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Tom Hamilton
BASEL, Switzerland — Because the celebrations started after England‘s penalty shootout win over Spain, proper again Lucy Bronze was hopping on one leg having performed all the of Euro 2025 with a fractured tibia. But it surely was the opposite leg she harm in additional time towards within the last. As she hopped round, she was being flung sporadically into the air by teammates Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood; the gang sung Michelle Agyemang‘s identify into the Basel evening sky, and shortly head coach Sarina Wiegman was dancing to Gala’s “Free of Need.”
The Lionesses have been draped in gold-and-silver ticker tape, and waved to family members, laughed, cried and did their finest to course of essentially the most exceptional, rollercoaster triumph. As Basel danced to the echoes of 2022 and the brand new heroines of 2025, the Lionesses strolled into historical past as the primary England group to win two main tournaments, and the primary on overseas soil. They led their three knockout stage matches by a mixed whole of 4 minutes and 52 seconds.
We’ll by no means see one other match win fairly like this.
It made little sense as you watched it unfold in Switzerland. How do you clarify how the Lionesses managed to conjure up a match win towards the percentages? We thought they’d used up all 9 lives after their chaotic penalty shootout win over Sweden, however little did we all know they might produce one other pair of miracles to win all the factor.
And all that after England have been painted as being in chaos earlier than Euro 2025 even began, with questions over what would occur to Wiegman if England have been knocked out within the group stage. England mentioned they have been going to Switzerland to win and, as defending champions, they all the time had a combating probability. However no-one may have predicted this.
– England’s Euro 2025 win defies logic; Spain’s curse continues
– Euro 2025 last because it occurred: England repeat as champions
– England participant scores: Hampton scores 10/10 in triumph
– Euro 2025 Speaking Factors: Best match, goal, player, Team of the Tournament
Battling earlier than the match started
Earlier than Wiegman named her squad on June 5, the Lionesses have been on each the back and front pages in the UK. On Could 25, when the squad met for the primary time earlier than their matches towards Portugal and Spain within the Nations League, legendary goalkeeper Mary Earps advised Wiegman she was retiring from international duty. The next day, she flew to St George’s Park to inform the gamers in particular person.
Wiegman was harm and disenchanted in Earps’ choice. Although Hannah Hampton was set to be England’s No. 1 for the match, Earps’ expertise would’ve been invaluable, each on and off the pitch. Her choice to retire — which was made public on May 27 — left England with Hampton getting ready to play her first main match minutes and two uncapped goalkeepers as backup.
Key heart again, Millie Bright was additionally absent, as she withdrew from selection to prioritize her own mental wellbeing. By this stage, Wiegman had held discussions with a number of senior gamers on what their probably squad standing could be for the match — some have been advised they’d work to do to interrupt into the primary group and have been second selection.
The day after England hammered Portugal 6-0 on Could 30, ahead Fran Kirby met with Wiegman and was advised she wasn’t going to make the 23-player squad. As England ready for his or her match with Spain at Espanyol‘s stadium in Barcelona, Kirby turned down the supply to step away from the squad, however as a substitute remained to coach, serving to the group prepare for his or her penultimate warm-up match. After England misplaced 2-1, Kirby went into the altering room and advised the gamers she was retiring. Bronze paid tribute to her and the information “acquired all kinds of celebrations and feelings, however above all — lots of admiration,” a supply advised ESPN. After leaving the altering room, Kirby headed straight for the group bus and posted the information on Instagram.
That night the group went on a bunch evening out. They stayed out till the early hours in Barcelona, and sources advised ESPN it was a key second for the group as they celebrated Kirby, but additionally grew nearer collectively, centered on the duty forward, relatively than the drama of what had been hectic few days. Regardless of exterior discuss of a disaster, a supply advised ESPN on the time: “I believe that might be the apparent narrative however it’s the exact opposite, the group feels extra bonded due to the final two weeks.”
Sources pointed to how the build-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup truly wanted extra managing: Williamson was out with an ACL harm, Beth Mead and Kirby have been additionally injured, the gamers have been in a row with the FA over bonus funds and as soon as the match began, Earps had called out England’s kit supplier Nike.
