Euro 2025 final buildup as England prepare to take on Spain: football news – live | Women’s Euro 2025
Key events
England midfielder Ella Toone spoke to the media yesterday. She insisted the Lionesses are not feeling any outside pressure ahead of the final. The Manchester United star said: “We have our own little bubble and when we’re on camp we stay in that little bubble. We don’t know too much about what’s going on at home. We don’t have that pressure on ourselves, the only pressure we have is the one that you put on yourself individually. We’re all very competitive athletes who want to win and want to play well every single game.
“When we came into this tournament we said that we wanted to make the nation proud and I think we’ve done that already. We’ve reached a final for the third time in a row and that’s something we can hold our heads high and be proud of. We know that no matter what we do we’re already inspiring the next generation of girls and boys starting out on their journeys. So no pressure, we’re definitely blocking that out and we’ll make sure we prepare properly for the game on Sunday.”
Suzanne Wrack
“Few could have predicted the rollercoaster of emotions England would take us on across five games, and trying to guess an outcome of a mouthwatering final between the European Championship holders and World Cup winners is futile as a result…”
The officials for Sunday’s final were announced on Thursday:
-
Referee: Stéphanie Frappart
-
Assistant referees: Camille Soriano, Francesca di Monte
-
Fourth official: Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi
-
Reserve assistant referee: Susanne Küng
-
VAR: Willy Delajod
-
Assistant VAR: Christian Dingert
-
VAR supervisor: Dennis Higler
Be sure to click here for all of the Euro 2025 results so far.
Tom Garry
From Tom B: England have won by having greater depth and fitness (which is a legitimate advantage from investing in the women’s game/WSL), but been outplayed technically for long periods? Is there a case that a bit like the USNWT at the last World Cup this run to the final has masked some bigger issues for England?
I think it more importantly highlights the extra resources England and the FA have invested into sports science, nutrition and all the fitness staff – this team have found extra energy when others have faltered. That’s where additional things like having the most luxurious hotel in Zurich as your training base can also help with an extra 1%… But do England need to improve before the World Cup? Yes, absolutely they do.”
So, where could Sunday’s final be won and lost? Sophie Downey has looked into it…
Thanks Tom! Let’s continue looking ahead to tomorrow’s final.
Right, Emillia is back now to pick up blogging duties. Over and out, from me.
Ella Toone has been speaking to the media in Switzerland about the impact of young star Michelle Agyemang:
“Michelle, it’s mad, like I would think she’s about 30 years old, she’s so mature. She’s so humble, she’s coming to this tournament with freedom, you know, not a worry, not a care. She’s just gone out there and done what’s been asked of her.
“She’s been amazing for us. She’s turned up in big moments when we’ve needed her. She’s got a lot of talent, and she can do a lot of things that not many players can do.
“Even when she scored and kept us in games, she’s been the same Michelle that she was when she started this tournament. So, yeah, I’m absolutely buzzing for her. It’s nice for good people to get things that they deserve, and she’s definitely one of those people.”
Quotes via PA Media
Tom Garry
From Stuart in Bedfordshire: How has Switzerland shaped up as a host country? Any lessons the TBD next hosts could learn?
The most impressive thing here has been the infrastructure. Every train, tram and bus I have travelled on – probably more than 100 in total – has been exactly on time, which has been a breath of fresh air compared to travelling around the UK. It is something the UK must address before the 2035 Women’s World Cup, which is poised to have 48 teams taking part and – I would estimate – might attract something in the region of three million fans at least. The Swiss have provided free public transport for Euros ticket holders and everyone with accreditation. That’s been outstanding.
The only downside here is some of the stadiums have felt a bit too small. Uefa will surely look at that when they assess the bids for Euro 2029. Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland and a joint Denmark-Sweden bid are all in the running.
Thanks Emilia, I think we have a couple more answers from Tom Garry to come. Keep firing in question via the link at the top of the page.
Tom Bassam will be taking the reins now while I grab a quick break. Be sure to keep sending in those questions!
From Henry: It looks like everyone in Switzerland has really embraced the tournament. What impact do you think this summer will have on Swiss football going forward? Do you think we’ll see Euro 2025 have a similar impact on the nation as to what Euro 2022 had on England, with more investment, interest etc?
The hosts have really embraced this tournament, which has been heartening to see, and the atmosphere on the nights of the Swiss team’s matches was fantastic, all across the country in bars and watchalong spots, as well as in the stadiums. I hope it will have a big legacy but, realistically, it is probably unlikely to be quite as transformational as it was in England, purely because England already had a headstart with a full-time professional domestic league beforehand. But more investment from Swiss clubs could help.”
