The Women’s Euro 2025 tournament all comes down to this.
After weeks of drama, brilliance, and breakthrough performances, the Women’s Euros final has delivered a perfect matchup. It’s the reigning European Champions, England, against the current World Champions, Spain. The Lionesses will be hoping to reach the heights they achieved three years ago when they won the tournament on home soil, while Spain will be looking to complete global dominance by becoming World Champions and European Champions at the same time.
With both sides stacked with talent, tactical intrigue, and plenty of stories to be written, this is set to be more than just a final; it’s a defining moment in the world of women’s football.
1. Basic information
The Women’s Euro 2025 final is being held at St. Jakob-Park in Basel in Switzerland, on Sunday, 27th July. The kick-off is 5 pm (BST), and coverage of the game will be available on both ITV1 and BBC1. The live build-up to the game ahead of kick-off starts at 3:30 pm (ITV) and 3:40 pm (BBC).
H2H record…
England vs Spain promises to be an exciting encounter as it’s a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final in Australia, where it was Spain who prevailed 1-0 and became World Champions. A lot has changed with the Spanish side since the final, especially the fact that they have a new manager, Montse Tome.
The Lionesses will be hoping to retain their Euros crown and also break footballing history in England by being the first national side to win a major trophy away from home soil. Spain will be looking to become both World Champions and European Champions at the same time, and of course, they’ve reached their first-ever Euros final and have been clear favourites since before the tournament even started.
According to Fotmob, since 2013, these sides have faced each other 10 times, England have won 5, Spain have won 4, and there has been one draw. Their most recent meetings came in the Nations League, first up in February at Wembley, England won 1-0, thanks to a goal from Jess Park. But in June, Spain won at home 2-1 thanks to the super-sub that day, Claudia Pina.
Another notable game between these two was the quarter-final of the Women’s Euros in 2022. It was the Lionesses who prevailed that day with a 2-1 victory in extra time, with a banger scored by Georgia Stanway.
Since losing 1-0 to England, Spain are unbeaten in 10 games, whilst England have won 7 and lost 3 in their last 10 games since beating Spain. But advantage Lionesses?
2) Road to the final
Starting with England…
Their defence of their title got off to a shaky start after a poor performance, saw they lost 2-1 to France. This result meant they had to beat the Netherlands in the so-called group of death (Group D), and they did this with flying colours as they won 4-0. Lauren James and Alessia Russo were outstanding. Even though they beat Holland, qualification to the quarters wasn’t mathematically guaranteed, meaning once again they had to beat tournament debutants and continent neighbours Wales. Yet again, they did this with flying colours as they won 6-1 and had six different goal scorers in the process. The Lionesses finished second in the group after France won all their group games and arguably found themselves on the easier side of the draw.
A quarter-final against Sweden was in store, and the tournament looked over for Sarina Wiegman’s side as they were 2-0 down after 25 minutes. But up stepped veteran Lucy Bronze and teenage superstar Michelle Agyemang, who both scored within 101 seconds of each other in the 79th and 81st minute to send the game to extra-time, the game still finished level, so penalties it was. The shootout will go down as one of the worst yet thrilling in women’s football, maybe even football history, but hats off to Hannah Hampton and Bronze once again! Italy were up next in the semis, once again the Lionesses were poor in defence to begin with and conceded shortly after the half hour mark, this time their tournament looked over, but up stepped Agyemang at the death to fire her side level, and of course, who saved the day in extra-time? The one and only Chloe Kelly.
Moving onto Spain…
La Roja cruised into the quarter-finals by winning all three of their group games in Group B. They destroyed Portugal 5-0, Belgium 6-2, and Italy 3-1. Their main standout performers were striker Esther Gonzalez (who currently leads the Golden Boot race) and Barcelona superstar Alexia Putellas.