Bonding in Switzerland
So the group arrived in Switzerland settled and contemporary from their 7-0 send-off win over Jamaica in Leicester. They checked into the Dolder Grand Resort, an opulent base overlooking the lake in one of the vital unique Zurich neighborhoods. The group had their very own cryotherapy station pushed over from the U.Ok. whereas they housed the group’s health club and restoration station at their coaching floor at Sportanlage Au in Opfikon — a spot solely a 20-minute drive from their lodge.
At their base, the gamers have been greeted with what Williamson calls their “house from house” — which was arrange utilizing a feng shui professional. The bottom had all the house comforts: from Lionesses’ branded tea baggage, to their very own barista (James, who has been with the group at St George’s Park, too), and an enormous display screen the place a number of of the group met to observe Love Island each evening, as they stored an eye fixed on how Alessia Russo’s brother, Giorgio, was progressing within the villa. They bonded over aggressive video games of Monopoly Deal.
“There are extra arguments in card video games than there most likely are on the pitch,” Lauren Hemp mentioned.
There have been aggressive video games of one-on-one basketball — as documented in an epic TikTok from Esme Morgan — and video games of “spike ball,” a recreation the place two-person groups hit a ball off a small internet, with Grace Clinton and Maya Le Tissier steadily discovered contesting that. Darts have been additionally standard with Hemp the winner there, whereas Wiegman and assistant supervisor Arjan Veurink have been additionally concerned.
Mead was a social butterfly, steadily within the communal areas the place some constructed jigsaws, whereas Bronze and Agyemang constructed a mannequin of the Zurich Letzigrund Stadium. Agyemang additionally had her piano, which was introduced over in kitman Kev’s van. It was a cheerful place, with one supply telling ESPN that there have been no cliques, and there was not one single flare-up between teammates. Event life will be monotonous, consuming the identical meals — Wiegman most of the time went for salmon — and seeing the identical folks, however the surroundings labored and the addition of getting household so shut helped.
“What would you do if I advised you we have been all able to kill one another?” Williamson mentioned when requested concerning the temper within the camp. “We’re very a lot having fun with one another’s firm. It is a good temper within the camp. Particularly the physio room the place each participant has to go to daily to talk to the medics. It’s simply wonderful, the locations we now have obtained to sit back and hang around collectively, the little stations of wholesome meals and drinks.”
Every single day the physios put up a brand new motivational message or related quote on the wall. Aggie Beever-Jones, the Chelsea ahead in her first main match, would write these down in her journal — one thing every participant was given after they checked into Euro 2025 camp. Beever-Jones would additionally add her personal polaroid images, and have become the group’s unofficial photographer, snapping one among Ella Toone‘s household for her. Journaling was one among Beever-Jones’ methods of chronicling the match to make sure she would not neglect any moments, whereas Lotte Wubben-Moy used it for writing poetry.
Additionally within the group room was a map of the UK exhibiting the place every participant had come from, and images of the England gamers each from their grassroots days and one among them now.
“It jogs my memory of the place I got here from and the progress I’ve made,” Beever-Jones mentioned. “In the end, you simply need to play to make that lady completely happy as a result of I might be delighted if somebody advised that lady that she’d be right here proper now doing this so I might positively say it is vitally surreal and I am simply attempting to take it in my stride as a lot as I can and take it day-to-day.”
0:58
Laurens: Wiegman confirmed her expertise in Euro 2025 last
Julien Laurens reacts to Sarina Wiegman’s techniques after England’s Euro 2025 last win.
And the gamers additionally talked about their “why.” Mead and Toone bonded over the grief of shedding dad and mom; after the Wales match, they shared a celebration the place they pointed to the skies, remembering these not right here. And the gamers opened up on their backstories, and shared private reminiscences and causes for why they’re one of many few who made it to the very best stage.
