Latest news with #IreneParedes
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Why rainbow armbands are dividing opinion at Women's Euro 2025
For a symbol meant to promote tolerance and inclusion, rainbow coloured captain's armbands at the Women's European Championship are actually proving to be more divisive, with some captains wearing them, and others preferring not to. The rainbow armband are a symbol of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. UEFA, the governing body of European football, has given all captains at the Women's Euros the option of choosing which armband they want to wear during games: there are standard yellow and blue armbands with the word 'respect' emblazoned on them, or the player can opt for bright colors of the rainbow flag. 'UEFA is committed to making football a safe and welcoming environment for everybody, independent of who we love, our gender identification or gender expression,' the governing body said before the women's Euro 2022, where it also gave team captains the option of wearing rainbow bands. France captain Griedge Mbock Bathy has worn the regular band. So has Spain's Irene Paredes. Italy's Cristiana Girelli also sported the regular armband when she captained the team for the quarterfinal clash against Norway. But in a previous game against Spain, with Girelli unavailable, Elena Linari captained the team and opted to wear a rainbow armband. Mbock Bathy explained her decision to not wear the rainbow band on her arm. 'Highlighting a single issue also potentially excludes the others,' she was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. 'We cannot champion a single cause through our diverse group because there are so many causes to defend.' Mbock said the France team is 'so diverse that we cannot highlight just one cause. I think that the band with the word 'respect' really represents what we want to convey as a message and that is the most important thing.' Germany captain Janina Minge, Switzerland captain Lia Wälti, Norway captain Ada Hegerberg, Wales captain Angharad James, Iceland's Glódís Viggósdóttir, England's Leah Williamson are among those who have opted to sport the rainbow armband. England defender Lucy Bronze has also opted to wear a rainbow wristband during her team's quarterfinal win over Sweden, whose captain, Kosovare Asllani, also wore a rainbow armband. (With inputs from AP)
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Women's Euro 2025: England's wild win and countdown to Spain v Switzerland
Update: Date: 2025-07-18T11:56:07.000Z Title: Swedish media reacted with incredulity and indignation Content: Big match buildup, team news and previews Why not email Emillia with your thoughts Emillia Hawkins Fri 18 Jul 2025 13.56 CEST First published on Fri 18 Jul 2025 11.00 CEST 1.56pm CEST 13:56 Marcus Christenson after the country's women's team lost the Euro 2025 quarter-final to England on penalties. 1.46pm CEST 13:46 The first Euro 2025 semi-final has been set. England will face Italy in Geneva for a place in the final on July 27. The semi-final will take place next Tuesday. 1.36pm CEST 13:36 Euro 2025 knockout schedule: Quarter-finals - July 16-19 Semi-finals – July 22-23 Final – July 27 1.30pm CEST 13:30 If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our Moving the Goalposts newsletter for regular updates on women's football. You'll receive stories, features and interviews straight to your inbox twice a week. If there's any time to sign up, it's now! 1.22pm CEST 13:22 The Spain defender Irene Paredes said the world champions would have to be calm in the face of the home support tonight. 'We need to be patient,' she said. 'They will have the crowd behind them, so they will come out very strong. 'They're a team who know exactly what they're about. They defend in great numbers and also get a lot of their players into the box to attack. They have very direct players and their midfielders love to keep the ball. Like I said, we'll have to be very alert.' 1.14pm CEST 13:14 The Switzerland defender Noelle Maritz has opened up about the support the team have received at their home tournament this summer. She said: 'The support we have had is impossible do describe. We all thought that there would be a good atmosphere at a home tournament … but on this scale? It gives you a lot of energy when you see the fans marching towards the stadium. You saw it at the Finland game – and to be able to share that success with the fans was really something.' On the Spain match, she added: 'We are very much looking forward to the game. We know that it will be hard but we also believe in our qualities. We have had a lot of meetings, have watched a lot of clips and have a good gameplan. 