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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jonathan Liew

A moment to sense the sheer scale of progress: Euro 2025 set for kick-off

A giant soccer ball displayed in front of the Berne railway station
Switzerland has never been one of Europe’s major women’s football nations but ticket sales for this tournament will surpass those of Euro 2022 before a ball has been kicked. Photograph: Anthony Anex/AP

In 1957 the Swiss newspaper Sport published a short editorial under the headline “Women’s Football?” Furious that a women’s friendly between Germany and the Netherlands was being hosted in Basel, the writer mocked: “This event is not about football, but rather should be classified as an exhibition or circus performance.”

On Wednesday evening, in front of a sell-out crowd, Switzerland will play their opening game of a home European Championship that will be one of the biggest sporting events held in the country. Sport newspaper, sadly, will be unable to chronicle the event, having folded in 1999. Life moves on you pretty fast.

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