England triumphed once again under pressure, edging Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout to retain their Women’s European Championship crown on Sunday, July 27, 2025
Chloe Kelly fired home the decisive penalty to seal a 3-1 shootout victory after a gripping 1-1 draw that stretched through extra time at St. Jakob Park in Switzerland.
“I was cool, I was composed, and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,” said Kelly, who also scored the winner in the 2022 final.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was the hero for England, saving spot kicks from Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmatí, while Salma Paralluelo missed her effort wide. Spain’s goalkeeper Cata Coll also made key saves, denying Beth Mead and England captain Leah Williamson, but it wasn’t enough.
The match followed a now-familiar script for England, who had come from behind in both the quarterfinal and semifinal. Spain struck first in the 25th minute when Caldentey headed home a cross from Ona Batlle after neat build-up play from Athenea del Castillo.
But England hit back in the 57th minute. Kelly delivered a pinpoint cross from the left, and Alessia Russo powered in a header to level the score. The duo, who also starred in Arsenal’s Champions League win in May, once again combined to change the game.
Despite dominating possession and creating more chances in extra time, Spain couldn’t find a winner. “It was cruel,” Bonmatí told La 1 after the match. “We played better, created more scoring chances, but in soccer sometimes that’s not enough.”
Spain, the reigning World Cup champions, had trailed for just four minutes in the entire tournament—yet never led England at any point in this final.
England head coach Sarina Wiegman further cemented her legacy, securing her third European title after previous wins with the Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022. She has never been eliminated from a
Wiegman’s win also continued a remarkable run: for the eighth consecutive edition, the tournament was won by a team led by a woman. Female head coaches remain outnumbered by men, but continue to dominate the results.
The crowd at St. Jakob Park included royalty from both nations. Prince William, president of the English Football Association, attended with his daughter Princess Charlotte. Spain’s Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía also watched from the VIP section, nearly two years after appearing at the 2023 World Cup final in Sydney.
England’s latest triumph marked their first major tournament win abroad—breaking new ground for a national team long burdened by past near-misses.
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