'You can see that in the last few weeks and the last few games we have grown into a stronger unit. We have a super team spirit and have been able to take a lot of positive energy from the past two games. We have a good feeling about this game.' 1.04pm CEST 13:04 The Switzerland coach Pia Sundhage has said that she and her players watched clips from when the Swiss men's team beat Spain in the 2010 World Cup for inspiration before the countries meet in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals in Berne today. Updated at 1.21pm CEST 12.58pm CEST 12:58 World champions Spain face tournament hosts Switzerland tonight in another quarter-final clash. Spain are the favourites going into the match, but Switzerland will be desperate to cause an upset in Bern. Let's look ahead to the match… 12.52pm CEST 12:52 Euro 2025 quarter-finals: Norway 1-2 Italy Sweden 2-2 (2-3 on penalties) England Spain v Switzerland France v Germany 12.45pm CEST 12:45 David Hopkins messaged in about the penalty shootout: 'As exciting as it was, I was slightly surprised that the coverage of last night's penalties tended towards the line of it having been amazing, and that even those who missed (on both sides) were brave to have stepped up. It strikes me as a bit patronising, rather than pointing out that many of those penalties were, frankly, a bit rubbish.' 12.34pm CEST 12:34 Samuel Dodson emailed in with his take on Sarina Wiegman's team selection – and pitched a brilliant Lucy Bronze chant: 'Think we are all still processing the insanity of the best/worst penalty shootout ever last night. Fair to say the scenes and mood in the pub shifted compared to the half time low. Agree with Nik that Wiegman seriously needs to consider her defensive options for Italy, though of course it will be not without risk to make a change at the semi final. However, without change: the writing is on the wall and while the Italians might not punish it (although Curruso and co have the pace to do so), France, Germany or Spain would all run right through us/Carter. 'But before getting to the tactics, can we take a moment to appreciate the glorious cool penalty from Kelly and the absurd performance that Bronze put in to wrestle us back into the game in the second half? 'Spandau Ballet need to update their song I think: 'Let's hear it for Lucy Bronze (Bronze!) a metal that's better than gold; she shoots and she always scores goals; she's indestructible, oh, always believe in Lucy Bronze!' 12.24pm CEST 12:24 Jonathan Liew 'The Letzigrund looks gorgeous under a pale pastel evening sun. The noise washes over the athletic track where Carl Lewis and Asafa Powell once broke the world record, and where Sweden are now flying out of the blocks and leaving England trailing in their dust. We do not yet know that in many ways this is simply the prologue, that this devastating early two-goal flurry is actually relatively benign in comparison with the carnage that will follow…' 12.20pm CEST 12:20 Anil Patel has messaged in from Zurich after watching the match at Stadion Letzigrund last night: 'I was at Stadion Letzigrund last night and at half time was wondering whether to sell my tickets for the semi-final in Geneva. I also thought to myself that I'd take extra time and the lottery of penalties at that point. The glory of football, the reason it's the best sport, is that sometimes it's about skill, tactics and professionalism, and sometimes it's just pure chaos.' 12.14pm CEST 12:14 Sarina Wiegman said England never doubted Hannah Hampton's ability after the Lionesses goalkeeper made two crucial shootout saves to help send England through to the Euro 2025 semi-finals amid remarkable drama in Zurich. 12.06pm CEST 12:06 Nik has messaged in with some thoughts on England's team selection and route to the final: 'Sarina must swap Carter out, the weakness here is too much to be ignored. We may ride it out against the Italians but will be punished by Spain or France in the final, if we get there. I don't think Germany have enough to make it to be honest.' 11.56am CEST 11:56 Speaking to BBC Sport at full-time, England manager Sarina Wiegman said: 'It was hard. One of the hardest games I've ever watched. Very emotional. We could've been out four or five times during the game. When you're 2-0 down at half-time it's not good. We started really badly and then at the end of the first half we got better and in the second half we got better but we didn't create anything so we had to change shape. Then we scored two goals so that was crazy already. 'Then we go into extra-time, some players injured, some players cramping, Hannah Hampton with blood all over the place. Then we go to the penalty shootout and we miss a lot but they miss even more and we're through! 'I need to decompress I think!' 11.50am CEST 11:50 Following last night's match, England striker Michelle Agyemang said: 'It was a crucial moment as they were under so much pressure, sometimes it's hard to convert those into goals, but we did what we did and we are here now today, so we can't be happier. 