Latest news with #Lioness
Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
‘I am a Lioness super fan, and I'm getting tattoos of seven players on my calf'
A Lioness super fan has already got her tattoo appointment booked for the faces of her football heroes. Kayleigh Knipe Thompson is ready to dedicate her left calf for England's women's team, saying 'she wouldn't be here' without her love of the game. The 34-year-old travelled set off at 3.30am from her home in Sheffield, picking up other fans on the way, to make today's trophy parade. She told Metro: 'I'm booked to get all of them on Friday, and have planned out the sketches. I just love football so much.' Members of both the 2022 and 2025 victory teams are set to make an appearance on Kayleigh's leg, including Mary Earps, Alessia Russo, Lucy Bronze, and Hannah Hampton. They will sit alongside the Three Lions badge and a picture of the Women's Euro 2022 trophy – with the 2025 date also set to be added underneath. 'I'm also saving space for the World Cup,' Kayleigh added. 'I just love all football, and the girls deserve to be remembered for what they have achieved.' Kayleigh, who is a trained UEFA coach, offered to give strangers a lift down to the celebration as she had room in her car. She drove to pick up Ellie Green in Salford, who managed to make it over to Switzerland for the final, with the pair becoming firm friends despite meeting for the first time today. Ellie said: 'We had never met before but all of a sudden had a four hour drive down together, but we were just chatting easily the whole way down.' Kayleigh added: 'All the Lioness fans are just like one family, I put the offer out there on a Facebook group because I had space in my car – everyone deserves to go if they are able.' The Lionesses enjoyed a homecoming celebration today following their historic triumph at Euro 2025. England supporters were able to get a glimpse of the team in an open-top double decker bus procession along The Mall – ending in front of Buckingham Palace. At The Mall, one Spanish family have even come to celebrate while they holidayed in London – despite thinking 'England got lucky'. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Francisco Del Rio, from Malaga, said: 'The match was very 50/50, and England only one on penalties. 'But the atmosphere is great, we have had a few people tease us but it's been great.' More Trending Nine-year-old Arlo Harris insisted he much prefers watching the women's team rather than the men's as the standard 'was just better'. His mum Sophie left their home in Plymouth with him at 4.30am to make sure they got a glimpse of the trophy. She said, while dancing with Arlo on her back: 'They are great role models for both boys and girls. 'There's such a sense of unity here. With everything sad going on in the news at the moment, everyone here of all ages is just happy celebrating England.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Rugby star, 27, killed alongside property developer father in London stabbing MORE: Why England hero Jess Carter decided to miss Euro 2025 trophy parade MORE: 'What is Sarina doing?!' – Ian Wright 'baffled' by Wiegman decision in Euro 2025 final
Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Legendary Lioness hero 'tipped for glittering TV career' after Euros 2025 win
This weekend, the mighty Lionesses made footballing history when they won the Euros for the second time. Yet while the UK is busy celebrating the England women's football team's impressive win over favourites Spain at penalties (Maybe they could give the men a few tips?), some people already have an eye on the team's future. Specifically, we do. Yes, the Metro ents team has been wondering which Lioness is most likely to swap the penalty box for the goggle box. So with that in mind, we contacted PaddyPower and asked them to give us the odds on which member of the team is most likely to break into TV. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lucy Bronze – England's most decorated player at club level and the most experienced member of the Lionesses – is the odds-on favourite to make the leap first. PaddyPower give the 33-year-old 5/4 odds of carving out a career on the small screen. 'Our traders make England legend Lucy Bronze the favourite to swap studs for studio lights,' a PaddyPower spokesperson told Metro. 'And given her glittering career, who would be against her taking her?' It's a good question, although we do wonder whether Lucy – who's considered one of the best players in the game (both men and women) – is ready to hang up her boots just yet. Here is the full list of odds PaddyPower gave Metro… Lucy Bronze – 5/4 Chloe Kelly – 5/2 Ella Toone – 11/2 Alessia Russo – 7/1 Leah Williamson – 8/1 Beth Mead – 12/1 Michelle Agyemang – 16/1 If Lucy's not the only player who could have a glittering career off the pitch. PaddyPower gave Chloe Kelly 5/2 odds, citing her ' iconic celebration at the Euros' as proof that she knows how to work a crowd.' Meanwhile, skipper Leah Williamson, who became a household name when she led the Lionesses to glory at the 2022 Euros, has been given 8/1 odds. Still, the big question is what show might we expect to see the Lionesses pop up on… besides Match of the Day, of course. More Trending Well, PaddyPower gave 4/1 odds on at least one of the teams appearing on Celebrity Traitors (Who wouldn't want to see the team go from killing it on the pitch, to literally killing in Claudia's castle?) while it's 9/2 that they'll go on Celeb SAS. Here is the full list of odds PaddyPower gave Metro… 4/1 for any Lioness to appear on Celeb Traitors 9/2 for any Lioness to appear on Celeb SAS 5/1 for any Lioness to appear on I'm A Celeb 5/1 1 for any Lioness to appear on Strictly 6/1 for any Lioness to appear on Dancing on Ice Interestingly, according to PaddyPower, it's more likely for one of the team to join Ant and Dec in the jungle for I'm A Celeb than it is for them to go on Strictly. Then again, with how gruelling the Strictly training regime supposedly is, perhaps the Lionesses are better off chomping on creepy crawlies than tangoing with Vito and his pals. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: When is the next Women's World Cup and where is it being held? MORE: FA chief speaks out on Sarina Wiegman's England future beyond next World Cup MORE: Lionesses enjoy Downing Street reception as Euro 2025 celebrations continue