“We need to discover out every little thing we are able to do,” Hemp mentioned. “They’re our household in right here so it is necessary you realize every little thing about somebody so you possibly can assist them by it.”
Bronze selected one among her from the 2019 Sweden bronze medal match the place she was completely exhausted. “I’ll give something and I’ll give every little thing after I play in an England shirt. And I wished all the women to know that,” she mentioned. That picture would turn into poignant once more later within the match, however it was a reminder of whereas their environment are luxurious, it is the on-field work that issues.
“There’s a lot of shiny issues whenever you come to a match and plenty of experiences available, however in the end the primary focus is on the pitch,” Williamson mentioned.
However key to the entire train of speaking by the “why” was to bond.
“I believe being susceptible might be one of the vital necessary issues as a result of it brings the group a lot nearer collectively,” Georgia Stanway mentioned. “I believe when instances are powerful on the pitch, you need to have the ability to depend on your teammates and also you need to have the ability to take a look at them in each good and dangerous and perceive that you just’re each on the fitting journey and also you’re each on the fitting path to precisely what you need on the finish, which is to win. We have talked loads about vulnerability, and we have talked loads about opening our arms up and recognizing who’s subsequent to us and having perception within the folks subsequent to you and never the folks that aren’t within the bubble.”
1:01
Bronze on leg fracture ache: I am going to do something to play for England
Lucy Bronze explains how she performed by a leg fracture to assist England defend their Euros crown.
Bouncing again from defeat
Household and pals have been allowed into the bubble extra steadily than at different tournaments and sources say that is one more reason why morale has stayed so excessive. The gamers’ households ended up attending to know different households higher too because of this, with a few of the brothers occurring a pub crawl round Zurich on the Friday earlier than the ultimate. Teams have been steadily seeing taking dips in Lake Zurich, and mixing exterior of the matches the place all of them wore shirts with their cherished one’s names on the again.
The households have been there behind the bench for England’s opener towards France on July 5 in Zurich. Wiegman began Lauren James within the No. 10 spot, with Greenwood at heart again, and Jess Carter at left again. They’d 4 gamers within the first group who’d had restricted minutes by harm: Greenwood, Stanway, Hemp and James.
However England had a dismal first half — rocked by a controversial offside name, after which conceding objectives to Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore as France ruthlessly punished England defensive errors, and exploited the wings. England pulled it again to 2-1 and will’ve compelled a late aim, however suffered a harmful opening-round defeat.
The temper within the camp was somewhat extra tense than standard within the days between then and the second match towards Netherlands on July 9. However the skilled heads helped them by it. Bronze advised the group about how they misplaced their opening match of the 2015 World Cup and ended up making the semifinals, earlier than falling within the bronze medal recreation. That gave the group perspective, however they knew in the event that they fell to Netherlands, they’d be heading house.
The next morning after the France defeat the group met and went by what went unsuitable.
“It was a very useful assembly. We watched clips however there was lots of communication,” Stanway mentioned. “We had lots of discussions that are additionally tremendous wholesome. 24 hours after the sport you are loads calmer and extra logical concerning the state of affairs. It was speaking about what we want from one another.”
Wiegman held temporary conversations with some gamers who hadn’t obtained their probability off the bench.
“She did say it was a tricky recreation and he or she seemed elsewhere to convey different folks on and I simply need to respect that,” Beever-Jones mentioned. “I believe I do know my strengths and I’ve finished it for 2 years coming off the bench for Chelsea and hopefully making an influence. Sarina is effectively conscious of that and I revered that call. She is aware of I will be prepared it doesn’t matter what, every time the time comes. She is aware of that.”
England went with Stanway to entrance the media after the France defeat, and he or she was bullish.
“What we wish going ahead is to make actions and cease speaking. I did not need to do the information convention as we speak as a result of I am fed up of speaking now. We need to create motion from what occurred on Saturday and the one means to do this is the sport,” she mentioned.
That conviction set the tone inside the England camp.
“At that time, the group knew that in the event that they misplaced, they’d have to just accept that they have been merely not ok,” mentioned a supply.
