Sarina Wiegman hopes impact of England's Euros win reverberates around the world
But Kelly came through again when it counted most, emphatically netting the winning penalty in Basel as England completed their third-consecutive comeback victory to defend that title with a 3-1 penalties triumph over world champions Spain.
'I hope it will boost the women's game even more, not only in England, but beyond,' said Wiegman, who secured a personal hat-trick of European trophies after leading the Netherlands to glory in 2017, followed by the Lionesses' back-to-back wins.
'How I've experienced this tournament is that the level went up again, the intensity of the games went through the roof. That's what we've seen.
'We've seen it in the games, but also in the data we have. I think this tournament broke every record again and that's great, and I hope that that will boost the women's game everywhere.
'I don't really know what to expect now in England, I think it will boost again.'
The Switzerland edition set a new record for the highest-attended women's Euros with 657,291 fans through the gates – indeed, one of the criticisms of the host selection during this tournament was that the women's game had perhaps already outgrown its privision of stadia.
The final was the most-watched television moment of 2025 across all UK TV broadcasters, drawing a peak live audience of 12.2 million.
Wiegman said she was 'very much looking forward' to celebrating their achievement – a first trophy for a senior England football side on foreign soil – on Tuesday back in London, where an open-top bus parade and celebration in front of Buckingham Palace are planned.
After booking their place in Sunday's final, where England avenged their loss to Spain in the 2023 World Cup showdown, Wiegman said she felt like she was in a film.
It's a good morning to wake up as EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FPxcyJKkK8
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 28, 2025
And she and could still scarcely believe the ending they wrote in Basel, exclaiming: 'How can this happen? But it happened!'
Kelly netted the extra-time winner against Italy in the semi-final, while it took another shootout against Sweden in the quarter-finals to book their place in the last four – after 19-year-old major-tournament debutant Michelle Agyemang scored vital equalisers from off the bench in both contests.
Arsenal forward Mariona Caldentey's 25th-minute opener on Sunday ensured England would need to script a threequel to their incredible series of comebacks.
Alessia Russo drew the sides level after the break, ultimately forcing the shootout when the 1-1 stalemate remained intact after extra-time.
Two saves by player-of-the-match Hannah Hampton and Salma Paralluelo's miss set the stage for Kelly, who picked out the top left and underlined her name in England's history books.
It was, admitted Wiegman, 'the most chaotic and ridiculous tournament we have played'.
Wiegman's players have praised their manager's pitch-perfect speeches throughout this campaign.
On Sunday, she revealed: 'Right before we went on the pitch, I just said – I can't use all the words I said, I think – but the main message was 'enjoy it'.
'We've got so far now in this tournament, I think we created something again together. These are the moments you dream of, some couldn't even dream of because it wasn't possible when they were little kids.
'So go out there, enjoy it and play your very best game.'
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