Chloe Kelly’s penalty saw England successfully defend their UEFA Women’s Euro crown with a 3-1 shootout victory over Spain after a 1-1 draw.
Kelly dispatched England’s final penalty to seal victory and a successful title defence following penalty misses from Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmati and Salma Paralluelo for Spain.
Caldentey headed Spain into a 25th-minute lead from Ona Batlle’s cross, only for England to equalise in similar fashion as Alessia Russo nodded in unmarked from Chloe Kelly’s 57th-minute cross.
England’s successful title defence meant that manager, Sarina Wiegman extended her unbeaten managerial record in UEFA Women’s Euro Finals, having first won the title with Netherlands in 2017 then England in 2022 – albeit on home soil on both previous occasions.
This match also marked Wiegman’s fifth consecutive major final as a manager – a feat unmatched by any other manager.
Wiegman spoke of her disbelief to UK broadcaster – BBC One post match as she iterated that the team is capable of winning in any manner possible.
“No, I can’t believe it!
“We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible.
“I just can’t believe it. I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy.”
Wiegman proceeded to add that the tournament had been “chaos” for the Lionesses as they became the first team to win the competition after losing their first game of the tournament, which saw them lose 2-1 to France in their Group D opener.
“It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponent.
“From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible.”
“Football is chaos.”
Having made slow starts in their last two matches, England began on a more confident front foot as Russo forced a third-minute save from Cata Coll after she pounced on Lucy Bronze’s long ball up the right flank.
Spain however came into this showpiece match as the favourites and almost took the lead in the ninth minute but Esther Gonzalez’s shot on the turn was blocked, before she fired wide two minutes later.
Coll however kept Spain in the game with a 14th-minute save of Georgia Stanway’s shot before she five minutes later gifted a clearance to Lauren Hemp, only to immediately atone with a right-handed punch to block Hemp’s shot.
Caldentey knows many of England’s players well after a successful first season in England’s Women’s Super League with Arsenal and was almost able to unlock their defence with a 21st-minute strike, which curled just wide of the right corner.
Caldentey however couldn’t be kept quiet four minutes later as Spain began to up their intensity and ball control which saw them rip England apart near the left corner, which allowed space to open up for Batlle to curl in a cross for Caldentey to thump into the top-right corner to put the world champions ahead.
England attempted to mount an immediate response a minute later but Coll saved Keira Walsh’s low shot, after Walsh met Russo’s aerial backward kick of Hemp’s cross.
Spain continued to stay on top until half time despite a wide header from Gonzalez just moments after England substituted Lauren James in the 40th minute for Kelly, due to a recurrence of James’ ankle injury which she had picked up in the semi-final comeback against Italy.
England however rode their defensive luck in the opening ten minutes of the second half as Alexia Putellas twice fired wide, whilst Hampton saved Bonmati and Caldentey’s shots.
Spain’s wasteful final touch was punished in a 57th-minute counter-attack as Kelly found space out wide to cross for Russo to nod in unmarked to restore parity for England.
Russo and Bronze however were booked for tough fouls in successive minutes on Batlle and Olga Carmona respectively, of which the latter foul resulted in a Spanish free-kick which was headed down by Irene Paredes but saved by Hampton.
England continued to enjoy moments in possession and almost turned the game around in the 69th minute as Kelly played a low cross across the box in hope Russo could poke in from close range, but Coll deflected the ball away from Russo’s reach to Spain’s relief.
Fatigue soon set in for both teams but Jess Carter dug deep in the 90th minute to deny Spain substitute, Paralluelo before Bonmati and Vicky Lopez saw shots denied as the world champions piled on the pressure yet Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses forced extra time.
Fatigue set in for both teams in the first half of extra time but Spain were lucky to not be down to ten women in the 105th minute, after Laia Aleixandri blocked Hemp with contact as she broke forward into the box but referee – Stephanie Frappart and VAR didn’t consider the block worthy of a red card.
Spain however found a fresh burst life in the second half of extra time as Pina dragged a shot wide before Hampton denied Paralluelo and Bonmati in quick succession, before Lopez fired a shot over the bar.
Paredes was lucky to stay on the pitch in the 118th minute after she made a reckless foul to stop Michelle Agyemang bursting forward, yet Frappart turned a blind eye and awarded a free kick to Spain who got a second slice of disciplinary luck in the additional period.
England nevertheless dug deep defensively to send the final to a first penalty shootout since the very first edition in 1984, which saw the Lionesses lose to Sweden on that occasion – albeit after that final finished 1-1 on aggregate across two legs unlike the now traditional single-legged final.
Beth Mead stepped up and unintentionally made a double kick on her first shot down the middle but was allowed a retake, which she aimed for the left corner but Coll saved the second attempt.
Patricia Guijarro dispatched Spain’s first penalty before Alex Greenwood converted England’s second penalty to make it 1-1, but Hampton denied Caldentey’s kick to restore parity after two spot-kicks apiece.
Niamh Charles dispatched England’s third penalty which gave them the advantage after Hampton denied Bonmati with a dive to her right, only for Coll to flap away Leah Williamson’s penalty.
Paralluelo put Spain’s fourth penalty wide which left Kelly to calmly fire England’s final penalty into the left corner to win the shootout 3-1, which saw the Lionesses become only the second team after Germany to successfully defend their crown.
This team is also the first England team to win a major title on foreign soil, with both previous honours having come at Wembley Stadium, London.
- Mead fired penalty down middle but saved. 0-0
- Guijarro fired penalty down middle. 0-1
- Greenwood fired penalty into right corner. 1-1
- Caldentey fired penalty down middle but saved. 1-1
- Charles fired penalty into left corner. 2-1
- Bonmati fired penalty towards left but saved. 2-1
- Williamson fired penalty towards right but Coll flaps away. 2-1
- Paralluelo fired penalty wide of right corner. 2-1
- Kelly fired penalty into left corner. 3-1
Speaking to BBC One post-match, Kelly spoke of her pride and privilege to be part of the title-winning team once more, having scored the winner in both 2022 and 25.
“I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English.
“I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don’t miss penalties twice.
“Unbelievable. All the staff behind us and Sarina Wiegman – she has done it again! Unbelievable.
“It is going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it.”
Teams
England: Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze (Charles 105′), Leah Williamson, Jess Carter, Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway (Clinton 115′), Keira Walsh, Ella Toone (Mead 87′), Lauren James (Kelly 40′), Alessia Russo (Agyemang 71′), Lauren Hemp
Substitutes: Niamh Charles, Beth Mead, Maya Le Tissier, Anna Moorhouse, Grace Clinton, Esme Morgan, Michelle Agyemang, Chloe Kelly, Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park, Khiara Keating, Lotte Wubben-Moy
Spain: Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Laia Aleixandri, Olga Carmona (Ouahabi 105′), Aitana Bonmati, Patricia Guijarro, Alexia Putellas (Pina 71′), Athenea del Castillo (Paralluelo 89′), Esther Gonzalez (Lopez 89′), Mariona Caldentey
Substitutions: Jana Fernandez, Lucia Garcia, Vicky Lopez, Cristiana Martin-Prieto, Maria Mendez, Adriana Nanclares, Leila Ouahabi, Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo, Esther Sullastres, Maite Zubieta, Claudia Pina
Referee – Stephanie Frappart (France)
Attendance – 34, 203
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