0:49
England followers go wild because the Lionesses win Euro 2025 on penalties
England followers at Boxpark, Wembley have a good time Chloe Kelly’s successful penalty vs. Spain.
‘Correct England’
By way of the match turbulence, one of many fixed dependable components within the camp was Jill Scott. Certainly one of England’s biggest gamers, Scott gained 161 caps between 2006 and 2022, and her infectious persona and huge expertise continues to be utilized in camp — and he or she was steadily in and across the group areas within the 2023 World Cup and stayed with the group at their base in Zurich this time round.
“We will not eliminate her. I’ve had a few conversations this match with Jill, one to 1,” Williamson mentioned. “I do know she’s a humorous character and one of many much less severe of earlier groups, however she will be and he or she has so many experiences of her personal however has this unbelievable perspective, she does truly assist us out. When she retired we have been begging for anyone to make use of her inside the FA simply to convey her alongside. I am glad that she is right here and he or she’s discovered a option to be right here.”
Scott was steadily available with a cup of tea and to speak to gamers each new and previous. She had a routine with Walsh the place they went for dinner on the day after matches. Forward of the Netherlands match, a few of the Euro 2022 veterans noticed their previous WhatsApp group from the match pop up, with retired gamers sending their well-wishes, and success.
And England answered any doubts over their main match credentials with a dismantling of the Dutch, successful 4-0. Wiegman made one change, and a positional swap: Toone began within the center with Mead dropping out, whereas Carter went to heart again, and Greenwood shifted to left again. James grabbed two objectives whereas Stanway and Toone additionally scored. Watching from the bench, Morgan realized she’d forgotten to put on her necklace to the match — having worn it for his or her defeat to France. However that necklace could be staying on the lodge on matchdays from then on.
For Wiegman, the win was a second of non-public reduction but additionally satisfaction in how the squad had galvanized themselves. All through all of it, although, the followers had stayed united behind the group, full with their new music to serenade Wiegman, the place in The Champs’ music “Tequila” the liquor was changed with “Sarina.”
“It does not make me really feel comfy,” she mentioned afterwards. “However they have been artistic I assumed, so I assumed I might clap somewhat for them.”
That win over Netherlands noticed the return of the “correct England” mantra. It was shaped again in February after they defeated Spain 1-0 at Wembley. They got here into the match speaking about “New England” — parking what they’d achieved prior to now, and attempting to realize one thing new — changing into the primary English group to win a significant match on overseas soil. However after the grit they confirmed towards Netherlands – “New England” had morphed into “correct England.”
“Truthfully, I believe it is part of being English,” Walsh mentioned. “That is what we really feel once we put the shirt on — it is that we give every little thing, we run ourselves into the bottom. That is the fantastic thing about this squad is that we all know that if we now have to return off as a result of we’re drained, there’s going to be another person who’s going to return on and end the job. That is form of simply what we discuss as a group is that English resilience and it is one thing that we’re actually satisfaction ourselves on.”
That mantra would information them by the subsequent couple of weeks.
Constructive clicks
The temper was far calmer heading into the Wales match, the place England knew a win would information them to the knockouts, with Sweden or Germany probably ready. The Love Island-watching continued, and the household and pals introduced some reduction from the depth of main tournaments.
“We will have actually exhausting conversations and preserve it inside the bubble, and equally after a recreation and once we’ve finished effectively you possibly can go see your loved ones,” Beever-Jones mentioned. “I believe for us it is refreshing to return out of that bubble generally and take a step again to spend time with your loved ones and never discuss soccer. I do know for me, my sister’s not a football-head in any respect — she’s a midwife — so I simply discuss to her about every little thing however soccer and generally that is a bit refreshing.”
England headed 85km east to St Gallen for his or her third match. Wales coach Rhian Wilkinson talked up how they wished to damage England’s get together, however the Lionesses have been by no means in peril of leaving the dance early. They hammered Wales 6-1 with Stanway, Toone, Hemp, Russo, Mead and Beever-Jones all scoring.
