Lionesses praised after winning Women's Euros - with bus parade confirmed this week
Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses took home their second Euros trophy in consecutive tournaments after beating Spain 3-1 on penalties in the final.
Chloe Kelly scored the winning spot-kick following two huge saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, after Alessia Russo scored an equaliser to send the game to a shootout.
2:21
After England win, it was announced that an open-top bus parade will be held in London on Tuesday along The Mall, which will start at 12.10pm.
The celebrations will culminate in a stage ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace at approximately 12.30pm
Fans can attend for free, and Sky News will broadcast it live.
'You've made the nation proud' - Starmer
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was among the millions congratulating the Lionesses, posting on social media to praise the champions
"What a team. What a game. What drama," he said.
"You dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud. History makers."
The roof almost came off the Manchester clubhouse where Ella Toone started her journey
Greg Milam
Chief North of England correspondent
@GregMilamSky
Nowhere was the roar for the Lionesses louder than in the Astley and Tyldesley Miners Welfare club on the outskirts of Manchester.
The club where a five-year-old Ella Toone started her journey to England stardom, like so many places across the country, hosted nail-biting, table-thumping and, ultimately, deafening watch parties.
The roof almost came off the clubhouse when Chloe Kelly's winning penalty went in.
Red bucket hats emblazoned with Toone's now-famous 'Buzzing My Head Off' catchphrase were thrown in the air.
"Absolutely ecstatic," said Lorraine Warwick-Ellis, who runs the pathway development for women and girls at the club.
"I was very nervous, very worried about penalties but we did it in the end."
The success of the Lionesses has driven a huge boom in the popularity of women's and girls football in recent years. She hopes this win will have a similar effect.
"I hope it cements the girls who are already here, keeps them engaged, and I hope it brings more girls down who want to be footballers and see that it's open for everybody."
It had been a pretty sombre watch for much of the game after Spain took the lead - but it erupted into life after Alessia Russo's equaliser.
The shootout was the usual emotional rollercoaster but young fans seem to have greater faith in the Lionesses.
Among the jubilant teenagers celebrating in the clubhouse were two who have followed Toone's path to academies at professional clubs.
"It's unbelievable, they're amazing, Chloe Kelly, I just don't know what to say about her," said Natasha Greenhouse. "We knew if it went to penalties that they'd do it."
Tamsin Gallagher said: "They've done it the hard way all the way through the Euros but we all believed in them. Come on England."
The party in Manchester and around the country and only just begun.
16:49
Prince William and Princess Charlotte, who were in attendance at St Jakob-Park in Basel, added on social media: "What a game!
"Lionesses, you are the champions of Europe and we couldn't be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment England."
King hails Lionesses... and calls for World Cup
In a post on the official Royal Family account on X, King Charles also sent his "most heartfelt congratulations on winning the Euros 2025" to the Lionesses.
"For more years than I care to remember, England fans have sung that famous chant 'football's coming home'," he said.
"As you return home with the trophy you won at Wembley three years ago, it is a source of great pride that, through sporting skill and awesome teamwork, the Lionesses have made those words ring true.
"For this, you have my whole family's warmest appreciation and admiration. More than that, though, you have shown through your example over past weeks that there are no setbacks so tough that defeat cannot be transformed into victory, even as the final whistle looms."
The monarch ended his statement by saying "the next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can!"
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy added: "What an absolutely extraordinary achievement by our Lionesses - once again they have made history and united the country with pride and joy."
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Metro
5 minutes ago
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England Euro 2025 hero second favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year
Two Lionesses are in the frame to be named the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year after England won Euro 2025. Sarina Wiegman's side beat Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout to retain their European title. Pre-tournament favourites Spain led through Mariona Caldentey's first-half header but Alessia Russo's second-half equaliser took the final to extra-time and then penalties. England missed their first spot-kick – Beth Mead's effort saved after her first had to be retaken due to a double kick – but Spain then missed three in a row, with Hannah Hampton saving two. Chloe Kelly, who scored the winner in the Euro 2022 final win at Wembley, struck home the decisive penalty to spark bedlam among England fans in the stadium and watching on from back home. Moments after England lifted the trophy, Kelly was installed as the second-favourite to win the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award. Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: 'Chloe Kelly is the new second-favourite to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after scoring the winning penalty for England in the Euro 2025 final. 'Hannan Hampton is also in the mix after saving two penalties to help England win the tournament. Kelly and Hampton are joined by fellow Lionesses Lucy Bronze and Leah Williamson who are among the outsiders to win the award.' Despite the Lionesses' historic success, Rory McIloy remains the favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year after he completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters earlier this year. By winning at Augusta, McIlroy became just the sixth man – and first European – in history to win all four majors. Rory McIlroy: Evens Chloe Kelly: 7/4 Lando Norris: 5/1 Hannah Hampton: 5/1 Lucy Bronze: 15/2 (was 16/1) Luke Littler: 9/1 Leah Williamson: 16/1 (was 20/1) Odds courtesy of Betfair World darts champion Luke Littler and Formula One driver Lando Norris are also contenders for SPOTY following impressive rises in their respective sport. Littler etched his name into darting history by becoming the youngest ever PDC World Championship winner at the start of the year. The 18-year-old won the World Matchplay on the same day England retained their Euros title to complete darts' triple crown. England's path to Euro 2025 glory was far from straightforward but the Lionesses delivered when it mattered most to retain the trophy they first lifted in 2022. Penalties were also required in the quarter-finals and Wiegman's side recovered from missing four spot-kicks to beat Sweden. The Lionesses were minutes from exiting in the semi-finals against Italy before Michelle Agyemang scored a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser and Kelly scored late in extra time. