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Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
JANE FRYER on the Lionesses' victory: With a hop and a skip and a naughty smirk, Chloe Kelly steps up to save the day!
The moment that we will always remember, the one that will go down in history, that we will tell our grandchildren, is surely when Arsenal's Chloe Kelly steps up to take her penalty at the final of the 2025 Euros. Because, just six months after she nearly gave up football altogether because she was in a 'dark place', she is the one who can win us the trophy. If she scores. If she scores... I don't even dare type it. 'Come on Chloe! COME ON! YOU CAN DO IT!' And bloody hell. With a hop, skip and a sassy smirk at the terrified goalie, she smashes it into the corner – and we've won. WE'VE WON! Suddenly Prince William and Princess Charlotte are going berserk in the stands, pints are flying across bars all around the country, fans are dancing and singing in the streets. Hearts are in mouths and voices are hoarse. Then the trophy is presented and Prince William is hugging Chloe Kelly like his life depends on it and ten-year-old Charlotte sends her first congratulatory post on X. Because our amazing Lionesses have fought and battled and roared – and done it all with the most extraordinary team spirit – and only gone and won the bloody Euros. On penalties! And let's be honest. We weren't always sure it would happen as the tournament went on. But after some pretty scrappy football at times, a lot of chat about substitutions and far too much 11th-hour drama, England's footballers clawed their way to another major international football final. Ring any bells? At the start of the match, some of us wondered if we could even weather the disappointment of losing. Shouldn't we just switch off now and save ourselves the heartbreak? Of course not! Because, this time, it was the women playing. Our roaring Lionesses, a rare breed in England because they actually win things. They won this very trophy, against Germany, three years ago and taught a generation of young players that football can be less about expensive cars and brash flashiness, and more about team spirit, togetherness and digging deeper than you ever thought possible. So we tried to skim over the fact that Spain's brilliant La Roja beat them in the 2023 World Cup. And that Spain are the super-hot favourites. And that too many of the old guard, Fran Kirby, Millie Bright and Mary Earps, the greatest goalie ever, had moved on. And, oh no, that their super-calm Dutch coach, Sarina Wiegman, was, once again, keeping back her 'super subs' – Chloe Kelly and Michelle 'Aggie' Agyemang – from the starting line-up. Instead, we said to ourselves, let's get behind them. Because the whistle's gone – and they're off! Or at least England are – Spain don't get their first touch of the ball for 90 seconds. Leah Williamson's team are on fire and, three minutes in, we all nearly spill our drinks as Alessia Russo has her first shot on goal. Fifteen minutes in, Spain finally wake from their siesta and Lauren Hemp's shot is thwarted by brilliant goalkeeping. By the 20-minute mark, suddenly we realise that we're not watching through our fingers. We're wondering if England could actually do it – keep their nerve, battle on and win. And so, for a good four minutes, we stupidly imagine retaining the trophy. The open-top bus parade. The trip to the Palace. Damehoods and gongs galore for the team. A national holiday in celebration. Until, suddenly, Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey spots a window, slams one home for Spain and the whole Spanish team crank up a notch. Oh yes, and Lauren James's ankle plays up and off she comes. This is exactly when, with our men's team, we might be tempted to give up and start thinking about the rugby or cricket. But then on to the pitch bounces Chloe 'Clutch' Kelly with a hop and a skip, her ponytail flying. And, as we head to half-time, suddenly anything feels possible again. Because this team is used to coming back from the brink. They've been here before. Unlike us viewers, they're not remotely phased. They're channelling what they call Proper England. This new Lioness mindset is less about our national obsession with 'bringing football home' and more about a team that 'supports each other', works hard and wears their patriotism with ease. Or as midfielder Ella Toone puts it: 'Just a feeling of pride, every single time I pull on that shirt ... a sense of freedom and belief. You want to fight for each other and for the fans.' But enough of all that. Because in the 57th minute, we're back in it. Thanks to a brilliant header by Russo – set up by Kelly the Clutch – we're 1 – 1. In all the excitement, somehow both Russo and Lucy Bronze pick up yellow cards. The rest of the team perks up as if they've had electric shock treatment and, on the touchline, crisp and calm in a blue M&S shirt and sensible trouser suit, Wiegman allows herself a small, controlled power fist. For the rest of us, the hope returns like a tsunami. Particularly when, with 20 minutes to go until full-time, 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang powers on from the subs bench – fresh as a daisy after her usual warm-up of two hours' piano practice and a bit of rousing gospel music in her hotel room – and the fans go wild. Because we love everything about 'Aggie', aka 'Saviour of the Nation'. That she's sweet as sugar and does Lego in her spare time when she's off the pitch, but is a marauding warrior when she's on it. That her speciality is scoring last-minute goals that save us from the jaws of defeat. And that she has a magic quality that makes us believe that, this time, we might actually win. But not just yet. This is England, after all, so it was never going to be easy. And so, naturally, we battle on to extra time. On and on. The Proper English way. And from there, in the usual agony of hope and despair, to penalties. Which start with a disallowed goal from Beth Mead, who slipped as she took it and double-kicked it, poor thing. And continue in the usual rollercoaster of pain, suspense and mad crazed cheering as Spain's first goal smashes in. Then Alex Greenwood scores for England. And, oh my Lord, goalie Hannah Hampton saves the next volley from Spain. Then Niamh Charles scores. And Hannah saves again. And... don't speak. Don't even breathe. (Though over on the touchline Wiegman is no longer calm or collected and is jumping about and punching the air and yelling.) Then Leah Williamson's is saved. And Spain miss. Until, finally, we're back where we started and up steps Chloe Kelly to save the day. And most of us will watch that moment over and over again. And cry every time.
