Full article

England holds on, comes back and reaches the final with its heart on its sleeve

The England women's team has once again made it to a continental final, and it hasn't been an easy ride. The reigning European champions have had a Euro 2025 that has pushed them to their limits, clinging on to the tournament with their fingernails, teeth... and more than a dose of drama. If there's one thing this team, led by Sarina Wiegman, has made clear, it's that they know how to suffer. And suffer a lot.

It all started badly. England made their debut in the tournament with a 1-2 defeat to France, leaving many doubts. But from there, the Lionesses rolled up their sleeves and switched to steamroller mode: 4-0 against the Netherlands and 6-1 against Wales. That final push in the group stage allowed them to advance to the quarter-finals as runners-up in what was undoubtedly the most difficult group in the championship.

In the knockout stages, England experienced its first epic night against Sweden. The Nordics took a 2-0 lead and things were looking very bleak. But character, courage and a bit of luck came to the fore to level the score (2-2) and take the match to penalties. There, the English were more effective and, above all, cooler than their rivals: 3-2 and a ticket to the semi-finals.

And if that emotional rollercoaster wasn't enough, the best was yet to come. In the semi-finals, Italy had them on the ropes for most of the match. But England pulled off another epic comeback. With the clock ticking down to the 96th minute, Michelle Agyemang, a young woman of only 19, appeared to equalise and force extra time. And just when the match seemed to be heading for penalties, Chloe Kelly, the eternal saviour, pounced on a ball in the 119th minute and sparked wild celebrations.

‘We're through, yes. We had a bit of luck, I won't deny it,’ acknowledged Sarina Wiegman after the match, knowing full well how hard it had been to reach this final. She is no stranger to this: she already won the European Championship with the Netherlands in 2017 and with England in 2022. Now she is aiming for the treble.

Kelly, for her part, has been key in the last two rounds: she assisted against Sweden and scored the decisive goal against Italy. "This team never gives up. Sometimes we make life difficult for ourselves, but we always believe," she said after the final whistle. The striker has become a symbol of a team that does not shine all the time, but never gives up.

And then there is Agyemang. The Arsenal forward has gone from being almost unknown to the general public to becoming the big revelation of the tournament. Two goals in extra time have completely changed the fate of her team. ‘Not long ago, I was picking up balls for them, now I'm playing with them,’ she said through tears. The perfect story for any film script.

Now, England is preparing for the final chapter of this rollercoaster ride: the final in Basel. There, they will have the opportunity to defend the title they won in 2022 and reaffirm their reign in Europe. They may not be playing the best football in the tournament, but if there's one thing they don't lack, it's faith, character and young talent that is already beginning to shine.

Seven lives, many emotions and a final ahead. England, once again, is where it wanted to be. And if this team has proven anything, it's that you should never count them out.