After Mead and Beever-Jones’ objectives — each gamers who’d come off the bench — they ran to the remainder of the substitutes, and the group celebrated them by clicking their fingers within the air. That noticed the beginning of the “optimistic clicks” clique.
“It was a bench factor, I believe it was Maya and Aggie who did it,” Morgan mentioned. “We have been all type of chatting on the bench after which they began doing it. It is one thing that I got here throughout first after I went to America, trigger I used to be type of launched to the group in an evaluation session they usually requested me to say a couple of phrases, so I used to be type of saying how excited I used to be to be there and be a part of it and every little thing and everybody simply began going like *snaps* as I used to be talking and I used to be considering, what on earth are they doing?
“So then all of us simply began doing it on the bench as similar to positivity, celebrating good issues that occur and when folks come off after placing a superb shift in, it is like snaps for whoever’s coming off and snaps for whoever’s occurring as effectively, so it is became a pleasant little celebration for everybody on the group.”
Le Tissier arrange a WhatsApp group so they might share photographs of the celebrations. But it surely additionally maintained morale among the many “finishers,” as Chloe Kelly calls them — a bunch who know they’re unlikely to start out however nonetheless need to be prepared to leap in at any second. And so they’d be invaluable because the match progressed.
Those that began the matches have been somewhat extra oblivious to the press. Stanway was asking Walsh about them on the bus the next morning after the Wales match, however neither have been the wiser. However quickly it turned one of many threads bonding the group.
1:19
Chloe Kelly ‘grateful’ for her doubters after Euro 2025 win
Chloe Kelly thanks her doubters after scoring England’s successful penalty within the Euro 2025 last.
The comeback queens
The significance of the bench was there in plain sight for England within the knockout phases. England drew Sweden within the quarterfinals who have been contemporary from their 4-1 defeat of Germany to complete off their group. It was a match the place you felt it could be determined by the flip of a coin given the same skills of each. It began within the worst doable means as England fell behind to a Kosovare Asllani aim after simply two minutes. They then doubled their lead after 25 minutes by Stina Blackstenius.
However Bronze wasn’t up for going house early as she put in one more astonishing efficiency; she dragged them into additional time with Kelly and Agyemang’s introductions off the bench sparking England into life to peg it again to 2-2. Then got here additional time and a penalty shootout.
Hampton was bloodied after a conflict of heads and had her nostril plugged with a tampon; Bronze had taped up her personal calf and England — having practized penalties that week — have been assured they’d have sufficient. However what adopted was chaos: Simply 5 of 14 penalties have been scored. Kelly scored one — full with shinpads with photos of her marriage ceremony day, and their canines — and revealed later she was determined for the bathroom as she ran as much as take it. Fortunately for England, they came out on the winning side, with Bronze scoring the successful penalty.
Afterwards a relieved Wiegman mentioned she thought England have been going to be knocked out “4 or 5” instances throughout the match, however someway they dragged themselves by. “I must decompress,” she added.
After the match, Wiegman was nonetheless doing media at 2 a.m. and the gamers have been additionally wired.
“I went to mattress fairly late to be truthful, it is simply so exhausting to change off, particularly when it has been such a recreation of rollercoaster feelings,” Morgan, whose mum burst into tears when she got here on for her first main match minutes towards Sweden, mentioned. “Your coronary heart’s simply pounding and you retain replaying moments. There was lots of simply laughing about issues that occurred inside the recreation within the altering room and stuff afterwards. After which on the coach journey house a couple of of us obtained collectively to observe the newest Love Island episode on catch up, to attempt to tire us out earlier than we went to mattress.”
The “correct England” mentality was talked about once more after that match with frequency. There have been echoes of the 2022 run, the place England turned to the bench to show the fates of matches, and, when requested how lives had modified in a optimistic and adverse means after that match, Stanway answered: “Followers versus abuse. Followers will be so highly effective, however then it turns into a degree the place a fan’s opinion is somewhat bit an excessive amount of and it could cross the road by way of negativity. What we created off the again of the Euros is lots of positivity. That outweighs the negativity, however it’s moments like this that we simply don’t stand for.”
