Latest news with #Champions2025
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Pizza, karaoke and Champagne: Inside England Lionesses' celebrations as stars party until 4am
The Lionesses partied into the early hours of the morning after overcoming Spain on penalties to defend their European Championship title in Switzerland on Sunday The beauty of defending your title is that you already have plenty of practice at celebrating - and England put all their experience to good use on Sunday night. After lifting the European Championship trophy once more, the Lionesses partied deep into the night in joyous scenes in Switzerland. They did it the hard way, getting through 120 gruelling minutes against Spain before Chloe Kelly struck the winning penalty into the net. It wasn't long until the Lionesses' unofficial anthem, Sweet Caroline, was being blasted out of the speakers in Basel. Sarina Wiegman's side had got revenge on Spain, who beat them in the World Cup final two years ago, and having overcome a huge amount of adversity, they were ready to let their hair down. After collecting their winners' medals - and a young player of the tournament award in the case of Michelle Agyemang - the victorious squad set about celebrating with their family and friends. Captain Leah Williamson gathered the squad for a selfie taken in front of their loved ones in the stands before a victory lap around St. Jakob-Park. Lucy Bronze was seen celebrating with her family, limping around to try and limit the damage to her leg, which remarkably she revealed was broken. It wasn't long before the pizza boxes and cans of beer were summoned and, as the supporters disappeared out of the stadium, the next phase of the celebrations could start. Asked what her plans were, Wiegman - who has now won a remarkable three straight Euros titles - said: 'I'll do some more dancing. I'll have a drink but I don't think I'll drink as much as the players will do." Agyemang, who has gone from relative unknown to national hero after scoring two crucial goals off the bench in the knockout stages, wasn't giving much away when asked what the night had in store. "I can't say too much about that," the 19-year-old said. "We're going to have a good time." Ella Toone was a bit more forthcoming. "We're going to enjoy the night," she said. "I love a party, I'm a Tyldesley girl of course I love a party." The England midfielder certainly delivered on that statement later in the night. The players had already begun the celebrations in earnest as they walked through the media mixed zone holding cans of beer and boxes of pizza. But it was once they got back to their hotel when the fun really started. Players and staff were handed a glass of bubbly upon entrance, and in hero goalkeeper Hannah Hampton's case, a dog to celebrate with. Everything had been prepared for them, with Lionesses balloons on the walls and a room packed full of their friends and family wearing England shirts with the names of loved ones on awaiting. The players wore T-shirts emblazoned with "Champions 2025" on the front, while Agyemang sported some dark sunglasses. The DJ then got things going, playing Proud by Heather Small, starting the first of many, many singalongs. Freed from Desire by Gala quickly followed before Rockin' All Over the World by Status Quo, with the words changed to "England won two in a row". After Still D.R.E. by Dr Dre, Williamson and Wiegman, arm in arm, cut a three-tiered cake. Next it was karaoke and Toone was quickly on the mic, blasting out River Deep, Mountain High by Tina Turner, dedicating it to her former team-mate Rachel Daly, who is known for her love of the tune. Another rendition of Sweet Caroline, Titanium by David Guetta and Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield followed. By now the clock had ticked past 4am in Switzerland, and while the dancefloor had thinned out, there were still plenty of Lionesses partying, along with Alessia Russo's brother Giorgio Russo, who has been a fixture in Switzerland since returning from Love Island. Speaking earlier, Wiegman had struggled to put into words what the victory meant for her and the team. "You know what, I don't realise it yet," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I am still in the stage where it's 'this is unbelievable' 'did this really happen?' So I can't answer this question. Very, very happy but a little strange. Just unbelievable.' There won't yet be time for it to sink it, with the Lionesses flying back to England on Monday before a visit to No.10 Downing Street to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer. There will be a celebration reception for the squad, who will try their best not to repeat the mistakes of England men's cricketers' infamous visit after winning the 2005 Ashes. 'I don't watch movies back so often but I will probably look and see some things back," Wiegman said. "The journey has been incredible." The party wasn't bad either.
