How England fans are preparing for the Euro 2025 final
'The fans, the atmosphere, the energy'
Alex isn't the only England supporter I meet at one of Basel's fan zones, that has match day rituals.Izzy, from Kent, who spent her 18th birthday watching England's semi-final against Italy, says she has to put her jewellery on in a certain order.She also likes to wear her grandfather's Arsenal top that dates from the mid-90s -but because she wasn't expecting to still be in Switzerland for the final has instructed her mum – who is also a women's football fan - to wear it instead."I just want to be there [the stadium] now," she says. "I think we can do it."
Everyone I speak to tells me their pre-match plans involve meeting up with other fans at their designated headquarters in the Messeplatz area sometime during the morning, ahead of their walk to the stadium in the afternoon.Jessica, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, plans to get up at around 07:00 and get her England home shirt on. All England fans have been asked to wear white for the final if possible.She will then grab some breakfast on her way out."You know when you're nervous, you can't eat properly, so I need to eat in the morning," Jessica says.She came out to Switzerland on Thursday morning and has never been to a Euros final before, having only become interested in women's football in the past year."I would have got into it sooner, but I just genuinely never knew about it. The coverage wasn't good," she says.Jessica is one of the many fans who have travelled alone to Switzerland and for whom the sense of community is a big thing.While coming to Switzerland and getting a ticket to the final has not been cheap, for her "it's about the memories and the people you meet - it's just amazing," she says.When asked about England's chances, she's in no doubt."We've got the fans, we've got the atmosphere, we've got the energy."We've got the players on the field and on the bench and I think we've got a very, very good chance."
Tehya, Izzy's friend, tells me she will also try to have a "light breakfast" to line her stomach ahead of the match and speak to her family back in the UK.The pair had planned to head home on Friday because they couldn't afford tickets to the final but managed to get hold of some spares and arrange extra time off work.If England win they plan to celebrate through the night, as they have to be at the airport for a 06:00 flight back to the UK on Monday.Like Izzy, Tehya has limited outfit options. She only brought the England away shirt - which is not white - but that won't affect her support for the Lionesses, whom she says have "dug deep" during the competition."They've played to the last whistle. They haven't stopped fighting. I think that's what's so special about this team, which no other team has."
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