Chloe Kelly slotted home the decisive penalty as England beat Spain 3–1 in a shootout to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 title after a 1–1 draw in extra time, avenging their World Cup final loss two years ago.
In a tense final at St Jakob-Park in Basel, Spain dominated much of the match and led through Mariona Caldentey’s first-half header. But England fought back, as they had throughout the knockout rounds. Alessia Russo equalised with a header just before the hour mark, setting up a dramatic finale.
With the scores level after 120 minutes, the match went to penalties. Spain faltered from the spot, with Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmatí among three players to miss. Kelly, once again making an impact off the bench, stepped up and calmly converted the winner.
“I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,” she told the BBC afterward.
The victory marks England’s second consecutive European Championship title under manager Sarina Wiegman, who has now won three straight Euros — with the Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022 and 2025 — cementing her legacy as one of the game’s great coaches.
“We said we could win by any means, and we’ve shown that again,” Wiegman said. “Losing your first game and still becoming European champions is incredible.”
Spain, who lifted the World Cup in 2023, were aiming for a first European title. They dominated possession but failed to capitalise on their chances and paid the price in the shootout.
“I’m in shock,” Bonmatí told TVE. “Football is cruel. We played the best football during the tournament, but it wasn’t enough today.”
England’s road to the final was far from smooth. They came back from 2–0 down to beat Sweden on penalties in the quarter-finals, and needed a 96th-minute equaliser from Michelle Agyemang to force extra time against Italy in the semis, where Kelly scored the winner.
In the final, Lauren James returned to the starting lineup after recovering from an ankle injury but was substituted before halftime for Kelly, whose introduction again proved pivotal.
Spain had already taken the lead by then, with Caldentey heading home from an Ona Batlle cross. England nearly capitalised on a defensive error earlier when Lauren Hemp pounced on a poor back pass, but goalkeeper Cata Coll recovered to save.
Russo’s equaliser came in the 57th minute after Kelly delivered a pinpoint cross. England pushed for a winner, and Kelly came close again in the second half, forcing a fingertip save from Coll.
In the shootout, Beth Mead had to retake her first penalty, which was saved, while Leah Williamson’s effort was also stopped. But Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles converted theirs, and after misses from Bonmatí, Olga Carmona, and Laia Codina, Kelly sealed the win.
Backed by a crowd of 34,203 — with a majority cheering the Lionesses — England celebrated a hard-fought and emotional triumph, cementing their status as Europe’s dominant force.
AFP