That second was Carter’s choice to step again from social media due to racist abuse. She spoke to the squad over the weekend between the Sweden and Italy matches, after which launched a press release on her Instagram web page concerning the abuse she’d acquired. The squad released their own statement, condemning the abuse and introduced they might not take the knee earlier than matches. The assertion was written solely by the gamers and as a bunch. The Lionesses felt the gesture of taking the knee had misplaced its significance, and it was time to face in solidarity with their teammate.
Social media had been one of many huge points heading into the match, with gamers utilizing totally different strategies. After Carter stepped again, she was joined by Lotte Wubben-Moy in leaving social media alone; Walsh had already determined pre-tournament to return off her channels and depart that to different folks.
“It is simply private choice, I’ve not had social media for the most effective a part of 4 or 5 months, and I really feel loads higher,” she mentioned. “Do I believe there’s sufficient safety on social media? No I do not.”
Whereas the England squad rallied round Carter, in addition they seemed forward to Italy and the semifinal problem.
1:42
Bronze: ‘Social media platforms should be held accountable’ for on-line abuse
Lucy Bronze discusses the racial abuse confronted by her England teammate Jess Carter at this summer time’s European Championship.
Reggie time
The Lionesses took the three-hour coach journey to Geneva for his or her semifinal towards Italy and the group meal the evening earlier than the sport had a shock visitor. One of the vital standard figures within the camp had been Reggie, a canine belonging to the group’s barista James, who had been with them in Zurich. The group thought he’d keep there whereas they went to the opposite aspect of the nation, however halfway by, Reggie bounded in and acquired one of many loudest cheers heard throughout the match.
That evening, Wiegman delivered a speech to the group that stayed with them. In earlier tournaments she’d used inanimate objects as a metaphor for the duty awaiting them — she’d used a mug and a stuffed toy beforehand — and he or she used that tactic once more earlier than Italy as she offered a small washbag with the phrase “Bitches get S— Carried out” on it. It might seem once more a couple of days later.
The 9 p.m. kickoffs have been powerful to navigate for the gamers they usually handled the wait in numerous methods: some go on a bunch stroll, Kelly takes a two-hour nap, Williamson performs Monopoly Deal and in addition has a fast sleep.
However regardless of the relaxed really feel within the camp, England began slowly once more towards Italy and conceded a aim within the thirty third minute. Morgan began rather than Carter and at half-time, Mead changed a limping James. As England did their finest to get again within the second half, Wiegman left her substitutions late however finally Agyemang popped up within the 96th minute to attain a late equalizer and, on the finish of additional time, it was Kelly who slotted the winner, tapping within the rebound from her personal saved penalty. She celebrated by ushering the gang to “chill” as she put it, earlier than standing on the nook flag copying a well-known celebration by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
The celebrations included Wiegman dancing in the course of the group, singing Dutch music “We Gaan Nog Niet Naar Huis” (“We’re Not Going Residence But”) — whereas the gamers sprayed her with water. Afterwards the group introduced pizzas out to affix their household and pals of their acquainted space behind the group bench. However everybody was speaking about two gamers: Agyemang and Kelly.
Agyemang was already one of many stars of the match at this stage after her heroics towards Sweden, however her equalizer propelled her into a distinct stage of recognition and admiration. The Lionesses had already identified her skills effectively; Bronze revealed that generally she was a contact too bodily in coaching, however requested for her to up the ante anyway.
The 19-year-old is an extremely grounded determine and seemed to absorb recommendation from these round her, primarily to her Arsenal teammate Russo, but additionally stored a detailed eye on James and the way she educated. The opposite gamers spoke to her about what life could be like for her when she returned to the U.Ok. after the match.
“She would possibly get papped [photographed] consuming a pasty like I did!” Toone mentioned. “I am going to need to warn her about that. Michelle, it is mad, like I might suppose she’s about 30 years previous, she’s so mature. She’s so humble, she’s coming to this match with freedom, you realize, not a fear, not a care. I believe she’s positively within the bubble now, however I believe when she will get out she’ll be acknowledged much more than she was earlier than the match, that is for certain, and he or she deserves that as effectively.”