The Guardian
27 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Defeated but proud: Madrileños brave the heat to roar on La Roja
Despite the air-fryer temperature outside and the imminent, annual August exodus, the people of Madrid weren't going to miss out on another opportunity to watch their national football team prove its mettle against the country that had given the world the beautiful game. After all, recent international fixtures had not gone all that badly for them. By 5.45pm on Sunday, the Parque de Berlín, which lies 1 mile east of the Bernabéu stadium, was filling up with people who were braving the 35C (95F) heat to stand in front of a large and heavily sponsored screen. Some drank beer, others picnicked or fanned themselves, and some queued for free T-shirts. An admirably patriotic Spanish mastiff had also turned out, a rojigualda flag proudly knotted around its thick and magnificent neck. Close by stood municipal health workers and police officers who had probably endured more strenuous assignments. All, however, were inclined to agree with the excitable MC who bellowed that they were about to witness something very, very special as the countdown to the women's Euro final began. 'We have to look at this as something amazing,' he hollered over the PA system, which was loud even by Spanish standards. 'This is a triumph for the women's team. They're going to make history! They're going to do it again!' The Spanish capital and its public spaces are not without practice when it comes to massive spectator events, especially when the sport in question is football and the opponents are England. A little over a year ago, thousands of spectators had packed the Plaza de Colón in central Madrid to watch La Roja beat England 2-1 to clinch a fourth men's Euro title. And, almost a year before that, the red-and-yellow hordes had descended on the WiZink Center venue to experience the giddy high of Spain winning the Women's World Cup 1-0. That day, once again, England were the runners-up. As the match began, those who had come to the park to watch the final reflected on what the game meant – and offered final-score predictions. Joaquina, a 60-year-old civil servant from Madrid, sat on a bench with her friend María and shared her immoveable certainty. 'We're going to win – there's no doubt about that,' she said. 'We're the best.' Her prediction was equally unwavering: 'We're going to win it 2-0.' María was just as convinced. 'Today is a very important day,' she said. 'And we're going to win it.' Although the crowd was mixed-age – from babies and toddlers to grandparents – it was noticeably more female than usual. As far as Elena, a 49-year-old teacher, was concerned, that was hardly surprising. 'Today is a really important day because they've worked really hard to get here,' she said, waiting alongside her daughters for the game to begin. 'Spain always comes to a standstill when the men's team play and do well – which is great. But we need to see the same thing when the women play.' The team, she said, had overcome adversity on so many fronts – not just on the pitch but also against their own federation. 'They've fought so much and they're role models for young Spanish women and girls.' Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Her daughter Inés nodded her agreement: 'It's really special and I'm so happy for them.' Apart from being happy, how confident was she? 'Oh, they'll win 3-0.' Proof of the growing appeal of the women's game was evident in the number of young men who had also decided to watch the match alfresco. The cheer that greeted Mariona Caldentey's goal in the 25th minute of the match was full-throated and equally male and female. 'Women's football is really growing here and it's great to see so many people here have brought their kids,' said a Mexican man who is married to a Spaniard. 'We've just had a baby girl so it's important to be here and to know that she can have a future in football if she decides that's what she wants to do.' Also in the crowd was a five-year-old girl named Leire, who was sitting on the sand next to her mother, Aymara. 'We came down here because she's really excited by women's football,' said Aymara. 'In fact, she's so into the women's game that she complains if we watch the men's game at home.' Leire's generation, she added, had seen Spain's women win the World Cup and simply couldn't understand why their game wasn't as celebrated as the men's. The young Barcelona supporter also felt confident of a Spanish triumph. 'We're going to win 3,000-0,' Leire predicted. But it was not to be. After full-time, extra time and a heart-stopping penalty shootout, England triumphed over a superior Spain. As the sun began to go down over the park, the crowds drifted away, hot, tired and disappointed, but not dejected. Spain's women had done their country proud. Again.
