Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly England heroes as Lionesses triumph over Spain in Euros final

In a tense showdown that went all the way to penalties, England’s Lionesses retained their Euros crown, beating reigning world champions Spain in a dramatic final.

Here, Sports News Blitz deputy content editor Nicole Powell breaks down the action from a historic night in Switzerland.

A familiar opponent, a different result

The final felt like a rematch of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, where the same two sides had met. But this time, the tension was matched by a very different result.

Mariona Caldentey gave Spain the lead in the first half with a header, only for her Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo to respond in the 57th minute, also with a header.

Two Gunners, one goal apiece, and the game was level.

Unable to break the deadlock, the game went into extra time, where, still, neither the world champions nor the European champions could seal the deal, setting up a dramatic penalty shootout.

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The shootout: A test of nerves

Beth Mead kicked off the shootout for England, but after being asked to retake her penalty, the one that counted was saved.

Spain’s Patricia Guijarro confidently converted her effort to give La Roja the early advantage.

While Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles scored the Lionesses’ next two penalties, Spain’s hope of winning a first Euro title began to unravel.

Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton saved two crucial penalties - first against her Arsenal rival, Caldentey, and the other against Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati.

Salma Paralleulo couldn’t turn things around for Spain, missing the target, and giving England the lifeline despite Leah Williamson having a poorly taken penalty saved.

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Back-to-back champions

Chloe Kelly was the last to step up. And just like she did in the 2022 final, she slotted it home to seal the victory and the European title for England.

Both Hampton and Kelly were England’s most consistent and reliable performers throughout the tournament, and they delivered once again when it mattered most.

Hampton’s performance earned her the Player of the Match award, silencing any remaining critics who had questioned whether she could replace Mary Earps between the posts.

With the win in Basel, the Lionesses made history, claiming back-to-back European titles and doing so against arguably the best team in the world.

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