Montse Tome’s side faced a tricky encounter on paper in the quarters as they faced hosts Switzerland. They struggled to get going in the first half, and Mariona Caldentey surprisingly missed a penalty, but then second half, La Roja showed their class. Top-class wingers Claudia Pina and Athenea del Castillo scored beautiful goals to secure a 2-0 victory. Spain’s toughest test came in the semis, where they faced a resilient Germany side who, despite being down to 10 players in their QF vs France, won on penalties. The Germans frustrated the Spanish and looked the side most likely to score and progress; however, in extra-time, up stepped the current Women’s Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmati, who caught out Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post with a superb finish to send them through to their first Euros final.
3) From the dugout: What the managers are saying
England head coach Sarina Wiegman’s press conference comments:
“We had 23 players on the pitch today and everyone came through. If everyone recovers well, then we have everyone fit for tomorrow.”
About the squad being better in the games and winning tomorrow: “You don’t want a nerve-wracking game, but it shows what the competition is. The women’s game is improving so much, and every game is a hard game. I’m really glad we made it through. When you are in some situations, you hope you can turn it around. The most important thing is that the players think we can win and change a game, and that’s what we’ve shown.
“I think every tournament you want to perform. Going into the finals is already very special, and there are only two teams that can do it. It’s very special. You want to win a final, and we will do everything to make it happen.”
Spain head coach Montse Tome’s press conference comments:
“We have the team we want to have. We have the team we have been creating and building and working on during this year. We have been fine-tuning to reach the point we are in with the players that represent what we feel. We are in a Women’s Euros final so I am very happy with the job we have done.
“The team is fine, they are good. We’ve been fine-tuning the training to be in the best possible shape tomorrow. We have done several sessions adapting to players who have done more minutes.
“It’s a final. We know it’s a complicated game against a big national team and the current champion. We played twice against them this year, we know it will be hard. For the team, I have 23 players. If we feel we have to change something we can use all 23 players. This is something we have been doing since the beginning. They are all ready for tomorrow. If we need them tomorrow, they are available.”
On the pressure of being in the final: “I don’t think about pressure. I think during the whole tournament we have been writing history – getting to semis and the final for the first time, beating Germany for the first time. We have been accomplishing objectives and that’s the reason we’re here.
“Our first objective was to play six games and that’s the case. England are defending the title, they are the current champions, we will compete and we will enjoy the game. Of course we want to win.”
4) Key battle: Walsh vs Bonmati
For years now, under Wiegman, Keira Walsh has been integral to the Lionesses’ success. All of the sides’ good passing moves tend to go through her, and naturally, she’s grabbed many assists along the way. She is also composure personified in midfield as she always works hard and quietly goes about her business. However, in recent years, many sides have figured out how to stop the midfield maestro, meaning England have lacked a plan B in games.
This leads me nicely onto Aitana Bonmati, the 27-year-old midfielder is simply outstanding, and the way she plays the game in midfield makes everything look like it’s happening in slow motion. Her passing ability, agility, skill, and goal-scoring ability are incredible, and up against Keira Walsh, she could have a field day.
Walsh will be looking to stop Bonmati from getting on the ball and vice versa. They are both former teammates of each other from Walsh’s Barca days, so they will know how each other likes to play and be on the pitch, so I think whoever prevails in this mini-battle, their nation will be victorious.
5) Tactical breakdown
England and Wiegman’s tactics…
Sarina Wiegman has followed the same tactic since her Euros glory in 2022. England typically set up in a 4-3-3 formation, where they look to have two holding midfielders and one sitting just behind the striker. The two holding tend to be Walsh and Stanway, and Toone seems to be more attacking; however, Stanway and Walsh both look to get forward as much as they can during the game, and the players always seem to try and pass through Walsh to launch an attack. Wiegman also doesn’t like to make many/any changes to her starting XI’s as she likes to build up that consistency, but England have a lot of players on the bench who’ve already made a difference this summer, including Agyemang and Kelly.
