men.
"I'm telling you now that if the England women's team went to play you and your mates, you would be thrashed.
"The women wouldn't play the men because the men are physically stronger, but it's all the same sport."
Ben then hailed the Lionesses, saying "props to them, they've done amazingly well", before noting how "women's football's on the rise".
He added: "I just hate those comments saying, 'what about the Lionesses? They went one further'."