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video After coming from behind yet again to beat favourites Spain in the Euro 2025 final, Wiegman said: 'I can't believe it! '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. 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 opponent. 'From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.' More Trending England star Ella Toone added: 'Amazing feeling. I felt all the same emotions as I did back then [at Euro 2022]. 'We worked so hard, winning a tournament for your country – there's no better feeling. We deserved that and we should be so proud of ourselves. 'There were times when people thought we were down and out but we never did. We had that belief in the squad that we were going to come out and win. 'That's the quiet confidence we have in ourselves. Amazing feeling. We're going to enjoy the night. I love a party, I'm a Tyldesley girl of course I love a party!' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Spain captain takes huge swipe at England after Euro 2025 final defeat MORE: Alex Jones had 'no idea' about misconduct complaints made against Jermaine Jenas MORE: Chloe Kelly's proud husband joins sweet tributes after Women's Euros win
The Independent
5 minutes ago
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Why Sarina Wiegman is the best manager in the world
And Sarina dancing, two stars on the shirt. Yes, it's a predictable line, but it is said with all the more meaning given how fans sang "Three Lions" after a sensational and utterly unpredictable Euro 2025 victory for England. 'I kept asking myself, 'how can this happen?' Sarina Wiegman herself said, with the immediate payoff: 'But it happened.' 'The most chaotic, ridiculous tournament I have played.' No wonder she was dancing at the end, and then laughing that the image had already been projected to the world before she even arrived at her press conference. The victorious England manager was still, of course, utterly composed. She naturally knew exactly what to say, just like before the game. 'Enjoy it,' was the main message as the players left the dressing room. They can certainly enjoy it now and relish every moment. Wiegman admitted it will be a rare match she watches back for reasons other than tactical analysis. Before the final - and even during it - enjoying it might have seemed a dubious prospect, especially when Spain seek to exhaust and exasperate you with possession for so long. And yet it again brought out something Wiegman and her players very much enjoyed. Digging in. Showing grit. Pride. 'Proper England,' as repeatedly rang out during this tournament, especially at the end. The defining and decisive images of these games - almost as much as Alessia Russo's header or Chloe Kelly 's penalty - were blocks, tackles, players still putting it in when they had so little left to give. Wiegman admitted that was what stood out for her. 'The fight,' she said. 'We said it a couple of times, the players said 'proper England'. Today we also had to defend very well. They were challenging us. But you see how we give everything to defend the goal. I do enjoy that, because that says something about the team and the togetherness and the will to really want to win.' There's more to these words than Wiegman just enjoying that togetherness. She ensures togetherness. Wiegman talks about 'the most chaotic, ridiculous tournament,' and she can speak from more experience than anyone, given that this is her third successive Euros victory. That is a record that shouldn't really be possible, but she's managed it. She only fortifies her claim to be the best coach in the women's game. 'She's bloody amazing,' tournament-winner Chloe Kelly beamed. 'She's an incredible woman, what she's done for this country, we should all be so grateful for. 'What she's done for the women's game, not just in England, in the Netherlands she's done it, she's taken it to a whole other level. The work doesn't go unnoticed from the staff behind her, they're incredible people and I'm so grateful to have worked with such amazing staff members.' As if it needs to be said, Wiegman knows how to win tournaments. Even her sole recent 'failures', in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, were narrow defeats in finals. Getting that far twice still displayed her aptitude for this, for driving a team through knock-outs. It comes from creating the right team culture. Gareth Southgate got that and got England's men further than anyone else. Wiegman gets it, but has even more. There are, of course, bigger debates to be had about the performances, how the best team only occasionally wins tournaments, and even football identity and tactical ideology. But those are debates for the Football Association and Dan Ashworth. Wiegman can only manage what she is given, and it clearly works in terms of maximising it all for results. It may not always be pretty - England again came back into a game by going direct. It may not even maximise performance given how close England repeatedly came to going out. This was the fifth different rescue act they needed, having survived multiple times more scares. But Wiegman ensures they know how to get there. They squeeze the most out of their talent in a different way than coming together as a collective in a tactical sense like Spain have shown repeatedly. "We have players that have talent, and the togetherness of this team is really incredible, but also the belief that we can come back,' Wiegman said. "The players say we can win by any means, and we just never, ever give up. Today of course, we had moments where we really had to fight, but I thought we also had some very good moments in the game.' In response to a question about the player of the match, Hannah Hampton, whose entire tournament vindicated yet another Wiegman decision, the manager was tactful. Mary Earps and Millie Bright, of course, weren't mentioned in any of this. "Every player has their one story and journey and hers has been incredible. Starting the tournament and losing the first game, there was so much riding on every game, we had five finals. 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How famous fans have reacted to the Lionesses' Euro 2025 victory
England 's Lionesses won the Women's Euros, triumphing over Spain in a penalty shootout after the match concluded 1-1 following extra time. Chloe Kelly scored the decisive penalty at Basel's St Jakob-Park, sparking widespread celebrations across the nation. The team received extensive praise from prominent figures, including the Prince of Wales, the King, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Numerous celebrities, such as Piers Morgan, Rylan Clark, Amanda Holden, Alan Carr, Mel B, Stacey Solomon, and Shania Twain, also extended their congratulations. Coach Sarina Wiegman expressed her disbelief and immense pride, describing the tournament as 'chaotic' but praising her team's resilience.
