European Champions England Retain UEFA Women’s Euro Title On Penalties

England has retained it UEFA Women’s Euro title defeating world champions Spain to become the first senior national team from the country to win a tournament on foreign soil.

The Lionesses won their first-ever title three years ago at the previous UEFA Women’s Euro, played in England. It was the country’s first triumph at a major international tournament since the men’s team won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, another championship played entirely in England.

In 2009, the women’s team became the first England side to reach a final on foreign soil, losing the UEFA Women’s Euro decider 2-6 to Germany in Helsinki. The men’s side matched that achievement last year, reaching the men’s Euro final but failed to get over the line against Spain, the nation that also denied the Lionesses in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

England started with eight of the players who began that game in Sydney. Spain started with six, as well as two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, a substitute on that night, and were strengthened by the addition of Laia Aleixandri and Patri Guijarro who we’re absent from the World Cup due to a long-running dispute with the national team management at the time

The match seemed to be following a similar script to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final between the same two sides in 2023. Like that game, England started off brightly and Lauren Hemp came closest to opening the scoring. Then she hit the crossbar and today, pouncing upon a loose pass from Cata Coll, she forced an outstanding save from the Spanish goalkeeper.

A beautifully-crafted goal scored by Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey in the 25th minute meant that England trailed for the third knockout match in succession. She headed home clinically after a sharp cross from Ona Batlle following a quick interchange between Aitana Bonmatí and Athenea del Castillo.

Thereafter, the Spanish asserted their territorial supremacy, opening the scoring within the first half hour as they did in Sydney. For the rest of the half, they dominated possession with over two-thirds of the ball and offering England no opportunity to strike back.

It took until the 57th minute for England to create another clear chance and crucially they took it. Substitute Chloe Kelly provided her third assist of the knockout stages as a result of a right-footed cross from the left wing. Alessia Russo headed the equaliser in from almost the same spot as her Arsenal team-mate Mariona.

Like the UEFA Women’s Euro final in 2022, the match went into extra time. Spain dominated this period, particularly after the loss of England’s talismanic defender Lucy Bronze to injury. Yet Spain were unable to make the decisive breakthrough.

In the shoot-out, England also fell behind after the top goalscorer at the last UEFA Women’s Euro, Beth Mead, had her opening kick saved. Thereafter, Spain failed to convert three of their spot kicks and even after captain, Leah Williamson had her shot saved, England held the advantage.

Kelly, who scored the winning goal for the Lionesses in extra time in the 2022 final, and the decisive penalty in the Finalissima shoot-out in 2023, once more stepped up. She was again the matchwinner, a far cry from the figure who said she contemplated giving up the game earlier in the season.

Only 12 women had previously won the UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Women’s Euro title in the same year. All of them had been German, the nation which have historically dominated both competitions. Britta Carlson, Ariana Hingst, Anja Mittag, Conny Pohlers, Petra Wimbersky of Turbine Potsdam all achieved the feat in 2005. Fatmire Alushi, Linda Bresonik, Inka Grings, Annike Krahn, Simone Laudehr of Duisburg in 2009 and Lena Goessling and Nadine Kessler with VfL Wolfsburg in 2013.

Now, after helping Arsenal defeat FC Barcelona in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in May, England’s Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead can be added to the list of players to have taken part in the final matches of both competitions in the same year. Lotte Wubben-Moy, who came on as a late substitute in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final was an unused substitute today.

In coaching a side to victory in the UEFA Women’s Euro title for a third successive time, Sarina Wiegman equalled the record of former German manager Tina Thuene between 1997 and 2005. Gero Bisanz also led Germany to three European Championship titles in four tournaments between 1989 and 1995.

Uniquely Wiegman has achieved it with two different nations, having led her native Dutchwomen to victory in 2017. Both of those previous two triumphs were as head coach of the host nation, so like the team she now leads, it is her first tournament victory as a visiting team.

It is also the eighth time in succession that the UEFA Women’s Euro has been won by a team led by a female head coach, following a similar pattern of achievement in the Women’s World Cup and Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. This would not be remarkable but for the fact that less than half of the teams at the Championship had female coaches. Once more, this demonstrates the value of giving female coaches more opportunity in the women’s game.