The Lionesses’ defence has been where the most changes have happened this tournament. Jess Carter started as the left-back against France before being swapped with Alex Greenwood to centre half against the Netherlands and Wales. However, against Sweden, she was getting destroyed by their pace up top and was subbed around 70 minutes for Esme Morgan, who then started and played well against Italy in the SF.
England’s likely starting XI = Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Morgan, Greenwood; Walsh, Stanway, Toone; James, Russo Hemp.
Spain and Tome’s tactics…
Spain have always been a side that loves to keep possession, pass the ball around a lot, dominate midfield and score lots of goals in the process. Tome also plays a 4-3-3, so it will be a like-for-like match with the Lionesses. All three of La Roja’s midfielders (Bonmati, Putellas and Guijarro) can all pass the ball with ease, create numerous chances every game as well as score themselves. Guijarro tends to be the one who drops to pick up the ball while Putellas and Bonmati help support the attack as much as they can. The way to get at this sensational Spanish team is in behind the full-backs, both Batlle and Carmona look to push on as much as they can, so if Wiegman has picked up on this, Hemp, Kelly, Mead, Beever-Jones and James could be the game changers.
Spain’s likely starting XI = Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Mendez, Carmona; Bonmati, Guijarro, Putellas; Caldentey, Gonzalez, Pina.
6) X-factor players
19-year-old Michelle Agyemang has been ‘the player’ for the Lionesses so far this summer; she may have only made one senior appearance before this tournament, but she has saved her country on two occasions already with two big goals. Can she do it again in the biggest game of her career?. The first goal came in the Lionesses’ QF encounter vs Sweden, the other in the 96th minute in their SF against Italy to force extra-time. She was an unknown ahead of this tournament to both the fans and the nations, especially after starting only 4 WSL games whilst on loan at Brighton last season. But one thing for certain: she will go home a hero to her club Arsenal and the nation, no matter what happens on Sunday, as without her, England would have been out of the tournament a long time ago. She is physical, powerful, and has a fair bit of pace. Her and Russo up top if England are losing could rough up that Spanish defence and cause problems.
Onto Spain’s X-Factor player, we have another teenager, 19-year-old Barcelona midfielder Vicky Lopez. Since making her senior debut in February 2024, she has played 14 games for Spain and has scored 4 goals. A lot of her gametime this tournament has been off the bench as it’s hard to take the place of the three core midfielders but she has shown her skill, pace and directness when coming off the bench and when one of the core three tires against England, she could be a real handful in the latter stages.
The battle of the 19-year-olds to be the best super-sub will be a great one to watch.
7) What’s at stake?
The Lionesses have already got an incredible legacy in England, but they will be looking to create more history as I said by becoming the first senior national side out of the men and women’s teams to win a major trophy away from home soil as their Euros glory in 2022 was at Wembley and the mens World Cup glory in 1966 was at the Old Wembley. However, whatever happens, this ‘new England’ side has proven that they still have the passion, talent, and resilience to compete on the world stage. Sarina Wiegman will also be looking to break another record by winning three Euros back-to-back-to-back.
The Spanish side have an incredible legacy as well, back in Spain. Especially after their World Cup triumph in 2023 and after they put on a united front in solidarity with their former teammate Jenni Hermoso after she won her appeal against former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales (more info here). They have also created their own history this tournament by reaching their first Euros final, but ultimately, they want to complete global domination by holding both major honours at the same time.
Overall, whoever wins tomorrow this tournament has been another one for the history books as it’s been the most attended Women’s Euros tournament in history and many more girls all across the globe will have been inspired to get playing football and of course attend more games which ultimately will help the sport grow even more in the months and years to come in so many different ways.
8) Predictions
Being English, I of course want England to win tomorrow, and I do think if Sarina Wiegman gets the tactics right and frustrates the Spanish players like the Germans did the other night, we could win easily. However, Spain are quality all across the pitch and it’s so hard to call which way it will go.
It’s certainly going to be a tight encounter, but I think it will be 2-1 England after extra time. Michelle Agyemang or Chloe Kelly with the winner?