Latest news with #SweetCaroline
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
European champions England given a hero's welcome outside Buckingham Palace
Less than 48 hours on from the nerve-shredding penalty shootout in Basel that saw Sarina Wiegman's side retain their European crown, throngs of supporters took over the approach to Buckingham Palace as the team paraded the trophy along the famous route from an open-top bus and revelled in an achievement unique in English football. For the first time since England teams began competing at major international tournaments in 1950, a side bearing the three lions returned home victorious as Chloe Kelly's winning kick capped a stunning fightback against the world champions, making Wiegman's players the first to win a tournament outside of England. Proud 🥹 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 29, 2025 It was a fitting intervention that, as the bus arrived from the Mall to a specially-erected stage in front of the palace at around 12:20, an overcast sky over London parted for the first time and bathed the European champions in sunshine. Some supporters had waited for 12 hours for captain Leah Williamson and her team. The earliest devotees reportedly set up camp just after midnight in anticipation of the players' arrival on the Mall just past noon, to be joined by fans who had travelled from all over the country and who represented a cross-section of ages and backgrounds. A carnival atmosphere had been heightened at around 11am when footage was shown on a big screen of England's remarkable route through the tournament. From the disappointment of the loss to France with which they began the defence of their title, to the escapology acts of the knockout stages that saw them fight back from the brink of elimination against Sweden and Italy. The England supporters' band – the soundtrack to so many tournament disappointments throughout decades of England teams returning home empty-handed – were in attendance, underscoring the significance to English football of the Lionesses' back-to-back tournament triumphs. Later, the Central Band of the Royal Air Force took over to serenade the players onto stage with a rendition of 'Sweet Caroline'. Addressing the crowd, a visibly emotional Williamson said: 'Special people, we love each other, we've got each other's back on and off the pitch. 'Everything we do, we do for us and the team but we do it for the country and young girls. This job never existed thirty years ago. This story's not done yet.' The duo you didn't know you needed 😁😁 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 29, 2025 Wiegman, who was coaxed into dancing by an on-stage appearance from Afrobeat star Burna Boy, said: 'We just kept hope and belief and (the players) showed up when it was really necessary and urgent. 'There's a huge talent pool in this team. The bonding in this team in this tournament, that made the difference. Everyone was willing to step up and support each other.' Kelly, whose goal in the final moment of extra-time put England through against Italy – before hitting the winning penalty in the final – said: 'Pressure? What pressure? It feels so good to stand side by side with these girls. Thank you to everyone who got out to support us. It's so f*****g special.' Goalkeeper and penalty hero Hannah Hampton said: 'Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do. If it makes you happy go and follow that smile.' Young player of the tournament Michelle Agyemang, whose equalising goals in the quarter-final and semi-final, said: 'It's still surreal. It doesn't even seem real.' The biggest cheer of the day was reserved for when Williamson lifted the European Championship trophy high as Buckingham Palace disappeared behind plumes of red and white smoke and 'Sweet Caroline' echoed again over London.
Fox News
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
England's Euro 2025 Champions Get Heroes' Welcome With Surprise Guests
Thousands of fans came out to celebrate England's back-to-back Women's Euro titles in London on Tuesday as coach Sarina Wiegman and her players were given a homecoming to remember. Led by a marching band along the iconic Mall and later serenaded on stage by music stars Burna Boy and Heather Small, England's players and staff partied in front of Buckingham Palace. "I was crying all the way down The Mall. This is unbelievable. This is probably one of the best things we've ever been a part of," said captain Leah Williamson, fighting back more tears. England made history by becoming the country's first national soccer team across the men's and women's game to win a tournament on foreign soil with the penalty shootout victory against world champion Spain in Basel on Sunday. Arriving on two open-top buses with "Champions" emblazoned on them, the players waved to the fans who, wearing face paint and waving flags, had lined the streets to welcome their heroes. "We didn't really know what to expect coming into it today, but everyone was so excited on the bus and it was so nice to come back to England and celebrate with our fans," said Alessia Russo, who scored England's equalizing goal in the final, which ended 1-1 after extra time. "It's just a bit surreal. It's crazy to see this many people come out in the home of England, in London, heading up to Buckingham Palace, I'd never have dreamt of anything like it." The central band of the Royal Air Force got the atmosphere going — playing England soccer anthems "Three Lions" and "Sweet Caroline." There was more music on stage with a special surprise for Wiegman, who is a fan of Burna Boy. The Nigerian Afro-fusion star joined her to sing his hit song "For my Hand," with Wiegman dancing along and joining in. The Dutch coach completed a three-peat of Euros titles, having previously won with her native Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022. She has a remarkable record of reaching the final of her last five major tournaments as coach of the Netherlands and England. "I hoped for a little less chaos," she said of the her latest triumph, which featured comebacks from England in each of the knockout rounds through to the final. "They just showed up when it was really necessary." Heather Small was next on stage to sing "Proud" with England's players joining in again before lifting the trophy in front of the thousands of fans who had gathered, with fireworks filling the sky. For Williamson, triumph was another benchmark as she became the first England captain to lift two major trophies. "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 are making history every single step," she said. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
England's Euro 2025 champions given a heroes' welcome with some surprise guests getting involved
Thousands of fans came out to celebrate England's back-to-back Women's European Champions in London on Tuesday as coach Sarina Wiegman and her players were given a homecoming to remember. Led by a marching band along the iconic Mall and later serenaded on stage by music stars Burna Boy and Heather Small, England's players and staff partied in front of Buckingham Palace. 'I was crying all the way down The Mall. This is unbelievable. This is probably one of the best things we've ever been a part of,' said captain Leah Williamson, fighting back more tears. England made history by becoming the country's first national soccer team across the men's and women's game to win a tournament on foreign soil with the penalty shootout victory against world champion Spain in Basel on Sunday. Arriving on two open-top buses with 'Champions' emblazoned on them, the players waved to the fans who, wearing face paint and waving flags, had lined the streets to welcome their heroes. 'We didn't really know what to expect coming into it today, but everyone was so excited on the bus and it was so nice to come back to England and celebrate with our fans,' said Alessia Russo, who scored England's equalizing goal in the final, which ended 1-1 after extra time. 'It's just a bit surreal. It's crazy to see this many people come out in the home of England, in London, heading up to Buckingham Palace, I'd never have dreamt of anything like it.' The central band of the Royal Air Force got the atmosphere going — playing England soccer anthems 'Three Lions' and 'Sweet Caroline.' There was more music on stage with a special surprise for Wiegman, who is a fan of Burna Boy. The Nigerian Afro-fusion star joined her to sing his hit song 'For my Hand,' with Wiegman dancing along and joining in. The Dutch coach completed a three-peat of Euros titles, having previously won with her native Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022. She has a remarkable record of reaching the final of her last five major tournaments as coach of the Netherlands and England. 'I hoped for a little less chaos,' she said of the her latest triumph, which featured comebacks from England in each of the knockout rounds through to the final. 'They just showed up when it was really necessary.' Heather Small was next on stage to sing 'Proud' with England's players joining in again before lifting the trophy in front of the thousands of fans who had gathered, with fireworks filling the sky. For Williamson, triumph was another benchmark as she became the first England captain to lift two major trophies. '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 are making history every single step,' she said.
