England defend European title in dramatic penalty shootout against Spain!

Chloe Kelly etched her name further into England's footballing history, becoming the Lionesses' Euros hero for a second time. Her decisive winning penalty in a dramatic shootout saw England successfully defend their European title, overcoming Spain 3-1 on spot-kicks after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.

England once again found themselves in a grueling battle, pushed to extra time for the third consecutive knockout game of the tournament, and to penalties for the second. Yet, the Lionesses once more navigated the lottery of a shootout to clinch the Euros trophy. Kelly, who famously scored the winning goal in extra time against Germany at Wembley in 2022, netted the decisive kick with her now-trademark run-up.

Coming off the bench in the 40th minute to replace Lauren James, the Chelsea winger seemed to still be nursing a knock from the semi-final against Italy, but Kelly immediately injected energy into the game. England desperately needed her attacking impetus, having fallen behind to a Mariona Caldentey header in the 25th minute. Spain had sliced through, with Caldentey getting a shoulder ahead of Lucy Bronze to nod home Ona Batlle's cross, leaving England a step behind.

Once introduced, Kelly proved to be a constant nuisance for the Spanish defense. Just before the hour mark, she delivered another inch-perfect cross that Alessia Russo powerfully headed past Cata Coll to level the score.

However, England's triumph wasn't solely down to Kelly's heroics. Throughout Euro 2025, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has been a crucial presence, keeping the Lionesses in contention at the most critical moments. Not long after Russo's equalizer, the Chelsea shot-stopper produced a crucial save to deny Claudia Pina from a tight angle.

Spain largely dominated the additional 30 minutes of extra time and had a golden opportunity to win the match when Salma Paralluelo attempted to flick the ball goalwards, but she couldn't get the right connection, and the chance went begging. With neither side able to find a breakthrough, the game, inevitably, proceeded to yet another penalty shootout for England.

The shootout began dramatically for England when Beth Mead had to retake her first kick due to a double-touch. Although she had scored initially, her retaken effort was saved. Spain took an early lead with Patri Guijarro converting their first penalty. However, that would be the only spot-kick Spain would score. Hampton then made two crucial saves, denying Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati, while Paralluelo sent her effort wide of the post.

Despite a miss from Leah Williamson, Niamh Charles and Alex Greenwood calmly converted their penalties, setting the stage for Chloe Kelly. Stepping up once again in the most high-pressure moment imaginable, Kelly calmly dispatched her shot, securing Euros glory for England once more.

Player reactions: Confidence, grit, and hidden pain

"I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don't miss a penalty twice!" a confident Chloe Kelly declared after the match. "Tough times don't last. Just around the corner was a Champions League final and I won that. Now a Euros final and I won that. Thanks to everyone that wrote me off. I'm grateful." Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright praised Kelly's "clutch" ability, noting she's "delivered every single time" coming off the bench.

Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was ecstatic. "This team is just unbelievable, incredible. We've shown throughout the tournament we can come back when we go a goal back. We've got that grit, that English blood in us. We never say die, we keep going and we did that today." Hampton hilariously admitted losing track of the score during Kelly's penalty, turning to the fans to ask if a goal meant victory. "They were just cheering at me so I didn't know what the answer was, but then I saw that run up and that was it, we've won. I can't believe it."

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In a stunning revelation, England defender Lucy Bronze disclosed to BBC Sport: "I have actually played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia, and then I have hurt my knee on my other leg. That's why I got a lot of praise from the girls after the Sweden game, as I've been in a lot of pain. If that's what it takes to play for England, that's what I'll do. Very painful."

Wiegman: 'The most chaotic tournament'

England boss Sarina Wiegman reflected on the tumultuous journey: "I can't believe it. The word 'team' really described who we are - a team. We said we can win by any means and that's what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible." She described Euro 2025 as "the most chaotic tournament on the pitch - all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponents. From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos."

This victory solidifies England's place at the summit of European women's football, showcasing their unwavering resolve and ability to thrive under immense pressure.