England 'rode luck but not lucky'

BBC News

2 days ago

England won Euro 2025 after all three knockout matches went to extra time, two of them to penalties - but captain Leah Williamson says they were not "lucky".The Lionesses retained the European title they won on home soil in 2022 by beating world champions Spain 3-1 on penalties in Basel, the game finishing 1-1 after extra time.They become the first nation to retain the women's Euros since Germany won six in a row from 1995 to 2013.It came after they also required penalties to beat Sweden in the quarter-finals, then won late in extra time against Italy in the semis."You know what? I don't realise it yet. I am still in the stage where it's 'this is unbelievable', 'did this really happen?'" manager Sarina Wiegman told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Very, very happy but a little strange. Just unbelievable."But while Williamson said there had been a stroke of good fortune in England's run to glory at Euro 2025, she added they were not fortunate champions, but deserving ones."We have ridden our luck, but I don't think we were lucky," she told the BBC amid a party atmosphere on the pitch at St Jakob-Park."Total disbelief, but at the same time I knew it was going to happen. There's always a moment when I think 'right girls, let's turn it on'. The way we defended as a team, nothing came through us. It felt like it was going to be our day."They led for just four minutes and 52 seconds in the knockout stage of the tournament - all of those coming after Chloe Kelly's late winner against Italy.All three of England's knockout games went to 120 minutes - which has never happened in a major women's tournament.And Spain's players and manager felt that luck was not on their side in a final where they had 22 shots and nearly 65% possession."We tried everything, all the different ways, and then the penalties didn't go our way," Spain captain Irene Paredes told TVE. "I thought we deserved it more but in the end it is not about who deserves it."It is about having that bit of luck and England had that throughout the whole tournament. We thought we could overcome that but we weren't able to."I think we had more control of the game than they did, we created more clear chances, we had more possession. But yeah, nothing else."
'No-one thought we'd win after the first game - fair enough!'
Yet stats can be misleading. While there was some luck in Sweden and Spain being poor from the spot, and in Laura Giuliani spilling the ball at Michelle Agyemang's feet after 95 minutes of the semi-final, England always had a plan."I am pretty calm during the games," Wiegman said. "This tournament every single game has challenged us. We took those on board and how the team recovered from some setbacks, again today. That's the most important thing."England looked to win games late thanks to firepower off the bench. Kelly's assist against Spain meant England had 10 goal involvements by substitutes at Euro 2025 - five goals, five assists - out of the 16 they scored.And if they cannot win it in open play, they have won all four penalty shootouts under Wiegman."I didn't doubt we would win the shootout," defender Jess Carter told the BBC. "I would have been next, and I don't know if my nerves would have taken it. But I fully believed this team would have won it."The joy on the pitch at St Jakob-Park was amplified by the unorthodox journey taken by England to retaining their Euros crown - which started with a limp 2-1 loss to France in their opening group game.Wiegman stuck to her guns, resisting the urge to deploy super-subs Kelly and Agyemang from the start in the final, instead trusting them to make the impact when it counted."It was so hard coming from a loss in the first game to this," Agyemang told the BBC. "Everything happens for a reason.""Relentless - we have players who absolutely love it," added Williamson. "It's just unbelievable to do it again."And after that first game, no-one thought we would - and fair enough! But nothing has changed."
Carter completes comeback with superb display
Carter, meanwhile, had her own remarkable journey at Euro 2025.She struggled in that opening game against France, torn apart at left-back by Delphine Cascarino and was moved to central defence - but she was exposed in pace and possession against Sweden in the two early goals conceded.She then suffered racist abuse following the quarter-final, and was taken out of the firing line by starting the Italy match on the substitutes' bench.But she then returned to the starting XI for the final - and produced a superb performance."I just couldn't be prouder," Carter said. "I'm speechless, relieved, excited."I want to say a massive thank you to our fans, my family who have been incredible, and everyone else who has doubted us and me personally - we have shown what we are capable of."It's been crazy for me. I was disappointed with how I played through the tournament - but now I couldn't give a damn. Figuring out how to win games is what we do as England."
'We did it for our angels in the sky'
For Ella Toone and Beth Mead their medals meant far more than just footballing glory - they were ways of celebrating loved ones lost since the 2022 triumph at Wembley.Mead's mother passed away in 2023, while Toone's father died last year.Toone posted an emotional Instagram story alongside Mead, captioned: "We did it for our angels in the sky. Forever with us and forever proud."She also revealed her mother had an empty seat next to her in the stands at St Jakob-Park."If that's not a sign, I don't know what is," said Toone. "I know you were there dad."After the memories came the party. Mead strode through the media mixed zone post-match holding a can of lager and pulling a boombox playing Don't Stop Believin' by Journey."There were times when people thought we were down and out but we never did," Toone told BBC Sport while eating a slice of celebratory pizza."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. "We're going to enjoy the night. I love a party."Even the boss will join in."I'll do some more dancing," Wiegman said. "I'll have a drink but I don't think I'll drink as much as the players will do."