England Women 1-1 Spain Women (England win 3-1 on penalties): Chloe Kelly makes history again as Lionesses defend European title
Match report as England defend their Euro title with a 3-1 win against Spain in a dramatic penalty shoot-out; Mariona Caldentey had given Spain the lead in the first half; Alessia Russo levelled to send the game to extra time
Chloe Kelly was England’s Euros hero again as her winning penalty in a dramatic shoot-out saw the Lionesses defend their title, beating Spain 3-1 on spot-kicks in the Euro 2025 final after a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
England made hard work of it once again. They went to extra-time for a third successive knockout game at this tournament, and penalties for a second.
But the Lionesses came through the lottery of a shootout to win the Euros for a second time, with Kelly – scorer of the winning goal at Wembley in extra-time against Germany in 2022 – netting the decisive kick with her now-trademark run-up.
She came off the bench to do it again too, replacing Lauren James in the 40th minute. The Chelsea winger seemed to still be carrying a knock from the semi-final against Italy, but Kelly lit up the pitch once again.
England needed the attacking intent too, having gone behind to Mariona Caldentey’s header in the 25th minute. England were just a step behind as Spain slicked their way forward. Caldentey was a shoulder in front of Lucy Bronze to nod home Ona Batlle’s cross.
Once she came on, Kelly proved to be a nuisance and, just before the hour, sent in another inch-perfect cross for Alessia Russo to head past Cata Coll.
But it is not only Kelly who England are indebted too. As she has done throughout Euro 2025, Hannah Hampton kept the Lionesses in it at the most crucial of moments. Not long after Russo’s equaliser, the Chelsea goalkeeper denied Claudia Pina on the tightest of angles.
Spain dominated the additional 30 minutes, and should have won it when Salma Paralluelo tried to flick the ball goalwards. However, she could not get the right purchase as the ball ran away.
With neither side able to make the breakthrough, the game went to yet another England penalty shootout.
It began dramatically when Beth Mead had to retake the first kick after a double touch. She had scored initially, but the second was saved.
Patri Guijarro saw Spain ahead with their first try – but that would be the only penalty they would score. Hampton saved from Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati, while Paralluelo sent her effort wide of the post.
Despite a miss from Leah Williamson, Niamh Charles and Alex Greenwood scored theirs before Kelly stepped up again in the most pressurised of moments to see England to Euros glory once again.
Those winning moments…
Kelly: I don’t miss penalties twice!
England winger Chloe Kelly: “I was cool, I was composed. I knew l was going to hit the back of the net. I don’t miss a penalty twice!
“Tough times don’t last. Just around the corner was a Champions League final and I won that. Now a Euros final and I won that. Thanks to everyone that wrote me off. I’m grateful.”
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright on ITV Sport: “Chloe Kelly is clutch. She’s done it all the way through the tournament.
“She’s come of the bench throughout the tournament and she’s not mentioned it once. She’s delivered every single time.”
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton: “This team is just unbelievable, incredible. We’ve shown throughout the tournament we can come back when we go a goal back. We’ve got that grit, that English blood in us. We never say die, we keep going and we did that today.
“When Chloe stepped up I turned around to the fans, miming a kick and trying to ask if we score do we win, I’d completely lost track.
“They were just cheering at me so I didn’t know what the answer was, but then I saw that run up and that was it, we’ve won. I can’t believe it.”
Bronze: I played whole tournament with fractured tibia
England defender Lucy Bronze to BBC Sport: “I have actually played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia, and then I have hurt my knee on my other leg,” she said.
“That’s why I got a lot of praise from the girls after the Sweden game, as I’ve been in a lot of pain. If that’s what it takes to play for England, that’s what I’ll do. Very painful.”
‘The most chaotic tournament’
England boss Sarina Wiegman: “I can’t believe it. The word ‘team’ really described who we are – a team,” she said.
“We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible.
“I just can’t believe it, but I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy. It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponents.
“From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.”
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