England has retained it UEFA Women’s Euro title beating world champions Spain to become the first senior national team from the country to win a tournament on foreign soil
England has retained it UEFA Women’s Euro title defeating world champions Spain to become the first senior national team from the country to win a tournament on foreign soil.
The Lionesses won their first-ever title three years ago at the previous UEFA Women’s Euro, played in England. It was the country’s first triumph at a major international tournament since the men’s team won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, another championship played entirely in England.
In 2009, the women’s team became the first England side to reach a final on foreign soil, losing the UEFA Women’s Euro decider 2-6 to Germany in Helsinki. The men’s side matched that achievement last year, reaching the men’s Euro final but failed to get over the line against Spain, the nation that also denied the Lionesses in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
England started with eight of the players who began that game in Sydney. Spain started with six, as well as two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, a substitute on that night, and were strengthened by the addition of Laia Aleixandri and Patri Guijarro who we’re absent from the World Cup due to a long-running dispute with the national team management at the time
The match seemed to be following a similar script to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final between the same two sides in 2023. Like that game, England started off brightly and Lauren Hemp came closest to opening the scoring. Then she hit the crossbar and today, pouncing upon a loose pass from Cata Coll, she forced an outstanding save from the Spanish goalkeeper.
A beautifully-crafted goal scored by Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey in the 25th minute meant that England trailed for the third knockout match in succession.