Peter Gartner has messaged in with his take on who Sarina Wiegman should start in tomorrow’s match:
“If James cannot play, Sarina might make one change from the starting XI. If I were her, I would keep Kelly and Agyemang for subs (hopefully earlier at 60mins) but start Beever-Jones. Go on, Sarina, surprise us.
“Also, consider bringing on Park at half-time if Toone is not playing well. Remember, Park scored when we beat Spain 1-0. It could be psychological. Keep Morgan for Carter.”
Tom Garry
From Helen: “Who will likely be the biggest threats for England and Spain in the final?”
In the box, England must keep an eye on Esther González, the competition’s top scorer, but the main threats are in midfield, where Bonmati and Putellas remain the two best players in the world. Claudia Pina is also a danger, on the left, cutting onto her deadly right foot. And England must try to prevent Patri Guijarro from controlling all of the ball in the middle. She completed more than 100 passes in Spain’s semi-final.”
Tom Garry
From Emily: “Should Wiegman start with Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang in the final given their influence on the last game? Also, should we expect Jess Carter to return to the starting line-up?”
I can completely understand why so many people are calling for Kelly and Agyemang to start but I would keep them in their game-changing roles as ‘finishers’ – which is the phrase the team have given to all the impact substitutes – which enables them to thrive against tiring defenders. The way England set up, the roles that their starting players employ are very specific, detailed and different to the tactical instructions provided to the ‘finishers’ and we should not underestimate the importance of the off-the-ball work done by a starter such as Alessia Russo, in tiring out the opposition in the first place. England will monitor the performance of the opposition’s backline and try to time their substitutions perfectly to make the maximum impact.”
Tom Garry
From Katie: “Do you think Lauren James should start tomorrow regardless of the injury risk, or do you think she would be best suited as an impact sub?”
It really depends on how well she comes through training today, and what the data looks like when the physios and England’s coaches assess her output during the whole training session, but my gut feeling is they would prefer for her to start than for her to be an impact substitute. James’ skill on the ball will be vital to England trying to progress up the pitch, relieve pressure and perhaps win free-kicks on the half-way line to provide some respite from Spain’s dominance of the first-half possession. She is in Wiegman’s first-choice XI if she is ready to play, so – if deemed fit enough – I personally think she will start.”
Tom Garry is now on hand to answer some of your questions on Euro 2025. Feel free to continue sending them in.
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!
Tom Garry
England appeared calm, focused and rather business-like as usual, when they were training in Zurich this lunchtime. They did around a 90-minute session, which is their last training session before tomorrow’s final. Lauren James, the only known injury doubt for the final, appeared in good shape, running around as usual without any evidence of tape nor any strapping around her ankle, which will be good news for Lionesses fans. We saw England being put through their paces, fitness-wise and doing light drills.
London City Lionesses have just announced the signing of Nikita Parris on a two-year deal. Parris left Brighton earlier this month following the expiry of her contract. Upon her arrival in London, the forward said: “I’m excited. It’s a very ambitious project and I’m really looking forward to meeting all the girls and getting started. The project here aligns with the challenges I want to meet and the goals I want to achieve. I’m going to give my all to make sure the team progresses.”
Speaking to the media yesterday, England manager Sarina Wiegman said: “In this environment you have challenges all the time. Before the World Cup, we had challenges with players who were injured. Of course, we prepare a lot and we know the players really well. We think of scenarios: ‘Who is the first player to select? Who is the second?’ You’re prepared for challenges. The challenge ahead of the tournament is the same for an injured player or a player who is not available. You have to move on to what you want and who is ready to compete.”
Reflecting on her development over the last four years, England manager Sarina Wiegman said: “As every person in this room develops, I develop too, with experiences. First my English has improved, so I understand a lot more, but also you learn more about the people you work with. You learn more again about yourself and how you respond to things and, while I’m always working on developing the team and developing or trying to help the development of people, I always try to keep developing myself.
“What I’ve really wanted to do over all these years is try to enjoy it all a little bit more. You have to be focused in this job, you have to be focused but you need to celebrate the moments that are good, it’s really nice.”
Emma John
“You can understand why the Lionesses needed a new catchphrase. Three years ago, when they won the Euros at Wembley, they effectively retired: “It’s coming home.” So this tournament it’s all been about “proper England”, a mantra so versatile you can use it for just about anything that’s taken place during their Euro 2025 campaign…”
Tom will be on hand from 12:30pm BST so be sure to send your questions in soon!
We’ve got Tom Garry on hand to answer some of your questions ahead of tomorrow’s final. Feel free to message in with anything you want to ask.
England have been busy in training ahead of the final. Here are some pictures from this morning’s session…
England v Spain: last three meetings
Spain 2 England 1, 3 June 2025, Barcelona
England were knocked out of the Nations League after going ahead through Alessia Russo in the 21st minute. In the second half, Spain’s Clàudia Pina made an instant impact from the bench, scoring two minutes after coming on, then doubled her tally 10 minutes later as Spain secured victory in the 70th minute. The Lionesses would have qualified for the semi-finals at Spain’s expense with a win.