'These games build your character as a player, it is great to be a part of and I am grateful to have been on the pitch and shared that moment with the rest of my teammates, and, you know, our fight, resilience and character was shown today.' 11.34am CEST 11:34 I want to hear from you today! Feel free to email me with your thoughts on last night's match. Who impressed you the most? Who was your Player of the Match? Thoughts on the penalty shootout? Also, let me know your score predictions for tonight's game! 11.28am CEST 11:28 Tom Garry rated the performances of both Sweden and England last night. Click here to see who impressed the most… 11.18am CEST 11:18 England appeared down and out when Sarina Wiegman made her first three substitutions at the 70-minute mark last night. Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang especially made all the difference as the Lionesses scored two goals in 103 seconds. For the first, Kelly delivered a perfect cross to Lucy Bronze at the back post, who headed past Jennifer Falk to close the gap. Then, just moments later, Kelly sent another ball into the box which was headed down by Beth Mead to Michelle Agyemang, who scored her first major tournament goal to fire England level. The very definition of impact substitutions. 11.08am CEST 11:08 If you want to relive the drama from last night, be sure to give Suzanne Wrack's match report a read… 11.00am CEST 11:00 Wow. Have we all recovered from last night's match yet? I think I'm just about getting there! In case you somehow missed it, England came from 2-0 down to beat Sweden in arguably the most dramatic way possible. Hannah Hampton was the hero as the Lionesses won 3-2 on penalties after NINE spot-kicks were missed. I'll bring you all the reaction from that Euro 2025 quarter-final clash throughout the day, while also counting down to kick-off in tonight's match between Spain and Switzerland. Join me! Updated at 11.07am CEST
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What Fridolina Rolfo's Barcelona exit says about the club's financial situation
'Where do I start?' was how Fridolina Rolfo opened her farewell letter to Barcelona after the club reached an agreement with her to terminate her deal early. The Sweden international's exit was a shock to everyone, including her Barca team-mates at the European Championship with Spain, who only found out after their 6-2 win against Belgium. Advertisement 'I walked into the dressing room and they told me,' centre-back Irene Paredes said in the mixed zone after that match. 'I don't have any more news, I haven't been able to talk to her. I'm sad because she's been a very important player. I want to talk to her and if it's the best thing for her, we have to respect it.' 'I don't know much, but all I can do is thank her for all the years she's been with us,' Alexia Putellas said in her post-match news conference. 'I wish her the best of luck on a personal level because she's been a great team-mate.' Rolfo joined Barca on a free transfer from Wolfsburg in 2021, signing for a team that had just won their first Champions League title. She signed an initial deal until 2023 and then extended it until 2026 two years ago. A year earlier, she had been the villain who eliminated the Catalans from the Champions League semi-finals while playing for Wolfsburg, but the fans were quick to forgive her, especially when she scored the goal that gave them a second Champions League title with a 3-2 comeback win against her former team. Advertisement Signed as a left-winger, she alternated between there and left-back for Barca, eventually settling in the latter position. She enjoyed huge success, lifting two Champions Leagues, four Liga F titles, three Copas de la Reina and four Supercopas de Espana. She played 131 times for the team, scoring 40 goals. She became a much-loved figure in the dressing room and formed a close friendship with Norway international Ingrid Engen — who moved to OL Lyonnes this summer — and with reigning two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati. But not even Bonmati was aware of the 31-year-old's plans. Hours before the Rolfo announcement, Barca also announced that goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck's contract had been terminated. She had signed for them only last year, arriving on a free transfer from Manchester City with a contract until 2026. But the goalkeeper played just twice for Barca and her departure was not a surprise. Roebuck made her debut for the club in December after 19 months without playing following a stroke in the occipital lobe of her brain. She was in the final stages of her medical recovery when she joined. Advertisement Her limited playing time — just 180 minutes — and the club's clear commitment to Spain's Cata Coll as No 1 meant she was open to leaving in search of greater opportunities. She agreed to terminate her contract early to join Aston Villa on a two-year deal. Rolfo's exit made the headlines in Barcelona — so what was the explanation? As so often across the