The Star
15-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cricket-World Test Championship format needs revamping despite riveting final
Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 14, 2025 South Africa's Keshav Maharaj shakes hands with fans in the stands as a giant screen displays the message of 'Champions 2025' after South Africa won the ICC World Test Championship final Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers LONDON (Reuters) -A riveting World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa went a long way to boost the sagging credentials of the five-day game, but the format of the competition is in need of a revamp, according to many of the game's top observers. South Africa beat Australia by five wickets at lunch on the fourth day of a fluctuating contest at Lord's in which the bowlers dominated the opening two days. A total of 24 wickets were taken, but the tables were turned as wickets turned benign and the batsmen changed the course of the match. It was classic test cricket, as good as the excitement from any limited overs contest, but the overall WTC is a bewildering competition, devoid of uniformity and an unbalanced points system. There was much criticism of how South Africa managed to reach the final without playing either Australia and England in the two-year qualifying period. "It's very hard for the average cricket fan to understand who's the best team in the world and how exactly the top two teams make it to the final," said former England captain Michael Vaughan, now a television pundit. The two finalists are decided by a table of test results, with points awarded for wins and draws. The pair with the highest percentage of points available to them advance to the final, which in 2027 could again be at Lord's or in India, according to International Cricket Council officials. But there was a major discrepancy in South Africa playing only 12 tests compared to 19 for Australia and India, and even more by England (22). "I can't remember if I've ever even given any real time to be specifically thinking about the World Test Championship to be honest because it's utterly confusing," added England captain Ben Stokes. Countries are free to decide how many tests they want to play, and in South Africa's case, there is much less of an appetite for test cricket because they lose money. In the next cycle, which starts on Tuesday when Bangladesh begin a two-test series in Sri Lanka, the new champions will play 14 tests, this time including three test series against each of Australia and England but only two against India. Five test series are now only the preserve of contests between Australia, England, and India. "The fixture list is uneven; not everyone plays everyone else, and some have an easier ride than others," wrote Michael Atherton last week. "Everyone knows the WTC in its present guise is flawed, and that solutions, with so many competing interests, are fiendishly difficult," added the former England skipper. (Editing by Christian Radnedge)
The Irish Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Chloe Kelly shows off her dancing as Arsenal stars get private performance from Alex Scott's girlfriend Jess Glynne
CHLOE KELLY led the dancing as Alex Scott's singer girlfriend Jess Glynne put on a private show for history-making Arsenal. Sub Stina Blackstenius' sizzling strike had 9 Chloe Kelly spearheaded the revelling at Arsenal's party Credit: Instagram / @alessia 9 Gunners' fan Jess Glynne helped make it an extra special night 9 Bubbly in hand, Kelly took a brief break from dancing Credit: Instagram / @alessia 9 Singer Glynne was as overjoyed with victory as the players And the exuberant celebrations at a party afterwards suggested Arsenal have lifted the top European domestic crown just once before - in 2007. The jubilation on the final whistle was wild enough. But even that didn't compare to the team bopping the night away on the dancefloor. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Striker Songwriter Glynne, 35, And as she belted out tunes, Kelly responded joyously, wearing an Arsenal shirt with the words "Champions 2025" on it, while holding a glass of bubbly The Lionesses star promptly shared two clips of her efforts on her Instagram Stories page. Most read in Sport 9 Alex Scott celebrated as if she was still an Arsenal player Credit: Getty 9 Glynne and Scott were at the final triumph in the Estadio Jose Alvalade Credit: PA 9 Scott wore a retro shirt from the 1980s, albeit cropped Credit: PA BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Kelly's team-mate Alessia Russo later added more ecstatic scenes on social media. Arsenal fan Katie McCabe slides on the floor in Arsenal dressing room after Champions League final And if anything, the Londoner looked even happier than her partner - at least until Scott headed onto the pitch afterwards with arms wide open as if she was still a player. It looked like an explosion of joy and relief, perhaps having lived every minute with the current Gunners as they defended brilliantly before conjuring a clinical 72nd-minute winner. 9 The Gunners were in deamland after shocking favourites Barcelona Credit: AFP 9 Arsenal lifted the top domestic European crown for only the second time Credit: AP
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Chloe Kelly shows off her dancing as Arsenal stars get private performance from Alex Scott's girlfriend Jess Glynne
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHLOE KELLY led the dancing as Alex Scott's singer girlfriend Jess Glynne put on a private show for history-making Arsenal. Sub Stina Blackstenius' sizzling strike had sunk holders Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final in Lisbon. