Chloe Kelly delivered the decisive penalty as England triumphed 3-1 in a shootout against Spain to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 title on Sunday, successfully defending their crown in a dramatic final that ended 1-1 after extra time.
The victory marked another remarkable comeback for Sarina Wiegman’s side, who previously overturned a two-goal deficit against Sweden in the quarterfinals and edged past Italy in the semifinals thanks to an extra-time winner again courtesy of Kelly.
Spain, reigning World and Nations League champions, took the lead in the 25th minute when Ona Batlle’s pinpoint cross caught England’s defence off guard, allowing Mariona Caldentey to head past goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
With star forward Lauren James sidelined by an ankle injury, England initially struggled. However, the introduction of Chloe Kelly just before halftime turned the tide. Kelly helped shore up the left flank and later provided a perfect cross for Alessia Russo, who headed home the equaliser in the 57th minute.
Spain dominated possession and applied relentless pressure throughout regular and extra time, but England’s defence held firm, keeping the score level at 1-1.
In the penalty shootout, Spain made a strong start as goalkeeper Cata Coll saved Beth Mead’s opening attempt. But Hannah Hampton rose to the occasion, denying Caldentey and Aitana Bonmatà to swing momentum back in England’s favour. Though Coll responded with another save from Leah Williamson, substitute Salma Paralluelo squandered her chance by firing wide.
With the stage set, Kelly stepped up and reminiscent of her iconic 2022 winner against Germany delivered with a composed finish. Her signature prancing run-up was followed by a powerful strike into the net, sparking jubilant celebrations with teammates and fans alike.
“I’m so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge, and proud to be English,” said a beaming Kelly. “I stayed cool, stayed composed, and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net.”
The final was the first to be decided by penalties since the inaugural 1984 edition, when England lost to Sweden.
England goalkeeper Hampton praised her team’s resilience:
“Unbelievable, incredible we’ve shown throughout this tournament that we can fight back. We’ve got English blood in us, so we never say die. We just keep going, and we did that today.”
For Spain, the loss was a bitter pill. BonmatÃ, who missed her spot-kick, admitted:
“I don’t have much emotion left I’m drained. I have to say sorry; I couldn’t convert my penalty. In my opinion, we were the better side, but sometimes in football, that’s not enough. Congratulations to England.”
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