England’s Lionesses returned home to a heroes’ welcome after their stunning Euro 2025 final victory against world champions Spain in Basel. Chloe Kelly netted the decisive penalty in the shootout, sealing England’s second consecutive European title under Sarina Wiegman.
Fans greeted the team with cheers and flags at Southend Airport, where the arriving plane was honored with a water salute. Captain Leah Williamson and manager Wiegman stepped off first, proudly holding the trophy.
Among the crowd were young supporters like twins Poppy and Daisy Macdonald, 11, who held signs hoping for a photo with striker Alessia Russo. “They’ve had injuries and setbacks but fought hard. We’re so proud,” said Poppy.
The squad headed straight to 10 Downing Street, where they were hosted by Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, away on business, praised the Lionesses on social media, calling them “history makers.”
A victory parade is set for Tuesday, ending with a celebration at Buckingham Palace.
The road to glory wasn’t easy. After an opening loss to France, England bounced back with wins over the Netherlands and Wales. They overcame a 2-0 deficit against Sweden in the quarterfinals, edged Italy in extra-time in the semis, and once again came from behind in the final.
Hannah Hampton, named player of the match, made two crucial saves in the shootout, allowing Kelly to secure the win. Remarkably, England led for less than five minutes in the entire knockout stage.
Coach Wiegman called it the most chaotic tournament they’ve played but praised the team’s resilience and never-give-up mentality. She now holds three consecutive European titles and hopes this tournament’s quality and record-breaking engagement will inspire continued growth in the women’s game globally.
