Another thriller in the penalty shoot-out: With a lot of fighting spirit, England beat Spain in the European Championship final. That's what the international media say.
28.07.2025, 09:16
28.07.2025, 09:22
dpa
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- England win the dramatic European Championship final against Spain on penalties and are crowned European champions in Basel.
- The international press emphasizes the great fighting spirit of the English women after the successful title defence. England only held the lead for 4 minutes and 52 seconds in the entire knockout phase of the tournament.
England
"The Times:"After a crazy knockout phase in which they probably should have lost in both the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, they win, of course, not just by any penalty shoot-out, but by another bizarre one. This final didn't quite have the drama of the quarter-final against Sweden, in which nine penalties were missed, but it still had twists and turns worthy of an epic final."
"The Telegraph:"The England team did their best during the European Championships to extend the nation's life expectancy. They fell behind in all three of their knockout round matches and each game went to extra time, with two of them being decided on penalties. But not to worry, because that meant it was Chloe Kelly's hour. Kelly thrives in hopeless situations where unlikely saves are required. And she delivered in all three games."
"Guardian:"The Spaniards have a style of play that has been drilled into them from an early age, so much so that it comes as naturally to them as breathing - when the support around them matches it, they are unstoppable. England, however, have the resources: the support of the FA and the hearts of the nation. Crucially, they also have the best coach in world football in Sarina Wiegman, and an unshakeable team spirit."
Spain
"As":"History is made of victories, but also of defeats. Spain lost the final of the European Championship, but left a lasting impression. England shattered their dream, the world champions were unable to complete the circle they started two years ago in Sydney. It couldn't have been more cruel, like the moment the die was cast in the penalty shoot-out.
That was superfluous, girlfriend: Kelly's look at Cata Coll after the decisive penalty. The England specialist changed the sequence of her penalty kick celebration so that she could run past the goalkeeper who had just beaten her. An arrogant gesture."
"Marca":"The Spaniards, who knew that England had more life than a cat, came back after the break to decide the game. But England proved it again. [...] With no luck, no accuracy and no strength, the European Championship was finally decided on penalties. I don't know if "unfair" is the right word, but playing for a title in the so-called penalty lottery is a punishment that is hard to digest."
"El País":"In a final, penalties are the dice that life throws without consideration when the last thing you need is chance. Then everything that almost never happens happens. [...] England repeat their European title and Spain, the historic Spanish generation, are left with a feat that means so little if it doesn't translate into glory. In the end, it means as much as if there had been neither heroism nor glory."
Switzerland
"NZZ":"England show in the European Championship final how to counter Spain's dominance - the title is not based on (penalty) chance. The British, like the Spanish, are among the trendsetters in women's football. England's renewed European Championship title is the result of a great deal of investment on the island."
"Blick":"They've done it again! Three years after winning the title on home soil, the English women are once again crowned the queens of Europe. As in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the Lionesses were chasing a deficit in the final against Spain - but won the game in a penalty thriller."
International
"La Gazzetta dello Sport":"After Arsenal's success in the Champions League against Barcelona, another tournament confirms which country is currently in charge on the continent, although the Lionesses' path this month has not been entirely smooth. Everything has already been said about their victory over the 'Azzurre' (Italy), but that also leaves a defeat in the group stage and three consecutive games - including the final - that were decided in extra time or penalties, each time having to overturn a deficit. Now it's easy to say: England never give up."
"L'Equipe":"After beating Spain, England won their second European Championship in Basel on Sunday. And they did so despite only being in the lead for 4 minutes and 52 seconds in the knockout phase of the tournament. Impressive resilience. [...] That makes their victory even more epic."
