England are champions of Europe once again. The Lionesses won back-to-back Euro titles on Sunday, claiming Euro 2025 in a dramatic penalty kick shootout over reigning World Cup champions Spain. The match ended 1-1 in regulation, nobody could score in extra time, and a 3-1 win in the shootout clinched the crown for the underdogs.
It was a poor display of penalties with a lack of accuracy seeing five of the nine penalties taken missed or saved. Chloe Kelly scored the clinching penalty with a powerful effort to the left side of the goal, sending the Lionesses into a frenzied celebration in Switzerland.
Spain were far and away the more dominant team in the game, controlling possession and shots, but England were just as efficient for most of the game. While Spain took the lead before the half-hour mark via a header from Mariona Caldentey, the English responded just before the hour mark via Alessia Russo.
In total, five out of seven knockout stage games in the competition went to extra time.
Here's what to know:
Spain navigated large stretches of the group stage without Aitana Bonmati, who battled back from viral meningitis, and starting goalkeeper Cata Coll, who recovered from tonsillitis. Even without key players, the roster made quick work of their group stages with dominating wins over Belgium, Italy, and Portugal. There were questions around whether or not their backline was tested, and during the final, even more was asked of them against a threatening England attack.
In the end, it was Caldentey who scored the opening goal for Spain in the final, a header on the end of an impressive sequence between Bonmati, Athenea del Castillo, and Ona Batlle.
Bonmati was named player of the tournament despite her slower start to the competition, and forward Esther Gonzalez earned the Golden Boot with four goals.
The Lionesses' run to the final had plenty of dramatic moments in the knockout rounds, with each game going to extra time, and two to penalty kick shootouts. In a final that pushed both teams to physical limits, England had to overcome both injury and exhaustion. The roster battled through significant injury and fatigue along the way, and dynamic forward Lauren James was subbed out in the first half due to a lingering ankle issue.
A second-half equalizer by Russo was the initial difference maker, thanks to an assist by Kelly, who came in for the injured James. The moment was enough to push England through extra time and into a penalty shootout.
As the game carried on, more injury and fatigue plagued the English, and defender Lucy Bronze revealed on broadcast that she had been playing the tournament on a fractured tibia.
"I've played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia but nobody knew and I've hurt my knee today," Bronze said after the game. "Which is why the girls gave me a lot of love after the Sweden game."
Bronze went down late in the game, but after a brief spell on the sideline, she almost closed out the game, but she was eventually subbed out during the 105th minute.
Ultimately, it was Kelly who played England's hero. A familiar role for her as she scored the Lionesses' game-winning goal during the 2022 Euro final, only to repeat a similar moment in 2025 when she converted the deciding penalty against Spain.
"I'm so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge, and I'm so proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed, and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don't miss penalties twice," Kelly said on the broadcast after the game.
The player alluded to her big moment during the semifinal, where her initial penalty was stopped, but then converted on a rebound against Germany in extra time.
The game changer also credited her coach, who faced some criticism over the tournament for lack of rotation, stale tactics, and too late for comfort changes.
"It's not just the team but the team of staff behind us. It's 23 players. Sarina Wiegman, she's done it again. It's unbelievable," she said.
The group will celebrate their second consecutive Euro title, and individual accolades as well. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton earned player of the final honors, and 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang was named the tournament's best young player for her incredible late-game heroics during the quarterfinal and semifinal.
Spain will have a few months to think about their loss before the group returns to action in the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal. The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup winners will face Sweden in a two-leg semifinal in October. England were eliminated from the Nations League semifinal round by Spain earlier this year, but a second consecutive Euro title is a pretty nice prize in the meantime, and they'll likely be celebrating their Euro achievement in the build-up to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
High drama gets higher when Beth Mead's slip leads to a double touch and she is asked to retake the opening penalty, and Cata Coll makes a save on the second attempt. After four attempts, the shootout was even. Bonmati and Parauello missed for Spain, and who else but Chloe Kelly to deliver the final conversion for England's second Euro title.
England: XOOXO
Spain: OXXX
The Lionesses have battled back throughout the entire tournament and are now champions of Europe once again! Spain played beautiful football, but in the end, tactics did not matter; it was experience and relentless effort by England that came out on top after a tense penalty kick shootout.
That's it for regulation and extra time. Chances for both sides throughout the entire 120 minutes, but the margins between these two were always slim, and it had to end this way. The players now quickly prep for a penalty shootout.
The Lionesses defender goes toe-to-toe with Aitana Bonmati and despite conceding the corner, England defends away the set piece.
As extra time rolls on, more changes for England. The Lionesses have won a corner and are trying to make the most of their chance as they get prepared to set up.
That's it for the first extra-time period. Spain closed out the half with a supreme look on goal as Bonmati led Batlle into the box on a pass, and the fullback's cross into the box was on target to Parauello. Unfortunately, Parauello tried to flick the ball into goal, and a great chance on goal ended up a waste.