Times
37 minutes ago
- Times
Taxpayer appears to fund footballers' salaries for ‘R&D'
Taxpayers appear to have funded player salaries at a top-flight football club on the grounds they were working on cutting-edge research. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) demanded repayment from the Scottish Premier League team Dundee United last year after it claimed £1.27 million under the research and development tax credit scheme. The scheme, which is meant to support innovations for the public good in science and technology, has been subject to a high degree of fraud and error thanks to lax checks by the tax authority. Under HMRC's rules a company can apply for the public money only if it has attempted a genuine advance in science or technology to benefit the overall field, not just its own business. A report was prepared by Dundee United's tax consultant ZLX before the club's claim, which stated that its players spent 24 per cent of their time directly conducting research and development activities, across nutrition and data collection projects. This meant, the report claimed, this portion of their salaries could be partially recouped from the taxpayer as a research and development (R&D) tax credit under the scheme. The report also stated that 80 per cent of the club chef's time was spent on nutrition science research, which could also be used to make a tax credit claim. Eligible research under the scheme must deal with an issue of genuine scientific uncertainty, which an expert in the field would not easily be able to resolve. • HMRC overhaul: £8bn tax credit scheme faces reform For one of Dundee's projects, the document claimed that the eligible uncertainty was that 'league involvement, challenge in European competition, playing style and management are all likely to change'. Simon Brundish, a conditioning coach at Strength:Lab who has worked with Premier League football clubs as well as with the English and Belgian national teams, reviewed the details of the research projects set out in the document. 'There is nothing groundbreaking going on here,' he said. 'A radar profile for each player and each position using arbitrary thresholds created by coaches' 'expertise' is simply standard practice in professional team sport.' He said that if the club had been paying an external consultant large sums for these kinds of services on the grounds that it was revolutionary research, it was effectively 'buying snake oil'. The tax expert Dan Neidle said: 'Football players are not scientific researchers.' He added that if Dundee United had claimed a quarter of the players' salaries as R&D expenditure, it was a 'scandal'. 'It is no surprise HMRC are investigating,' he said. Stephen McCallion, the owner of ZLX, based in Glasgow, said that the claim briefing had not been submitted to HMRC and that ZLX had never been interviewed by HMRC in relation to the Dundee claim. When asked if he disputed that the Dundee claim included a claim for player salaries, he declined to comment, citing client confidentiality. • Specialist agents under scrutiny in crackdown on tax credit fraud There has been controversy around whether it is within the spirit of the scheme for football clubs to make large claims. In February The Times revealed that Premiership teams including Chelsea, Fulham and Nottingham Forest had made claims. After the story, disclosures under freedom of information by HMRC revealed that at least 33 professional football clubs were under investigation into whether £17 million had been wrongly claimed. Chelsea was paid more than £3 million in R&D tax relief and payments by HMRC between 2020 and last year, according to its accounts. Nottingham Forest claimed a tax credit of £607,000 in the 2021-22 financial year, while Fulham claimed £758,000 in credits between 2019 and 2024. After the reporting, it emerged that Brentford had also made a claim, worth more than £3 million. Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Brentford were asked if player salaries had been included in any way in their claims under the scheme. Brentford declined to comment. The other clubs were approached for comment. HMRC has not disclosed the identity of which 33 clubs were under investigation. Dundee separately declared HMRC's repayment demand in its most recent accounts. Concerns have also been raised about the role of tax advisers encouraging companies to make claims that skirt the border of eligibility, with at least one adviser promoting the scheme as 'free money from HMRC'. ZLX described itself on its website as having the 'know-how' to navigate R&D tax credits. It previously stated on its website that it could assist clubs in making claims under the scheme for research into 'stadiums-spectator interaction', 'media and multimedia' and 'Covid compliance measures'. The page including this information has been taken down from its website. The company was criticised in a recent Scottish court case for what the sheriff found was a proposal to make an R&D claim on behalf of a fruit and vegetable company for installing a fridge. HMRC has faced repeated criticisms for its handling of the R&D scheme as its cost ballooned from £1.1 billion in 2010 to £7.5 billion in 2023. Officials have been accused of failing properly to check claims being made, leading to a high rate of fraud and error, with resulting losses totalling £4.1 billion since 2020. Freedom of information litigation last year forced HMRC to reveal it had failed to take sustained action to crack down on misuse of the scheme for five years, despite being warned by officials as early as 2017 that the scheme was being extensively defrauded. McCallion has previously said that the sheriff repeated comments made by the defendant — which had not been taken seriously by the ZLX legal team — that it was 'not impossible for a football club to claim R&D tax credits'. He also said that 'those who have started this witch hunt on football clubs have little or no technical experience but instead are using this platform to further their own endeavours'. Dundee United was approached for comment. The club's accounts state that it is appealing against HMRC's repayment demand.