England 1 Spain 0, 26 Feb 2025, London
A Wembley crowd of 46,550 watched England defeat Spain in the teams’ first meeting since the World Cup final, in Nations League A Group 3. Jess Park’s 33rd-minute goal secured victory for the Lionesses. Lucía García’s first-half attempt that rattled the crossbar and second-half chances for the winger Salma Paralluelo were the highlights of Spain’s attacking play but England held on.
Spain 1 England 0, 20 August 2023, Sydney
Spain became world champions with a dominant performance. Lauren Hemp hit the bar from outside of the box early on but that was the pinnacle of England’s first-half chances and Olga Carmona ensured Spain went into the break ahead with a clinical finish past Mary Earps. Earps produced a fantastic 70th-minute penalty save from Jenni Hermoso and made further saves to keep England in the game but Spain deserved their win. Eze Obasi
Sammy Gecsoyler
“Four years ago, Michelle Agyemang was a ballgirl at Wembley stadium, witnessing the Lionesses’ rule the pitch in a 4-0 victory against Northern Ireland. Now, at just 19 years old, she no longer finds herself retrieving balls that have veered out of play, but is an integral part of the team she once admired from the sidelines…”
Tom Garry
England have a full squad of 23 players training here in Zurich, including a relaxed-looking Lauren James, the day before the Euro 2025 final. Encouraging news for Sarina Wiegman’s side.
Record-breaking tournament
Euro 2025 games in Switzerland have shattered Women’s European Championship attendance records, including the highest overall attendance ever, with the final still to be played.
A record 623,088 fans attended games through the end of the semi-finals, obliterating the previous total of 574,875 fans who watched the entire England 2022 tournament.
England’s dramatic semi-final win over Italy in extra time gave British broadcaster ITV its biggest audience of the year with 10.2 million linear viewers, and another 17.2 million following the game on streaming platform ITV X.
Fox Sports in the United States also reported a 176% increase in the number watching the semi-finals compared to 2022 as the tournament caught the imagination on the other side of the Atlantic. Reuters.
England and Spain will both wear their home kits tomorrow in the final. Spain are set to wear red shorts.
We recently asked fans to get in touch and send us their experiences from Euro 2025 and their views of the tournament. We received some brilliant responses, so I’ll be sharing them throughout the day, starting with this one:
‘The buzz has been incredible’
I’ve had the pleasure of attending three knockout matches as well as watching England games in fan zones in Berne and Zurich. The buzz has been incredible: non-stop noise and energy from huge crowds. Even though most games have ended close to midnight here, no one seems to mind.
One standout moment was when I accidentally got caught up in the mix of the Swiss fan march in Berne before their quarter-final against Spain. It was very emotional – there were so many people there to express their love and passion for both the team and women’s football at large. It felt like an inflection point.
I imagine this tournament will set a new bar for women’s football thanks to the ubiquitous marketing, the ease of public transport and the clear investment from the Swiss FA. They dared to dream and are making it a reality.”
Jenna, Washington DC
In some transfer news, Eddie Howe has revealed no contract talks have been held with Alexander Isak but hopes to keep the striker at Newcastle. Isak has been at the centre of transfer speculation over the summer window and it was reported earlier in the week that he has asked to explore a move away.
Meanwhile, in the men’s game, Liverpool players will wear a “Forever 20” emblem on their shirts and stadium jackets this Premier League season in memory of their former forward Diogo Jota who died in a car crash in Spain three weeks ago. The club also announced on Saturday a special commemoration including a fan mosaic and a minute’s silence ahead of Liverpool’s opening game of the season against Bournemouth on 15 August. Liverpool had already announced after consultation with Jota’s family that his number 20 shirt will be retired across all levels of the club, including the women’s and academy teams. Reuters.
Some early team news is that England are sweating on the fitness of Lauren James ahead of tomorrow’s final. The forward appeared to suffer an injury to her ankle during Tuesday’s semi-final against Italy.
Yesterday, Sarina Wiegman said: “She’s still recovering. She’s doing things on the [training] pitch and we have two more days so we’re going to give her time. We don’t know yet [if she’ll be ready], but that’s what we’re going to go for – [aiming for] 23 players available for the game on Sunday.”
Preamble
Hello and good morning! It is the penultimate day of Euro 2025 and we are well and truly on the countdown to the final tomorrow. England and Spain will both have their final training sessions of the tournament today, so we might get a rough idea of some team news. We will also hear from both Sarina Wiegman and Montse Tomé this afternoon ahead of the blockbuster clash.
I’ll be with you all day, bringing you all the latest news from Switzerland. Join me!