104' Michelle Agyemang puts in the work to make sure the Lionesses get the ball into Spain's half. They had numbers on a counter but Spain defended away for a throw-in despite the effort. La Roja wins the ball back after a foul on Agyemang on the restart.
Despite England's efforts to play out, Spain is still winning the ball, controlling it, and getting back into the Lionesses' final third. Claudia Pina tests Bronze's hamstrings inside the box. Pina gets a good shot off, but it's wide of the far post.
98' The veteran defender, who has been struggling with a thigh injury this tournament, is getting looked at by trainers. Her body language seems gutted, as Niamh Charles is getting warmed up. Bronze is on the sideline, trying to give it a go, but is having some trouble walking off.
Spain is already trying to make quick work of the extra minutes. Vicky Lopez gets an end line, and her cross into the box is tipped out for a corner. England does a good job of neutralizing the service by Pina, though.
In true knockout round fashion, the final is headed into extra time. There will be two 15-minute periods of extra time for both sides to crown a champion. Pretty even in terms of momentum, both nations are getting looks and striving for the game winner.
Spain's subs have made a massive impact already. Getting into the final third and forcing England's backline to re-evaluate. The teenager gets a shot off, but it's just over the bar.
It's time for some last-minute substitutions as the match boils down to the final five minutes. Beth Mead is into the game for Ella Toone, and Salma Parauello and Vicky Lopes are getting instructions to enter the match.
There's a stoppage at the 80th minute, which isn't uncommon at this stage of the game, with goalkeeper Hampton down and now Bronze as well. Both players are getting looked at by trainers, and all other field players head to the sidelines for some water and quick instruction.
74' Just minutes after subbing on, Claudia Pina gets inside the box and takes a right-footed shot that challenges Hampton for a save. Her efforts win a corner, and Spain rotates a sequence to win another one.
At the 71st minute, both benches bring on some impact players. It's Michelle Agyemang for England in place of Alessia Russo, and Claudia Pina on for Alexia Putellas, who has struggled to find her way into this game.
England is making the most of their efforts thanks to Chloe Kelly. Her shot forces a finger-tip save by Cata Coll, and it's a corner for the Lionesses, but it's now the other way for Spain.
Just past the hour mark, and each squad is spending stretches of time in each other's final third. No other substitutions have been made since the first-half change for an injured Lauren James.
57' England bombs forward and Chloe Kelly whips a cross into the box to a leaping Alessia Russo. Spain's backline struggled to keep the striker out of the box, and they suffered for it.
La Roja is back at work to try and extend the lead. Caldentey has had a look, and shot from distance by Aitana Bonmati goes wide, and Athenea del Castillo is showing why she earned the start today with her playmaking. At the 50-minute mark looks like England's legs are already feeling the effects of back-to-back games with extra time.
Looks like Montse Tome has won the first half battle between the coaches. The personnel rotations with Del Castillo in as a starter over Claudia Pina have paid off already, as the typical impact player helped set up the opening goal. Sarina Wiegman's decision to start a questionable Lauren James has forced her hand in the early substitutions game. Spain lead on a header by Mariona Caldentey.
Off the bench for Lauren James and Chloe Kelly immediately tries to go at Spain's backline for a quick impact. It forces an uncomfortable situation, but eventually the danger is snuffed out.
Looks like that'll be it for Lauren James as the England forward is down getting treatment with the training staff. Chloe Kelly is up and has subbed into the match. Definitely a game scenario the squad has prepped for, as Kelly was up immediately when James was down.
A lovely sequence initiated by Aitana Bonmati out wide, contains the ball and works to send a ball through into the box for Del Castillo, who then combines with One Batlle. The fullback sends a cross into the box, and Caldentey is there to deliver a pinpoint header past Hampton for the opening goal.
Spain tries an answer with a dangerous sequence of their own. They are not having trouble getting into England's half when they have the ball, and Caldentey's shot from distance is just high and wide of the bar.
Spain don't recognize the quick press from England as they play out the back, and it's Stanway again with an attempt on goal! She puts plenty of power behind the shot, but Cata Coll is there to make a huge save in a dangerous moment.
Some good end-to-end between the two sides already. England is not scared to give some of Spain the ball, and is committed to counters when they can get them. The Lionesses were back in the final third, and a ball was laid off to Georgia Stanway just at the top of the box, and her quick shot was saved by Cata Coll
As the game ticks past the 10-minute mark, Spain is turning the tide against England. After sustaining some early waves of attack by the Lionesses, La Roja has the ball back and is getting into dangerous spaces in the final third. Nothing has forced goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to be uncomfortable just yet.
Some long balls up the flanks and over the top have England in Spain's final third. Lauren James with a who in the opening 4 minutes of the game forces a save from Cata Coll. There was a dangerous rebound, but no one was there to really capitalize on it.
We're offically underway in Basel! A patient build-up for Spain ends with the opening goal by Mariona Caldentey, but Alessia Russo levels it in the second half in the 57th minute. The two sides will need extra time to determine a winner.
