HAPs, warriors and power ponies: what to say about the Lionesses
Some things never change in English football, then. But when it comes to the Lionesses there are new faces, more lucrative endorsement deals and weddings to report. At least our Dutch manager, Sarina Wiegman, still wears her trademark white T-shirts.
So what do you need to know? Here's your guide to the team before Sunday's match.
Chloe Kelly has been a household name since celebrating England's 2022 Euros win in her sports bra. But as recently as January the super-sub was considering giving it all up and in a 'dark place' after being left out of her Manchester City side and at risk of dropping out of the Lionesses due to a lack of regular match play. Thankfully, a successful loan to Arsenal — where the Londoner began her career aged 12 and with whom she signed permanently just three weeks ago — led to her securing her spot at the Euros.
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Daily Mail
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Molly-Mae Hague tearfully claims she 'doesn't care' about yet again being branded 'out of touch' but is now left 'scared' what she can talk about -following £86K holiday backlash and accusations of 'always moaning'
Molly-Mae Hague has tearfully broken her silence following recent backlash from fans who once again branded the millionaire influencer 'out of touch'. The former Love Island star and business owner, 26, has been accused of 'always moaning' in recent weeks after complaining she'd 'not done one fun thing all summer' despite jetting off to multiple destinations. She also faced criticism after complaining about a recent £86,000 motorhome holiday. In her latest YouTube video Molly-Mae claimed that she 'didn't care' about the uproar but has been left 'scared' about discussing anything 'controversial' Her vlog also saw her struggling with the difficulties of motherhood and sharing an update on her relationship with Tommy Fury, also 26. Filming herself in the driving seat and two-year-old daughter Bambi in the back she said: 'I'm trying so so hard to stay positive but, I feel like I need to keep my camera running all day so you can see like every single thing, [Bambi] is a huge problem, [She] screams [I] can't even get like socks and shoes on'. 'I don't care who tells me I am out of touch with reality or all this stuff thats going on on T ikTok at the minute, I don't care i'm not going to not talk about it'. She later went on: 'I feel like I don't want to talk about anything controversial anymore because in the last video I said some things I probably could have worded better and even with all the motherhood things I am talking about at the minute, it's just a lot'. 'Debunking that whole thing about me feeling like I shouldn't talk about what is going on in the day because I am scared about what people will think and what they have to say about it'. Moving on to Tommy, with whom she rekindled her romance earlier this year, she explained why he hadn't featured in her Vlogs despite them being back together. 'I've see so many comments saying "[My sister] Zoe is more the dad" I only vlog when I am not with Tommy, I am with Tommy literally 80% of the week and he is with Bambi majority of the week,' 'But I Vlog when we are here and he is at his because it's just something that I am not ready to like open up with yet and like flinging the camera around like when we're a family'. Before adding:'I just think like we're not there yet and still figuring out life and living situations. I'm not ready to vlog like we used to'. Last week fans blasted the TV personality for 'always moaning' after after she said she'd 'not done one fun thing all summer' despite jetting off to multiple destinations. She said in her vlog: 'I said to a friend the other day, that I'm going to make it to the end of summer having not done one fun thing.' She said: 'I don't care who tells me I am out of touch with reality or all this stuff thats going on on TikTok at the minute, I don't care i'm not going to not talk about it' She then spoke to her sister and said: 'Zoe, I haven't socialised once. I'm going to get to the end of this summer having not done one social fun thing. 'I haven't a life. That's not good is it. Summer will end and I've not done one fun social thing.' It left some fans open-mouthed as they called out how she failed to acknowledge the three holidays she's already been on this year. Some comments read: 'She's a millionaire, she can literally wake up tomorrow and do whatever the hell she wants', 'Wimbledon, lunches, Spain, Dubai, France, Centre Parcs... let's normalise that', 'This was so jarring because she can casually spend 6k in Dior on an outfit to log to Wimbledon then complains she has no time for herself', 'Why does she always want us to feel sorry for her?' The mum-of-one - in this year alone - has been on no expense-spared trips to Dubai, Budapest and even Disneyland in 2025. Back in March she and Tommy Fury took baby Bambi on a family holiday to the United Arab Emirates, marking a reunion holiday for the clan. Just a month later Tommy had treated Molly to a European trip as the pair enjoyed downtime in Budapest. During their break, they stayed at The Pullman, a five-star hotel where prices start from at least £500 per night. Meanwhile, in May the doting parents took Bambi to Disneyland Paris where they enjoyed a lavish stay at the park's resort. It comes after her candid complaints about a recent £86,000 motorhome holiday her family went on - after Tommy said their daughter Bambi shouldn't be spoilt with five star trips. The family were travelling on a swanky Elddis Avalon 255 motorhome. Yet Molly-Mae revealed the trip had been struck with delays, leaving Bambi 'overtired and overstimulated'. She explained: 'Tommy has bought a motorhome and we spent our first weekend in the motorhome this weekend. Obviously, being us, we went in feet first and decided to go to the Isle of Man. 