What a fantastic year it's been in women’s soccer. Players from all over the world played their hearts out, leading to incredible storylines, epic upsets, and continued growth of the women’s game. As 2025 comes to a close, let’s look back on some of the moments abd stories that shaped women’s football this year.
Gotham FC Wins Their Second NWSL Championship
A lack of consistency plagued the team in the summer months, but a strong fall performance capped off by the addition of Jaedyn Shaw helped push Gotham over the edge. Then, U.S. superstar Rose Lavelle sealed the deal for Gotham with the lone goal in the championship, capping off another storybook season.
Italian Women’s National Team Near-Upset of England in Euro Semifinal
OH MY GOODNESS!! 😱
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 22, 2025
ITALY TAKES THE LEAD OVER ENGLAND in the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 semis! 🇮🇹
Barbara Bonansea with the goal 🤌 pic.twitter.com/o3yOq1idXV
Moving across the pond, one of the biggest Cinderella stories of the year was the Italian women’s national team and their success at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025. By sheer force of will, the noted underdogs were determined to write their own story, defying expectations and taking it all the way to the semifinals.
In a tough match against the defending champs England, Italy managed a go-ahead goal in the 33rd minute only to concede in stoppage time, taking the match into added time. It was another late goal in the 119th from the Lionesses that would douse the Italians’ dreams, but the world, and Italy’s own federation, took stock of the success—success on which the team hopes to build in the coming years.
Arsenal’s Impressive UWCL Championship Win
In a league where there is no easy path to a win, Arsenal in particular faced a gauntlet schedule in order to lift its second UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy in club history. After two thrilling semifinal legs against Lyon—where Arsenal broke through 5–3 on aggregate, the Gunners took on overwhelming favorites Barcelona in the championship match. A lone goal from Stina Blackstenius in the 74th proved to be the difference maker for the WSL side, giving Renée Slegers the coveted trophy only mere months into her tenure as manager.
Kansas City Current’s Record-Breaking NWSL Season
TEMWA CHAWINGA'S 14TH GOAL OF THE SEASON ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Z7BNMkuHzs
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 27, 2025
Although the Current exited the NWSL playoffs in the semifinals, their regular-season run is one for the history books. Under Vlatko Andonovski and led by the now two-time NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga, the Current smashed NWSL records, clinching the Shield in mid-September. The team set the new NWSL record for most points scored: 65 over 21 regular season wins.
Chawinga herself became the first player in the league to score in seven consecutive regular season road matches. Six of her 15 regular season goals were game-winners which equaled her own NWSL record first set last year, and she tied her own league standard with eight consecutive regular season games with a goal.
Success of Women Coaches Across Global Football
Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman won her third consecutive UEFA Women’s Euros title, and her second with England. Sonia Bompastor led Chelsea Women to an unbeaten WSL season. Over in the NWSL, Racing Louisville coach Bev Yanez won the coveted Coach of the Year award for bringing the perennial underdogs into their first ever playoff appearance. For the U.S. Women’s National Team, manager Emma Hayes heralded a new era of the team, breaking the record for most debuts by a manager as she looks forward to the next World Cup.
More Women’s Soccer on Sports Illustrated
- Sports Illustrated FC’s 2025 NWSL End of Year Awards
- MLS, NWSL Expansion Interest Grows, New State Explores Stadium Plans
- The NWSL’s New High Impact Player Rule Explained
- Ranking the 10 Best NWSL 2026 Free Agent Signings So Far
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Best Women’s Soccer Moments of 2025.
