Redemption tales and late-night karaoke: the Lionesses have done it again
In her post-match interview, Lucy Bronze revealed she had played the entire tournament with a broken tibia, a knack you could be forgiven for thinking might have ruled lesser mortals out of the competition, but in this particular instance wasn't sufficiently serious to preclude the right-back from participating in all six matches before being forced off in extra-time by some comparatively minor knee-ouch. 'I think that's why I got a lot of praise from the girls after the Sweden game – because I've been through a lot of pain,' she roared. 'But that's what it takes to play for England and that's what I'll do.' Meanwhile, Chloe 'Clutch' Kelly, whose career looked to have hit the skids as recently as January, took pleasure in recounting her own redemption tale after six highly-restorative months. 'If that's a story to tell, [for] someone that maybe experiences something the same: tough times don't last,' she cheered. 'Just around the corner was a [Big Cup] final, won that. Then a Euros final, won that. Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I'm grateful.'
For England fans who had already endured several trips through the wringer, the tough times lasted right until the point Kelly fired her decisive spot-kick past Spain's goalkeeper in a shootout that briefly threatened to eclipse the extraordinary levels of slapstick that prevailed in England's quarter-final against Sweden. For Sarina Wiegman, however, the outcome was never in doub … well, a little in doubt. 'I always think this is the most chaotic and ridiculous tournament we have played,' declared the woman who has now masterminded victory in back-to-back-to-back Euros with the Netherlands and England. 'I actually can't believe it myself. How can this happen? But it happened. I'm so incredibly proud of the team and the staff. We're just going to party tonight!'
And party they did, with the TV cameras on hand to capture the obligatory and increasingly common footage of beatifically bleary-eyed Lionesses boarding the coach outside a team hotel whose corridors were still echoing with the sounds of Ella Toone's stirring early-hours rendition of River Deep, Mountain High. After flying home for an official welcome at 10 Downing Street, England's pride of Lionesses will parade along the Mall on an open-top bus on Tuesday lunchtime, when tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of well-wishers are expected to line the famous London boulevard and pay homage to their heroines. The road to Buckingham Palace is one Kelly and Hannah Hampton are expected to make again in January, after it was revealed they could be awarded MBEs in the new year honours list for their services to being 'proper England'.
'I'm in shock. I must apologise for missing my penalty and congratulate England. But we played well. We were the better side, although that's not everything, you have to put it in the net. I'm devastated. The same thing happened to us in [Big Cup] with my club Barça. We were the better team. England weren't getting [forward], but no one is to blame: we win and lose together. It feels so cruel. I think we're the ones who have done the best [in the tournament], who have played the best, and who have the most talent' – a rueful Aitana Bonmatí, player of the tournament, after Spain missed out on the bigger prize.
Why oh why do we allow drummers to bash away BANG BANG BANG BANG during football matches? Mindless metronomic drumming in the stands is relentless, intrusive, distracting, and just plain boring. Why would any genuine fan torture the rest of us like this? Also what about drumming's potentially harmful impact on those other drums in the vicinity, ie in the ears of fans seated close by? Let's drum the drummers out of our football stadiums (don't get me going on the trumpeters)' – Mick Beeby.
As one of the last of the few remaining born and bred Caulkheads, I can assure Tim Scanlan (Friday's Football Daily letters) that we Isle of Wight natives delight in referring to mainland Britain as the North Island' – Jonathan Banks.
Yes, it would appear New Zealand has solved the problem of where the north-south dividing line is (Friday's letters). But not all is as it seems. The Māori word for south is 'runga'. That word also means 'above'. So … in pre-European times, the Māori going from the bottom of the present-day South Island to the top of the present-day North Island would, in fact, be heading south. Yes, that makes my brain hurt too' – Ron Thompson.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today's winner of our prizeless letter o' the day is … Ron Thompson. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.
The Football Weekly crew reflect on England's European triumph.
Catch up with the Lionesses as they celebrate their latest Euros glory.
Our picture desk have gone through tens of thousands of images to settle on these as the best photos from Euro 2025.
It's been a magnificent 24 hours for Nottingham Forest: not only has Morgan Gibbs-White signed a new three-year contract, leaving Tottenham with an industrial poultry farm's worth of egg on their faces, Forest are now the holders of the José Mourinho Award for Most Shameless Self-Congratulation. 'The deal underlines the ambition of Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, whose vision for European success and sustained Premier League progress continues to shape the club's future,' purred a club statement. 'A statement of intent from our owner Evangelos Marinakis,' parped the club's social media disgrace team, in case it needed ladling on a little thicker. Then came a video in which Gibbs-White, flanked by a looming Marinakis, proceeded to namecheck the Greek three times in under 45 seconds, suggesting he was 'the main reason' for the club's success. 'We're very happy,' rumbled Marinakis when it was his turn to take his place in front of the club-branded microphone. 'I would never let anybody from any other team try to get a player from us or make something that we don't agree with.' Cue wild applause and, whatever you do, don't be the first person to stop clapping.
England's success has led to increased engagement at grassroots level, with more than a third of the sample of 500 13-18 year old girls surveyed – 36% – now attached to a football club.
Nigeria have won Wafcon after staging a remarkable fightback from two goals down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2, picking up a record $1m in prize money (which has doubled since the last tournament).
And good news for Harry Kane: Liverpool have agreed to sell Luis Díaz to Bayern Munich in a deal worth up to €75m (£65.5m).
'They thought it was all over. Quite a few times, in fact.' Do read Jonathan Liew at the Euro 2025 final.
Who was good and who was bad less good in the Euros final? Sophie Downey's player ratings have the answer.
Aitana Bonmatí's sullen walk to collect the player of the tournament award showed there is no joy in personal accolades when your team loses but Spain will be back, writes Nick Ames.
Chloe Kelly's early introduction helped change the game for Sarina Wiegman's side. Sophie Downey analyses the tactical shift.
'Proper England' turned up in Basel and Tom Garry explains exactly what it means.
Things got a little weepy in Madrid after Spain lost but the growing interest in the women's national team is a victory in itself, as Sam Jones witnessed.
England won on the pitch, but who were the victors in the TV studios? John Brewin kept his beady eye on the BBC and ITV coverage.
Nick had a natter with Uefa suit Nadine Kessler about the future of the Women's Euros.
The women's game is growing across Europe and the playing field is starting to level, according to Philipp Lahm.
David Hytner takes a look at Viktor Gyökeres and the man behind the new Arsenal striker's mask. Meanwhile, Miguel Dantas hears from those in Portugal who tried – and generally failed – to keep the Swede quiet at Sporting.
Alexander Isak's desire to leave Newcastle for pastures new asks questions of whether, even with Saudi finance, the club can challenge the bigger boys in the game, reckons Jonathan Wilson.
And it's been a busy summer for business between the Bundesliga and Premier League. Eze Obasi goes back through those who have made the switch.
Ten years ago in July 2015, the England Women's team rock up to meet PM David Cameron at Downing Street for a reception after their third-place finish at the World Cup in Canada. The shindig came shortly after that post on Social Media Disgrace Twitter from the FA. 'It's nice to hear that we have been an inspiration to people – that was always our objective but I don't know if we thought we could achieve it to this extent,' declared Karen Carney.
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