In becoming the first senior England team to win a major trophy on foreign soil, Sarina Wiegman’s indomitable players displayed true sporting courage
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elentlessly, exhilaratingly, Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses have gone where no group of English footballers has ever gone before. Sunday’s heroically hard-fought victory over the world champions, Spain – in a Euro 2025 final which required yet another comeback – was the first successful defence of an international title by a senior England team. It was also the first time a major trophy has been acquired away from the home comforts of Wembley.
That gives the measure of the achievement. What will live long in the memory was the manner of it. Well beaten by France in the group stages, 2-0 down to Sweden late in the quarter-final, 1-0 down to Italy in injury time in the semi-final, 1-0 down to Spain at half-time in the final, a remarkable group of players seemed somehow to thrive in such adversity.
Their spirit was epitomised by the dogged determination of 33-year-old Lucy Bronze, perhaps playing in her last big tournament, who revealed after the final that she had played throughout with a fractured shin. Courage of a different kind has been displayed by England’s goalkeeper and Uefa’s player of the match on Sunday, Hannah Hampton, who overcame a serious eye condition to fulfil her ambition of pursuing a football career. And by Jess Carter, the defender who suffered racist abuse earlier in the tournament, but ended it with a faultless performance in the final. The effervescent Chloe Kelly, who had considered quitting last season when her career was in the doldrums, had the last word as England’s nerveless penalty-shootout match-winner.
