England's women's team continued their golden chapter by defeating Spain in a penalty shootout in the Euro 2025 final, successfully defending their European Championship title.
Chloe Kelly – the hero of the Euro 2022 final – again played the role of deciding the fate of the match with the decisive 11-meter kick, after Spain missed three consecutive shots and were denied twice by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
This is the first time in history that an England team has won a major trophy away from home. At the same time, this achievement marks a great milestone for coach Sarina Wiegman, who became the first coach to win the Euro three times in a row with two different teams (Netherlands 2017, England 2022, 2025).
Not only that, England also made history by becoming the first team to win a one-legged Euro final after falling behind at half-time – a testament to their incredible ability to come back from behind.
From the abyss to the peak
Spain opened the scoring in the 25th minute, when Mariona Caldentey headed home from close range after Ona Batlle's precise cross from the right. England defender Lucy Bronze made a mistake in marking, allowing the Arsenal star to finish comfortably.
But the loss did not dampen the Lionesses' spirits . Despite falling behind for the fourth time in the tournament, Wiegman's men showed their steely resolve. After Lauren James left the pitch with an ankle injury, Chloe Kelly was brought on and quickly made her mark with a precise cross for Alessia Russo to head home the equaliser in the 59th minute.
From there, England settled deep and played solidly to take the game to penalties – where they had beaten Sweden in the quarter-finals. With Hampton in goal and Kelly cool-headed on the spot, they completed the most spectacular comeback of the tournament.
Spain's Unfinished Dream
As the reigning world champions, Spain is considered the most promising candidate for Euro 2025. They are undefeated throughout the tournament, possess a squad of quality players and a unique technical style of play.
But when the chances came, they failed to kill the game off in the first half – with England disorganised in midfield and James exposed weaknesses on the wing.
Missed opportunities to extend their lead cost Spain. Despite controlling most of the possession and at times appearing to have complete control of the game, they were unable to penetrate the stubborn defence of their opponents.
Despite being the first team to win the World Cup (2023) and advance to the Euro final shortly after, Spain’s dream of completing a major double remains unfulfilled. Once again, the name “England” has become the biggest obstacle to the continental domination of Spanish women’s football.
Notable individuals
Lauren Hemp was the spark plug on England's right flank. Not only did she create danger from long balls, but she also pressed the Spanish defence constantly, forcing them into mistakes. Even in extra time, Hemp was still full of energy in attack and defence.
Chloe Kelly once again proved her worth in big games. Not only did she assist the equaliser, she also coolly scored the decisive penalty to send England to the championship.
And Jess Carter – who was dropped from the starting line-up in the semi-finals due to racism – returned with a solid performance in defence.
Ahead is the 2027 World Cup
The England team will return home to a warm welcome. A large-scale celebration is planned in London.
Coach Sarina Wiegman still has a contract until the 2027 World Cup - where the team hopes to complete the "unfinished mission" after the defeat in the 2023 World Cup final.
Meanwhile, Spain will quickly turn their attention to the next World Cup in Brazil – where they hope to reaffirm their position as world number one, and above all, conquer the European Cup that is missing from their collection.
Notable Statistics
• England led for just 4 minutes and 52 seconds in total throughout the entire knockout round.
• There were 10 England goalscoring situations with the participation of substitute players (5 goals, 5 assists) - a record number since Euro 2013.
• Six of the last 10 goals in women's Euro finals have been scored by players playing in the Women's Super League (WSL).
• England are the first team in Euro history to have three matches in one tournament go to extra time.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/tuyen-nu-anh-vo-dich-euro-2025-sau-tran-chung-ket-nghet-tho-voi-tay-ban-nha-156852.html
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