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Chloe Kelly spearheaded the revelling at Arsenal's party Credit: Instagram / @alessia 9 Gunners' fan Jess Glynne helped make it an extra special night 9 Bubbly in hand, Kelly took a brief break from dancing Credit: Instagram / @alessia 9 Singer Glynne was as overjoyed with victory as the players And the exuberant celebrations at a party afterwards suggested the Gunners agreed with pundits that it was the team's greatest ever result. Arsenal have lifted the top European domestic crown just once before - in 2007. The jubilation on the final whistle was wild enough. But even that didn't compare to the team bopping the night away on the dancefloor. Striker Kelly was obviously proud of her footwork - as she shimmied stood at the front with a winner's medal round her neck as Glynne performed on stage. Songwriter Glynne, 35, has been dating 40-year-old BBC football presenter Scott, an Arsenal legend, since 2023. And as she belted out tunes, Kelly responded joyously, wearing an Arsenal shirt with the words "Champions 2025" on it, while holding a glass of bubbly The Lionesses star promptly shared two clips of her efforts on her Instagram Stories page. 9 Alex Scott celebrated as if she was still an Arsenal player Credit: Getty 9 Glynne and Scott were at the final triumph in the Estadio Jose Alvalade Credit: PA 9 Scott wore a retro shirt from the 1980s, albeit cropped Credit: PA BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Kelly's team-mate Alessia Russo later added more ecstatic scenes on social media. Arsenal fan Glynne had shared champagne with Kelly at the Estádio José Alvalade stadium the previous day, in front of 38,356. Katie McCabe slides on the floor in Arsenal dressing room after Champions League final And if anything, the Londoner looked even happier than her partner - at least until Scott headed onto the pitch afterwards with arms wide open as if she was still a player. It looked like an explosion of joy and relief, perhaps having lived every minute with the current Gunners as they defended brilliantly before conjuring a clinical 72nd-minute winner. 9 The Gunners were in deamland after shocking favourites Barcelona Credit: AFP
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Product Innovations at Unanet Champions 2025 Leverage AI to Help Customers Achieve Unprecedented Efficiency and Business Development Success
GovCons and AEC firms attended annual user conference to gain best practices for streamlining processes and generating new business DULLES, Va., May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Unanet, the leading provider of growth, productivity, compliance, and operations solutions for the government contracting (GovCon) and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry unveiled new product innovations and essential research at its annual user conference, Champions 2025, which took place in Atlanta last week. More than 1,000 attendees and dozens of sponsors and partners came together to collect best practices, network, and connect with Unanet experts to maximize their project-based ERP and CRM solutions and achieve greater business success. At the conference, Unanet shared a variety of new product innovations – many of which leverage artificial intelligence (AI) - and are designed to help customers win more business and execute it more efficiently. The new innovations include: GovIntel provides actionable intelligence to growing GovCons seeking new business and partner opportunities by integrating over 80 million federal records with AI-powered scoring and summaries, task automation, notifications, and agency and vendor profiles to enable teams to assess, pursue, and win more contracts. OpportuneAI helps GovCon and AEC firms make smarter early stage go/no-go decisions by surfacing AI-powered insights on client history, past performance, available resources, and competition—right inside Unanet CRM. It reduces wasted effort on low-probability pursuits and ensures teams focus on the work they're most likely to win. Purpose-built for the way GovCon and AEC firms pursue new business, OpportuneAI brings strategy to the start of every pursuit. Unanet ProposalAI is a secure, AI-powered solution that helps GovCon and AEC firms generate high-quality first draft proposals up to 70% faster. By automating RFP analysis, content creation, and compliance checks, it empowers teams to pursue more work without sacrificing quality. Purpose-built for the GovCon and AEC industries, Unanet ProposalAI turns firm expertise into polished, winning proposals that drive growth. Spend Management is a modern expense solution that helps GovCon and AEC firms control spending, reduce risk, and improve profitability. Through a partnership and integration with Mesh, it offers proactive spend controls, automated approvals, real-time tracking, and integrated corporate cards, empowering firms to manage spending with less effort and more control. AP Automation has undergone major enhancements to further help companies manage their accounting operations more efficiently than ever before. Using advanced AI capabilities, vendor invoices can be scanned and processed via email and automatically routed to accounting for payments. Customers also gain real-time visibility and control, and faster month-end closings. "Our customers came to Champions for real support during what is becoming a turbulent time for businesses everywhere," said Steve Karp, Chief Innovation Officer, Unanet. "We listened, collaborated, and most importantly, delivered solutions that will help them actively manage their businesses for success. Whether it's identifying, pursuing and winning more business using our CRM growth suite solutions, or more effectively managing existing projects for maximum efficiency, our goal is to help all our customers succeed. Innovation coupled with unsurpassed customer support are how we make that happen." In addition to launching new product enhancements at Champions, Unanet released its 2025 AEC Inspire Report. This primary research unveils insights into the challenges, solutions and industry dynamics faced by hundreds of AEC executives. This year, the AEC Inspire Report reveals that AEC firms are most concerned with talent, business development, and resource management, areas where Unanet's new AI-enabled solutions can help ease their strain. "Champions is more than a user conference. It's a celebration of peers, friends, and colleagues who all have one mission: to do great work," continued Karp. "We were thrilled to be working side-by-side with our customers to help them gain even greater business advantages with Unanet." About UnanetUnanet is a leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions purpose-built for government contractors, architecture, engineering, construction, and professional services. More than 4,000 project-driven organizations depend on Unanet to turn their information into actionable insights, drive better decision-making, maintain regulatory compliance, and accelerate business growth. All backed by a people-centered team invested in the success of your projects, people, and financials. For more information, visit View original content: SOURCE Unanet
