England's Euro 2025 Triumph: Sarina Wiegman Celebrates Chaotic Victory Over Spain

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England's triumph in the Euro 2025 final was marked by a thrilling penalty shoot-out victory over Spain. The match in Basel saw Chloe Kelly, who had previously secured England's win against Germany three years ago, once again play a pivotal role. Kelly, stepping in for the injured Lauren James, assisted Alessia Russo to equalise after Mariona Caldentey's initial goal. The game ended 1-1 after extra time, leading to a shoot-out where Kelly scored the decisive penalty.

Under Sarina Wiegman's leadership, England has excelled in penalty shoot-outs, winning all four attempts since her tenure began. This is a stark contrast to their previous record of four consecutive losses. Wiegman expressed her disbelief and pride in the team's achievement, stating: "I can't believe it. The word team really describes who we are. We said we can win by any means, that's what we showed again today."

Sarina Wiegman has now claimed victory in the last three editions of the Euros. Despite leading for only brief periods during the knockout stages, England managed to overcome an initial defeat to France in their group opener. Wiegman described the tournament as chaotic but ultimately rewarding: "It has been the most chaotic tournament, especially on the pitch," she told BBC Sport.

England's journey was unique as they became the first team to experience extra time in three different matches within a single Women's Euros or World Cup edition. Spain had more opportunities with an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.35 compared to England's 1.04. However, Beth Mead and Leah Williamson missed their penalties before Kelly secured victory.

This victory makes England only the second team to retain the Euros title after Germany's successes between 1989 and 2013. Leah Williamson reflected on this achievement: "It just felt like it was going to be our day," she said. "These players, they just step up." She acknowledged that repeating their success was challenging due to increased competition and expectations.

Williamson also noted that while other teams celebrated England's win in 2022, this time felt different: "Today it was not like that," she remarked. Despite facing tougher opposition and higher stakes, England managed to prevail at crucial moments.

The team's resilience and ability to perform under pressure were key factors in their success. Hannah Hampton's exceptional goalkeeping during the shoot-out set the stage for Kelly's winning penalty, sealing a memorable victory for England.