England Lift Women’s Euro 2025 Title
Spain looked destined for another win over England after Mariona Caldentey’s first-half header gave them the lead in St Jakob-Park in Basel.
Spain looked destined for another win over England after Mariona Caldentey's first-half header gave them the lead in St Jakob-Park in Basel. Photo/ Courtesy
By Juliet Jerotich
Women’s Euro defending champions England reaffirmed their title after outpacing Spain 3-1 in a penalty shootout after Sunday’s final had drawn 1-1 after extra time. Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty, handing victory to the Lionesses and taking revenge on La Roja for losing the 2023 World Cup final to them.
Spain looked destined for another win over England after Mariona Caldentey’s first-half header gave them the lead in St Jakob-Park in Basel. England were unperturbed by Spain’s superiority, the same poise that they had shown in their quarter-final rally from behind against Sweden and semi-final extra-time win over Italy.
Alessia Russo’s second-half header leveled the match, pushing it to a dramatic penalty shootout where Spain faltered, missing three attempts, including Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati’s saved shot. Kelly, impactful off the bench once again, calmly converted the winning penalty.
With this win, Sarina Wiegman’s side are back-to-back European champions, having followed on from their landmark 2022 win against Germany at Wembley. Wiegman herself has now won three consecutive Euro titles, having last won with the Netherlands in 2017.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was in attendance, congratulated the team’s grit: “What a game, what a battle. History made once more. The entire nation is proud.”
Spain, in a bid to annex their first European title following their recent 2023 World Cup victory, dominated possession but couldn’t be ruthless when pushing for it. Bonmati admitted afterwards, “Football can be cruel. It feels harsh right now, but we played brilliant football throughout the tournament.”
England’s journey to the title demonstrated their resilience—travelling from behind a two-goal deficit against Sweden, coming back late against Italy, and negotiating another nail-biting penalty finish. Injuries, such as Lauren James’ first-half departure in the final, put to test the team’s depth, but replacements like Kelly and Michelle Agyemang made vital impacts.
In the shootout, Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson saw penalties saved, but Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles scored, while Patri Guijarro alone scored in Spain. Kelly’s final blow guaranteed England’s victory, proving themselves Europe’s best at women’s football.
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