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sarina Wiegman's wholesome reaction to Lioness parade guest sends fans wild
Lioness fans tuning in to the procession following the historic win were quick to praise manager Sarina Wiegman's 'wholesome' reaction to parade's surprise musical guest when she appeared alongside him on stage Lioness fans were quick to praise Sarina Wiegman's 'wholesome' reaction to parade's surprise musical guest during the procession following the historic win. England fans erupted with joy across the country as the team defended their title in a penalty shootout win in the final in Basel, Switzerland, on Sunday and as celebrations really got underway on Tuesday across the capital, the lauded manager made it up on stage with her team. In the special broadcast, which was hosted by Alex Scott, singer Burna Boy made a surprise appearance and was welcomed onto stage by the TV host after being revealed to be Sarina's favourite artist. Alex had been chatting to Sarina when she reminded her that last time they spoke following the Euros win in 2022, she had refused to dance because it was the wrong music. This time, however, organisers had managed to Burna Boy to come to the event and give a rendition of his song For My Hand, which originally featured Ed Sheeran. This time, however, he was joined by none other than Sarina herself and sports fans flooded social media with their reaction to the moment, even though the whole collaboration was not something they saw on the cards. One wrote: "@burnaboyand Sarina Wiegman dancing at the #Lionesses homecoming was not something I had expected to see today So wholesome!! Oluwa Burna," and another said: "Sarina Wiegman dancing up there on that stage is just brilliant." One praised Sarina for knowing all the words to the 2022 hit single, and another proclaimed: "This is what you call a manager who can have fun, let her hair down and party like her team! Sarina is the one!" whilst a fifth fanatic joked that the Dutch native is 'never leaving' the UK. The crowds cheered as Sarina partied along on stage, and she also explained how she had managed to 'stay calm' on the journey to the victory as she joked: "It was chaos. I had hoped for a little less chaos. But they didn't keep their to promise to finish things quicker! But yeah, as we always have a plan, and we try to execute that, and the players on the pitch, we just kept having hope all the time and belief. And they just showed up when it was really necessary and urgent." "I think you start with talent, there's a huge talent pool within this team, also, what we want to do is play to our strengths but I think that the bonding in this team this 2022, we had great bonding but it's made the absolute difference now, that everyone was ready to step up and support each other and it was just amazing to be a part of." Just two days ago, Chloe Kelly scored the winning spot-kick following two huge saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, sending supporters into raptures. The King said the team had the royal family 's 'warmest appreciation and admiration' following their victory, adding: 'The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can.' A n open-top bus procession took place along The Mall, culminating with a staged ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace starting at approximately 12:30pm. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the team's triumph, saying: 'The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation. Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country. 'It stands as a testament to the determination, resilience and unity that define this outstanding team.' Despite the historic achievement, it is understood Downing Street has no plans for a bank holiday to mark the Lionesses' triumph. Supporters stood on tables, waved flags, threw drinks in the air and excitedly hugged each other as England claimed victory, while the Prince of Wales and Sir Keir watched on from the stands in Basel. Alessia Russo gave the Lionesses hope of retaining their Euros title with her second-half equaliser after Mariona Caldentey netted the opener for Spain in the 25th minute.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Emotional moment England captain Leah Williamson chokes back tears on stage at parade after Euro 2025 triumph
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ENGLAND captain Leah Williamson choked back tears on stage at the victory parade of Euro 2025. The heroic Lionesses were back in London today after beating Spain on penalties Switzerland on Sunday to be crowned back-to-back European champions. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Leah Williamson choked back tears as she spoke on stage at England's Euro 2025 victory parade 4 Williamson thanked the fans for their continued support Credit: BBC 4 She revealed she had been crying ' all down The Mall' Credit: BBC Play Dream Team now! Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season Free to play Over £100,000 in total prize money Play in Mini Leagues against your mates Submit a team for Gameweek 1 to enter £5,000 prize draw Play via Dream Team's app or website today! They are the first senior Three Lions side to win a major competition on foreign soil. The Lionesses were roared on by thousands of fans as they arrived in front of Buckingham Palace to speak on stage. But during the speech, skipper Williamson choked back tears as she addressed fans. Williamson, 28, came out to the stage by the Queen Victoria Memorial with the Euro 2025 trophy in hand. The Arsenal defender was visibly emotional as she thanked the crowd for their support. Speaking to presenter and former Lioness Alex Scott, she said: "I'm holding back tears. I've been crying all down The Mall. "This is unbelievable, this is probably one of the best [things] we have ever been a part of, so thank you for coming out. "There are many ways to win a football match. And we repeatedly did it the hard way, but you can see how much we care about playing for England and how much we love it." BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Comparing the 2022 victory over Germany to Sunday's against world champions Spain, Williamson said: "In 2022, that was a fairytale but this feels really hard-earned and we're very proud of ourselves and I hope you are, too." England led for less than five minutes in the knockout stages, coming from behind three times in to win in the latter stages, including showing nerves of steel to win two penalty shootouts. Alex Scott forced to apologise on stage at Lionesses parade as England hero Chloe Kelly swears live on BBC However, Williamson opened up on how the team pulled together after their opening defeat by France to find their never-say-die spirit which ultimately brought home the silverware. She continued: "Yeah we came together, we came close. The first game maybe rocked us a little bit but I think they're just special people and we love each other on and off the pitch. "We've had tough moments, some nasty things to deal with and still we rise." Sending a message directly to fans who supported them in Switzerland and back home, Williamson said: "Everything we do, obviously, we do it for us and our team, but we do it for the country and for young girls. "This job never existed 30-40 years ago and we're making history every single step. Thank you so much for being with us. "Stay with us, this story's not done yet." Minutes later the England team lifted the trophy for the jubilant crowd as fireworks and red smoke went off behind them. Match winner Chloe Kelly also gave a speech while on the stage - but forced BBC host Scott into an apology after swearing on the microphone. Kelly said: "Pressure? What pressure? "It feels so good to stand side-by-side with every single one of these girls throughout the whole tournament and the staff you don't see behind the scenes. "Thank you to everyone who got out to support us. It's so f****** special." The England heroes were at Number 10 Downing Street earlier this week.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lionesses lift Euros trophy in front of thousands at Buckingham Palace
The England Women's football team have lifted their European Championships trophy outside Buckingham Palace as thousands joined in the celebrations of their dramatic victory. The Lionesses were cheered by thousands of fans along The Mall on Tuesday after the team defended their Euros title with a penalty shootout win over Spain in the final in Basel, Switzerland. Wearing white Nike T-shirts and England scarves, the team took photos with their phones as the buses travelled down the street, led by the Band of His Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth and flanked on either side by cheering fans waving flags. Manager Sarina Wiegman danced alongside afrobeat star Burna Boy on stage while there was also a performance of Proud by Heather Small, before captain Leah Williamson lifted the trophy in the air to huge cheers. The squad then posed for photos with the gathered fans on the Mall amid a large red fireworks display, before singing along to Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline as it played over the speakers. Speaking on stage at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of the palace to host Alex Scott, a tearful Williamson said: 'I've been crying all the way down The Mall. 'This is unbelievable, probably one of the best things we've ever, ever been a part of, so thank you for coming out.' Williamson described the team as 'special, special people', adding: 'We love each other, we've got each other's back on and off the pitch. 'We had tough moments, nasty things to deal with, and still we rise.' Lioness Chloe Kelly, who scored the winning penalty in the Euros final, swore as she celebrated on stage. The forward told host Alex Scott: '(It is) so good to stand side by side with every single one of these girls throughout the whole tournament, and the staff that you don't see behind the scenes. It's incredible. 'Thank you to everyone that got out to support us, whether that's in Switzerland or here today. It's so f****** special.' Scott immediately apologised to the crowd for the language. Alessia Russo, who scored the Lionesses' equaliser with a header against Spain in the final, described the celebrations on The Mall as 'a bit surreal'. Asked by BBC News how she was feeling whilst on the open-top bus, she said: 'Tired, but on cloud nine. I mean, this is just unreal. 'We didn't really know what to expect coming into it today, but everyone was so excited on the bus, and it feels so nice to come back to England and celebrate with our fans.' Asked to describe the scenes in central London, Russo added: 'It's just a bit surreal. It's crazy to see this many people come out in the home of England at London, heading up to Buckingham Palace – it's just crazy. 'I'd never have dreamed of anything like it.' Celebrations on home soil began on Monday when the team landed at Southend Airport in Essex, where hundreds of fans waited to catch a glimpse of Sarina Wiegman's side and the trophy. The Lionesses attended a reception at Downing Street hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock.