club, it comes down to their delicate financial situation. For several summers, Barca have been struggling to operate normally in the transfer market due to historic debts of €1billion (£863m; $1.2bn). Because Barca have been spending more than they have been allowed to on wages (they have been breaking La Liga's salary limit, which is calculated for each club according to their income), the competition body has restricted their registration of new signings. The salaries of Barca's women's team players — as well as those of all other sporting departments at the club — count towards La Liga's limit. Barca's basketball team, for example, have been limited in their signings as the club look to improve the men's football section's financial fair play situation. Advertisement According to Barcelona sources who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, Rolfo's contract termination was out of financial necessity rather than a sporting decision or anything to do with the club's coaching staff. Rolfo's salary will have been significantly lower than that of the men's first-team players. For 2024-25, Barcelona budgeted €319m ($373m; £275m) on salaries for the men's team, compared with €11m on the women's side. The grassroots football department was allocated €17m. But Rolfo has also lost prominence since the arrival of the Netherlands' Esmee Brugts in 2023. Rolfo played in that year's Champions League final and the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand that summer despite suffering from knee pain. She finally underwent surgery on the meniscus on her right knee in early September 2023, shortly after returning from the World Cup, and spent the next six months recovering. Advertisement Brugts arrived that summer while Rolfo was still out and settled into the team. The pair competed for the left-back spot last season, but Rolfo has not been helped by further injury problems. In November, she suffered tendinopathy — swelling of a tendon — in her left hamstring, then twisted her left ankle during a Nations League match against Denmark a month ago. That injury caused her to miss the Copa de la Reina final against Atletico Madrid. While she had a year left on her deal, the player was not strongly opposed to the club's proposal. Both parties reached an agreement that suited them, according to sources close to the player and the club. So Rolfo leaves Barcelona having turned from villain to heroine and in search of new adventures, but her exit is just another sign of how the club's financial situation has an effect at all levels. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Barcelona, Soccer, La Liga, Women's Soccer, Transfer News 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What Fridolina Rolfo's Barcelona exit says about the club's financial situation
'Where do I start?' was how Fridolina Rolfo opened her farewell letter to Barcelona after the club reached an agreement with her to terminate her deal early. The Sweden international's exit was a shock to everyone, including her Barca team-mates at the European Championship with Spain, who only found out after their 6-2 win against Belgium. Advertisement 'I walked into the dressing room and they told me,' centre-back Irene Paredes said in the mixed zone after that match. 'I don't have any more news, I haven't been able to talk to her. I'm sad because she's been a very important player. I want to talk to her and if it's the best thing for her, we have to respect it.' 'I don't know much, but all I can do is thank her for all the years she's been with us,' Alexia Putellas said in her post-match news conference. 'I wish her the best of luck on a personal level because she's been a great team-mate.' Rolfo joined Barca on a free transfer from Wolfsburg in 2021, signing for a team that had just won their first Champions League title. She signed an initial deal until 2023 and then extended it until 2026 two years ago. A year earlier, she had been the villain who eliminated the Catalans from the Champions League semi-finals while playing for Wolfsburg, but the fans were quick to forgive her, especially when she scored the goal that gave them a second Champions League title with a 3-2 comeback win against her former team. Signed as a left-winger, she alternated between there and left-back for Barca, eventually settling in the latter position. She enjoyed huge success, lifting two Champions Leagues, four Liga F titles, three Copas de la Reina and four Supercopas de Espana. She played 131 times for the team, scoring 40 goals. She became a much-loved figure in the dressing room and formed a close friendship with Norway international Ingrid Engen — who moved to OL Lyonnes this summer — and with reigning two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati. But not even Bonmati was aware of the 31-year-old's plans. Hours before the Rolfo announcement, Barca also announced that goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck's contract had been terminated. She had signed for them only last year, arriving on a free transfer from Manchester City with a contract until 2026. But the goalkeeper played just twice for Barca and her departure was not a surprise. Roebuck made her debut for the club in December after 19 months without playing following a stroke in the occipital lobe of her brain. She was in the final stages of her medical recovery when she joined. Advertisement Her limited playing time — just 180 minutes — and the club's clear commitment to Spain's Cata Coll as No 1 meant she was open to leaving in search of greater opportunities. She agreed to terminate her contract early to join Aston Villa on a two-year deal. Rolfo's exit made the headlines in Barcelona — so what was the explanation? As so often across the club, it comes down to their delicate financial situation. For several summers, Barca have been struggling to operate normally in the transfer market due to historic debts of €1billion (£863m; $1.2bn). Because Barca have been spending more than they have been allowed to on wages (they have been breaking La Liga's salary limit, which is calculated for each club according to their income), the competition body has restricted their registration of new signings. The salaries of Barca's women's team players — as well as those of all other sporting departments at the club — count towards La Liga's limit. Barca's basketball team, for example, have been limited in their signings as the club look to improve the men's football section's financial fair play situation. According to Barcelona sources who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, Rolfo's contract termination was out of financial necessity rather than a sporting decision or anything to do with the club's coaching staff. Rolfo's salary will have been significantly lower than that of the men's first-team players. For 2024-25, Barcelona budgeted €319m ($373m; £275m) on salaries for the men's team, compared with €11m on the women's side. The grassroots football department was allocated €17m. But Rolfo has also lost prominence since the arrival of the Netherlands' Esmee Brugts in 2023. Rolfo played in that year's Champions League final and the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand that summer despite suffering from knee pain. She finally underwent surgery on the meniscus on her right knee in early September 2023, shortly after returning from the World Cup, and spent the next six months recovering. Brugts arrived that summer while Rolfo was still out and settled into the team. The pair competed for the left-back spot last season, but Rolfo has not been helped by further injury problems. In November, she suffered tendinopathy — swelling of a tendon — in her left hamstring, then twisted her left ankle during a Nations League match against Denmark a month ago. That injury caused her to miss the Copa de la Reina final against Atletico Madrid. Advertisement While she had a year left on her deal, the player was not strongly opposed to the club's proposal. Both parties reached an agreement that suited them, according to sources close to the player and the club. So Rolfo leaves Barcelona having turned from villain to heroine and in search of new adventures, but her exit is just another sign of how the club's financial situation has an effect at all levels.
France 24
07-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Relentless Spain thump Belgium to close in on Euro 2025 quarters
A brace from Alexia Putellas and further goals from Irene Paredes, Esther Gonzalez, Mariona Caldentey and Claudia Pina gave Group B leaders Spain a second thumping win. Montse Tome's team will be guaranteed a spot in the last eight if Portugal do not beat Italy later in Geneva, but their passage is almost guaranteed after hitting 11 goals over their two matches. Belgium, who twice levelled through Justine Vanhaevermaet and Hannah Eurlings, are close to going home after being blown away by relentless waves of attacking football. When Putellas finished off a beautiful spell of quick passing in the 22nd minute it looked like the beginning of a thumping win similar to the 5-0 destruction of Portugal in the opening round. Yet seconds later Vanhaevermaet levelled with the simplest of goals, nodding home Tessa Wullaert's corner. Paredes put Spain back in the lead six minutes before the break with a bullet header from Pina's deep corner. Again Belgium hit back, this time through Eurlings who sprung the offside trap before rifling home in the 50th minute. Gonzalez netted her third goal of the tournament two minutes later after collecting Putellas' neat through ball. The game was up when Caldentey bundled home from a corner just after the hour. Pina smashed in her first goal of the tournament with 10 minutes remaining, and appropriately it was Putellas' deft flick which completed the rout shortly afterwards.