1:08
Sarina Wiegman’s watch interrupts her press convention
Sarina Wiegman has her press convention interrupted by her watch providing to start out recording a exercise for her after England’s Euros success.
A last for historical past
James was the primary harm doubt heading into the ultimate, however England gave her till the newest doable second to show her health. The temper within the camp heading into the showdown towards match favorites Spain was once more calm and businesslike, to the extent some workers have been attempting to cover their very own nervousness from the gamers, sources advised ESPN.
England’s lodge was within the heart of Basel — versus their different in a single day bases the place they have been faraway from the hubbub — so that they discovered a quieter spot for his or her pre-match walks. And, after all, Reggie joined them on one.
England have been underdogs, however the Lionesses are used to main match finals and methods to deal with the expectation and stress. So that they did every little thing precisely the identical, together with singing their standard pre-match rendition of Heather Small’s “Proud.” Wiegman’s final phrases to the group was to inform them to take pleasure in it: “We have got thus far now on this match. I believe all of us created one thing once more collectively. So these are the moments the place you dream of. However go on the market and luxuriate in it and play your best recreation.”
England began effectively, however fell behind within the twenty fifth minute as Mariona Caldentey scored; James was compelled off injured within the fortieth minute, and changed by Kelly. England began the second half higher with Kelly’s cross discovering Russo within the 57th minute to attract the sport stage. However Spain would not go away.
Within the 71st minute, Wiegman launched Agyemang — together with her father capturing the second within the stands and saying a brief prayer — however there was to be no super-sub response this time. The sport inevitably fell to additional time, and Hampton stored England in it with a string of great saves, whereas Bronze finally succumbed to harm — injuring her different leg (the one which did not have a damaged tibia).
It might be penalties once more. Whereas Mead slipped and needed to re-take her first effort, which was saved, Hampton saved two of her personal and Salma missed, leaving Kelly to smash house the winner, together with her shot reaching 110km/h — the quickest on the complete match.
Pandemonium ensued. Wiegman was launched into the air by assistant Veurink — in his last match with England earlier than taking up the Netherlands job — and the gamers ran to Hampton, Kelly and anybody and everybody carrying the Three Lions shirt. Agyemang was topped Younger Participant of the Event as the gang sang her identify, whereas Kelly remembered her rollercoaster yr and the tears flowed as she checked out her household within the crowd. Williamson nursed her bust lip, due to an elbow from Esther González, and “Candy Caroline” rang out, similar to it did in 2022. The workers checked out one another in disbelief at what they’d witnessed, and by the point Gala’s “Free of Need” rang out, Wiegman was dancing with the remainder of the group.
“I guess you have been impressed with that, at my age?” she later mentioned. Goalkeeper Khiara Keating tripped over a flag she was carrying, whereas Hampton hugged her dad and mom within the crowd. And everybody was lined in tickertape, sweat — blood in Williamson’s case — and tears. And Bronze nursed her damaged tibia, although it was her different leg that was now totally strapped.
“It is one thing we have identified about in camp, however I believe she’s excellent and he or she simply will get on with it and nobody actually really is aware of how a lot she’s coping with,” substitute Niamh Charles mentioned. “To play on that’s fairly unbelievable but when there was anybody to do it, it could have been her. That is correct, correct England.”
Afterwards the group sang Queen’s “I Wish to Break Free” within the altering room, and cheered as every participant got here again into the room having finished their postmatch commitments. They walked an enormous speaker by the media interview zone blaring out Journey’s “Do not Cease Believing” after which again within the altering room, they repeatedly sang Wiegman’s new “Tequila/Sarina” music and the “Tooney and Alessia Russo” music from 2022.
They headed again to their lodge in Zurich to proceed the get together. Hampton carried Reggie into the festivities they usually danced and reveled in essentially the most chaotic of match wins of all time.
Further reporting from Emily Keogh.
