Chloe Kelly held her nerve to convert the decisive penalty as England beat Spain 3-1 in a shootout to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 title, following a 1-1 draw after extra time in Basel on Sunday. The triumph saw the Lionesses avenge their 2023 World Cup final loss and successfully defend their European crown.
Spain looked set to repeat their 2023 victory in Sydney when Mariona Caldentey’s first-half header capped a dominant opening spell at St. Jakob-Park. But just as they had done against Sweden and Italy in the knockout stages, England refused to wilt.
Alessia Russo nodded in the equalizer before the hour mark, and with no further goals, the match went to penalties. Once again, Kelly made the difference off the bench, calmly slotting home the winner to seal England’s back-to-back European titles.
“I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,” Kelly told the BBC.
It was a heartbreaking way to lose for Spain, who failed to score three of their penalties. Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati saw her effort saved.
Sarina Wiegman’s England are now two-time European champions, three years after defeating Germany in extra time at Wembley to win their first major women’s tournament.
“What a team. What a game. What drama. You dug deep when it mattered most and you’ve made the nation proud. History makers,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X. He was in attendance at the match.
The victory helps ease the pain of losing the World Cup final in 2023 and further cements Wiegman’s status among the game’s elite coaches.
She has now won three consecutive European Championships – leading her native Netherlands to victory in 2017 before guiding England to back-to-back titles.
“We said we can win by any means, and that’s what we’ve shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible,” said Wiegman, whose team lost their opening match to France.
“Losing your first game and becoming European champions is incredible,” she added.
Spain fell short in their bid to add a first European title to the World Cup they won in Australia. La Roja dominated possession, as expected, but paid the price for failing to finish off the game against an England side that never knows when it is beaten.
“I am in shock,” Bonmati told broadcaster TVE, later apologizing for missing her penalty. “Football is cruel. Everything seems bad right now, but I think we played the best football during the tournament.”
English resilience
England had already come from behind earlier in the tournament, rallying from 2-0 down against Sweden in the quarterfinals to force extra time before winning on penalties. In the semifinals, substitute Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute equalizer stunned Italy before Kelly scored the extra-time winner.
Wiegman gambled on the fitness of Lauren James, who had gone off with an ankle injury against Italy. But the Chelsea winger lasted less than a half before being replaced by Kelly.
By then, Spain had taken the lead. Ona Batlle crossed from the right for Caldentey to head home. Spain had already been in control, and it seemed England’s best hope lay in their opponents’ complacency.
The clearest example came while the score was still 0-0, when Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll played a careless short pass to Laia Aleixandri inside her own area. Lauren Hemp was alert and pounced, but Coll recovered to make the save.
Even at 1-0 down, England stayed in the game and equalized in the 57th minute when Kelly crossed from the left and Russo headed home.
Backed by a crowd of 34,203 – most of them supporting England – the Lionesses sensed another comeback was on the cards. Coll had to stretch to tip away another Kelly effort midway through the second half.
With the score still level after extra time, the match was settled by penalties. Beth Mead’s opening attempt for England was saved after she was forced to retake. Captain Leah Williamson also saw her shot stopped by Coll, but Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles converted. Patri Guijarro was the only Spanish player to score before Kelly sealed the title.
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