Relentlessly, exhilaratingly, Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses have gone where no group of English footballers has ever gone before. Sunday’s heroically hard-fought victory over the world champions, Spain – in a Euro 2025 final which required yet another comeback – was the first successful defence of an international title by a senior England team. It was also the first time a major trophy has been acquired away from the home comforts of Wembley.
That gives the measure of the achievement. What will live long in the memory was the manner of it. Well beaten by France in the group stages, 2-0 down to Sweden late in the quarter-final, 1-0 down to Italy in injury time in the semi-final, 1-0 down to Spain at half-time in the final, a remarkable group of players seemed somehow to thrive in such adversity.