South Wales Guardian
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Lionesses lift Euros trophy in front of thousands at Buckingham Palace
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. There was singing, swearing and even a splash of royalty in attendance at the jubilant parade in central London. 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. Weigman was particularly ecstatic to share the stage and a hug with the artist, having previously admitted to reporters at press conferences how much she enjoyed and played his music. After her song, Small turned to the team and said: 'Congratulations ladies – we are so very proud.' 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. Among those spotted in the crowd was Princess Beatrice, the King's niece and ninth in line to the throne, who was joined in giving her support by husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their baby daughter Athena. 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. All for this moment! ❤️ — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 29, 2025 '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. In a post later on X, Kelly apologised and said: 'Ooops. Emotions got the better of me. Sorry for the F bomb. love CK x' 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. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer offered 'a huge, huge congratulations to you and to the whole team' as he spoke with Wiegman and some of the Lionesses via a video call from the garden of No 10. The King also congratulated the European champions on Monday, saying in a statement posted on X: 'You have shown through your example over past weeks that there are no setbacks so tough that defeat cannot be transformed into victory, even as the final whistle looms. 'Well done, Lionesses.' Royal celebrations could continue for the team as plans for a reception at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle in the autumn are being explored by royal aides, it is understood.
South Wales Guardian
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
European champions England given a hero's welcome outside Buckingham Palace
Less than 48 hours on from the nerve-shredding penalty shootout in Basel that saw Sarina Wiegman's side retain their European crown, throngs of supporters took over the approach to Buckingham Palace as the team paraded the trophy along the famous route from an open-top bus and revelled in an achievement unique in English football. For the first time since England teams began competing at major international tournaments in 1950, a side bearing the three lions returned home victorious as Chloe Kelly's winning kick capped a stunning fightback against the world champions, making Wiegman's players the first to win a tournament outside of England. Proud 🥹 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 29, 2025 It was a fitting intervention that, as the bus arrived from the Mall to a specially-erected stage in front of the palace at around 12:20, an overcast sky over London parted for the first time and bathed the European champions in sunshine. Some supporters had waited for 12 hours for captain Leah Williamson and her team. The earliest devotees reportedly set up camp just after midnight in anticipation of the players' arrival on the Mall just past noon, to be joined by fans who had travelled from all over the country and who represented a cross-section of ages and backgrounds. A carnival atmosphere had been heightened at around 11am when footage was shown on a big screen of England's remarkable route through the tournament. From the disappointment of the loss to France with which they began the defence of their title, to the escapology acts of the knockout stages that saw them fight back from the brink of elimination against Sweden and Italy. The England supporters' band – the soundtrack to so many tournament disappointments throughout decades of England teams returning home empty-handed – were in attendance, underscoring the significance to English football of the Lionesses' back-to-back tournament triumphs. Later, the Central Band of the Royal Air Force took over to serenade the players onto stage with a rendition of 'Sweet Caroline'. Addressing the crowd, a visibly emotional Williamson said: 'Special people, we love each other, we've got each other's back on and off the pitch. 'Everything we do, we do for us and the team but we do it for the country and young girls. This job never existed thirty years ago. This story's not done yet.' The duo you didn't know you needed 😁😁 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 29, 2025 Wiegman, who was coaxed into dancing by an on-stage appearance from Afrobeat star Burna Boy, said: 'We just kept hope and belief and (the players) showed up when it was really necessary and urgent. 'There's a huge talent pool in this team. The bonding in this team in this tournament, that made the difference. Everyone was willing to step up and support each other.' Kelly, whose goal in the final moment of extra-time put England through against Italy – before hitting the winning penalty in the final – said: 'Pressure? What pressure? It feels so good to stand side by side with these girls. Thank you to everyone who got out to support us. It's so f*****g special.' Goalkeeper and penalty hero Hannah Hampton said: 'Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do. If it makes you happy go and follow that smile.' Young player of the tournament Michelle Agyemang, whose equalising goals in the quarter-final and semi-final, said: 'It's still surreal. It doesn't even seem real.' The biggest cheer of the day was reserved for when Williamson lifted the European Championship trophy high as Buckingham Palace disappeared behind plumes of red and white smoke and 'Sweet Caroline' echoed again over London.