'Tommy's family were spending the weekend in the Isle of Man. I was feeling spontaneous so we literally booked the ferry to the Isle of Man an hour before we needed to leave. 'We'd never used the motorhome before, we needed to pack it up, sort Bambi, I just had this wave of 'you only live once, have a bit of fun. 'Bambi doesn't need to be so perfectly routine every day, she's not a newborn anymore. 'I've got so stuck in my ways with the fact that her routine is her routine and I don't really steer away from it. 'I'm not gonna feel bad for that because that is what works for me and that is what works for Bambi and Tommy, so that's fine.' She then added of when things started to go wrong: 'So anyway, booked the ferry, packed the motorhome up and nearly didn't make the ferry but that's another story and then there was a two hour delay. 'This ferry, which was already gonna get us in at 11:30pm, which was already severely triggering me because Bambi goes to bed at 7pm, was not fine. It was giving me a prime example as to why the routine works for us. 'It was one of those moments where strangers come up to you and are like 'can I help? Is there anything I can do?' 'She was screaming that much for four hours straight. The boat basically had a malfunction and it wouldn't move for like two hours so we had a huge delay. 'She was so, so, so overtired and overstimulated - Bambi is so routine, she is the opposite of flexible.' And when they arrived things continued to go downhill, as she said: 'We managed to get to the Isle of Man at 1:30am in the morning. 'We didn't know where we were, what we were doing, we were going to a different campsite to Tommy's family. It was just a lot. 'We had to make our bed out of this sofa, I was like 'I'm really out of my depth, I'm struggling. The next day, Bambi was so tired, she was just screaming, literally screaming, so, so unhappy. Meanwhile her sister Zoe came under fire for complaining about a recent trip too. Molly-Mae's influencer sister was recently mocked by fans for leaving Bali after just 48 hours because it didn't live up to her expectations. Instead she and her husband Danny made a last minute decision to fly to Dubai instead after Zoe, 28, took to social media to admit 'something wasn't quite right'. The fitness influencer had planned the trip to Indonesia with her husband Danny to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. And despite staying in a huge sea view room at the Radisson Blu, a five-star hotel, they decided to leave early and jet to Dubai instead. Zoe explained that Bali looks better on social media than in real life, as influencers make it look luxurious, despite it being a developing country. In a YouTube video, Zoe told the camera: 'Since landing in Bali, something for us wasn't quite right. 'We came here with high expectations because we had seen on social media that everyone was having such a lovely time. Lovely places to eat and beaches, and lovely gyms and coffee shops. 'But I don't think the reality of Bali is shown much at all, and I do think it is down to a lot of influencers posting the more luxury side of things.' She added: 'Before joining the army, I spent five months travelling South East Asia. I did Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, I did a lot and spent time in these countries. But there is something very different about Bali. 'We got told Uluwatu where we are now is one of the best places to go, so if this is one of the better places, I'm not sure where the other places are like. 'I wasn't going to sit down and say anything, but people want to know.' Danny then joined the video and said: 'You either go on holiday to travel and experience culture or you want to go away and relax.' Zoe continued: 'Yeah, and we could have got a flight tomorrow as today is our anniversary, but time is precious and we just want to get out, and why delay it. 'We missed the mark, maybe we didn't do our own research, maybe it is our own fault. I did a lot of research though. 'I think it is just personal preference, and our preference was that this isn't for us, and we are making the executive decision to go enjoy our anniversary somewhere we know that we love and can relax and can drink the water.'
Metro
5 minutes ago
- Metro
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
- The Independent
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. She had to step up and I think she has been amazing. It's a little bit like a fairytale to stop those two penalties in the final.' She's right as regards individual stories, though. Lucy Bronze had her energy, and that willingness to play through pain. Jess Carter had far more serious issues, and saved her best display for the final and the toughest challenge. Michelle Agyemang had her impact, and now her award for young player of the tournament. Kelly, then, evidently had points to prove. Her year had started with a struggle for minutes at Manchester City, and so much doubt. It culminates with… well, she can describe it herself. 'There were a lot of tears at full-time, especially when I saw my family, because those are the people that got me through those dark moments. I'm so grateful to be out the back end but if that's the story to tell someone experiencing something the same, that sometimes it doesn't last and just around the corner was a Champions League final - won that - and now a Euros final - won that. 'So, thank you, everyone who wrote me off.' That could be said of England as a whole, given how this tournament went, but they ended it still as European champions. Kelly ultimately puts that down to one person. 'What she's done for me individually, she gave me hope when I probably didn't have any. She gave me an opportunity to represent my country again. I knew that I had to get game time and representing England is never a given.' Neither is tournament victory. Wiegman has made it as close to a guarantee as you can get. So, how will she actually enjoy herself? She's already put two stars on their shirts.
