‘Greatest achievement in English football history’

It was intended for England this year.

The only player who epitomizes what it means to be a Lioness, Lucy Bronze, England’s most decorated footballer, was simply in awe of her own volition.

Bronze would not give up despite having a broken tibia throughout the competition. She would not miss this moment as her country defeated the world champions on foreign soil to defend their European title.

The 33-year-old more than fulfilled her role. She finally allowed someone to replace her in England’s penalty-shootout victory over Spain in the Euro 2025 final in extra time, but she only came off when she could no longer run through the pain and tears forming in her eyes.

Sarina Wiegman’s side defied the odds, silenced the skeptical, and triumphed over the odds.

They simply won, without fail.

The men’s 1966 World Cup victory took place at Wembley Stadium, marking the first time an England team has won a significant trophy abroad since Wiegman’s side delivered it at home in 2022.

The Lionesses also became the first senior English team to win the title by coming from behind in halftime, the first time this had ever happened in the women’s Euros.

With her third successive European title, achieved with two countries, it established manager Wiegman as one of the greatest in the world.

Wiegman has won three of her five major finals in a row, which is a truly extraordinary accomplishment.

As she danced with Leah Williamson, letting the mask fall into place as England’s understated and composed leader, she was a little unsure of it.

“I can’t believe it myself, really. How can this possibly occur? I asked. However, it occurred. The team is amazing, in my opinion. She later declared, “I’m so happy.

She was reminded of a workout she was supposed to do by Wiegman’s watch notification at a press conference. She made up a joke that she wouldn’t continue to do that. You now understand why.

In what she called the “most ridiculous and chaotic” tournament of her career, she had already exhausted herself and had experienced every emotion imaginable.

The players had acknowledged how much stress they had put their families under and how they had “almost killed” Wiegman twice.

In Basel, surrounded by gold confetti, and with the soundtrack of Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” England held a commanding lead for just four and a half minutes and 52 seconds in the tournament’s final stages.

England was immediately dismissed before kick-off.

They were actually eliminated before Euro 2025 even started, as Millie Bright, World Cup captain, and Mary Earps and Fran Kirby both retired from the blue.

That would unsettling, surely? That narrative was only strengthened by their humiliating defeat in the opening game by France.

However, England reacted. They advanced to the knockout stages after defeating the Netherlands and Wales comfortably.

They won the quarter-finals with a 2-0 lead over Sweden, and they won. Even though Sweden only managed to score two of their seven penalties, Jennifer Falk, the country’s goalkeeper, was insufficient. England’s team had Luck on their side.

When Wiegman acknowledged that the thought that “we might be returning home tomorrow” had crossed her mind.

Before Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute equalizer and Kelly’s 119th-minute extra-time winner, they were 1-0 up again to Italy in the semi-finals.

Spain were the pre-tournament favorites and the world champions, having won 10 games without losing.

Wiegman’s players looked around St. Jakob-Park while the Dutchwoman waved to media in the stands as she was so composed.

She carried her purse around in her hands. She and England had previously been here, and they shared a strong belief.

Spanish media reported that the Lionesses had a good chance at half-time, saying “England can come back from 1-0 down,” and that “Michelle Agyemang will come on,” but doubt persisted.

In 2022, the “super subs” had completed their task. As Wiegman kept the same starting lineup throughout and relied on those who came on off the bench to make an impact, Kelly, Alessia Russo, and Ella Toone all excelled in their roles.

She continued to use the same formula in 2025, renaming the substitutes as “finishers” and entrusting them with the same responsibility.

The squad’s cohesion was evident. Williamson’s action of pushing Agyemang towards fans in response to their semi-final victory was deliberate, as was Bronze’s willingness to play through pain, the players’ response to team-mate Jess Carter receiving racial abuse, and

It is absurd, I tell you. Every time, we regained our complacency. We do, of course, have talented players. However, Wiegman praised the team’s incredible cohesion.

“As well as, the conviction that we can return. The players assert that they are always on their toes and that they never give up.

Before kick-off, the Lionesses’ magnitude was apparent as the cameras turned their attention to the faces in the highest-tier stands.

Prince William, Princess Leonor of Spain, Prince William, Princess Leonor, and Uefa President Alexander Ceferin, all present, were all present.

Watching two of the world’s biggest stars, including Catarina Macario of Switzerland and Catarina Macario of the USA, cheering on their Arsenal and Chelsea team-mates in white, was a global phenomenon with football stars from other countries.

Reece James, an England international, flew out to Switzerland to support his sister, and Mark Bullingham, the head of the Football Association, was there with them.

You can see why Bullingham has already made it abundantly clear that Wiegman, who is contracted until the 2027 World Cup, is “not for sale at any price.”

Wiegman has transformed the Lionesses into a team that is feared in major tournaments and has consistently won with this generation of players, some of whom were at their worst in 2022 and others who were more experienced, like Bronze and Alex Greenwood.

This squad showed they could succeed at the final hurdle, even when many believed they couldn’t, unlike other English teams have done so before.

It was chaos from the first game. It’s incredible to lose your first game and become a European Champion. Football is chaos, Wiegman declared to the TV cameras on BBC Sport while goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, who had been donating his support, sat down to celebrate with fans while watching from the stands.