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By JAMIE BULLEN Updated: 20: 59 AEST, 28 July 2025 149 View comments The Lionesses made history last night by winning back-to-back European championships following a nail-biting penalty shootout victory over Spain in Basel. Watched on by Prince William, Sarina Wiegman's England team became the first to win a major tournament on foreign soil as well as retain amid glorious scenes in Switzerland. Chloe Kelly, who assisted Arsenal striker Alessia Russo to level the match, scored the winning penalty following heroics from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton who saved two Spanish strikes. Their victory will see the nation celebrate today ahead of an open-top-bus parade in central London to welcome home the returning players. Live updates below One of England's heroic Lionesses has had a mural unveiled in her honour at a grassroots club in Kent this morning. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo, who netted the equaliser in last night's final, began her footballing journey at Bearsted FC near Maidstone and has now been immortalised at the club with new artwork seen for the first time today following National Lottery funding. The mural was unveiled by legendary former Lioness and previous England record appearance holder Rachel Yankey. Yankey said: Captian Leah Williamson left the team hotel clutching the Women's Euros trophy as it returns to London following a successful and unprecedented defence. The Arsenal defender was all smiles as she headed towards the coach to return to the UK this afternoon. A peak audience of more than 12 million viewers tuned in to watch the Lionesses make history by becoming the first England football team to win back-to-back major tournaments - the most watched moment in 2025. According to the BBC 11. 6 million viewers watched the Women's Euros final at its peak with an additional 4. 2 million streams on i Player and the BBC Sport website and app. The figure makes it most watched television moment of 2025 across all TV broadcasters. Mary Earps and Millie Bright took to social media to share their congratulations after England retained their European Championship crown on Sunday. Following a nail-biting final that saw the defending champions battle back from the brink after Spain took an early lead, Chloe Kelly netted the decisive penalty to secure the Lionesses' second Euros title. The triumph marked the culmination of a difficult campaign for Sarina Wiegman's side that saw them repeatedly come from behind before clinching victory. Earps shocked her team-mates by retiring ahead of the tournament having been dropped for Hannah Hampton and went on to claim she had been 'villanized'. But in a post on Instagram following the win former Manchester United goalkeeper Earps wrote: 'Wow wow wow incredible. ' Meanwhile Chelsea captain Bright hailed the team's success: 'Proud to be English. Well done team. ' Bright declared herself ineligible for selection prior to the tournament after revealing that she did not feel like she was at her best 'mentally or physically'. More pictures have emerged of England's Lionesses leaving the team hotel in Zurich as the coach departs to take them back to the UK. Maya Le Tissier and Lauren Hemp, seen carrying a Lego set based on the Disney movie 'Beauty and the Beast', were among the players captured heading towards the coach earlier this morning. Manchester City star Hemp has previously revealed her fondness for Lego as a way to unwind following matches at a major tournament. Sarina Wiegman will have new contract discussions 'at an appropriate time', FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said today. Wiegman has led the Lionesses to back-to-back European Championship titles after also winning the competition with the Netherlands and has taken England to a World Cup final during her time as head coach. Her unprecedented success at the Lionesses has led to calls for her to receive a damehood. Last year, she signed a contract extension to remain head coach until the end of the 2027 Women's World Cup but a chance to prolong her stay even further is on the FA's radar. Speaking today about extending her contract, Bullingham said: England's penalty queen Chloe Kelly has won a legion of new fans after she used her victory interviews to repeatedly and passionately evangelise about her pride at being English. The 27-year-old declared that the Lionesses' victory over Spain was proof that you should never 'write the English off'. While goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who saved two Spanish penalties, said: 'We've got that grit, that English blood in us. We never say die'. Kelly smashed home the winning penalty as England won back-to-back European titles in Switzerland last night. Moments after winning the title, Chloe was asked about whether she 'could believe' the Lionesses had beaten Spain. Instead of talking about her ice cold penalty, she declared: 'This team shows exactly what it's like to be English. I'm so proud to be English'. A cavapoo named Reggie which has become the unofficial mascot of the Lionesses has also left the team hotel in Zurich this morning. Reggie was captured during the team's celebrations last night and has been a constant presence during the tournament, serving as an emotional support dog for the players. The cavapoo is owned by Cheals on Wheels, a mobile barista bar accompanying the Lionesses in Switzerland. Lionesses Keira Walsh and Chloe Kelly have both spoken about how Reggie helped the team earlier in the tournament. Walsh said: While Kelly added: England players have been pictured leaving the team hotel in Zurich as the Lionesses prepare for a hero's welcoming back in the UK. Jess Carter, Michelle Agyemang and Georgia Stanway were among those seen heading towards the team coach as Sarina Wiegman's side travel to the airport. When they land the Lionesses will be whisked off to a Downing Street reception hosted by Angela Rayner. Tomorrow, the team will then celebrate with the public on an open-top bus parade in London. More pictures have emerged of the Lionesses' late night celebrations as players sang and danced in the early hours. Photographs shared on Instagram showed players Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway at the heart of the party which continiued well past 4am. Players have only just been seen leaving the hotel in Basel with celebrations set to continue when they return to the UK this afternoon. England defender Jess Carter has revealed that she was scared to play in the Euro 2025 final having been subjected to racist abuse earlier in the tournament. Carter, 27, suffered the abuse in the aftermath of the Lionesses' quarter-final victory over Sweden. However, she was part of manager Sarina Wiegman's starting line-up for the final on Sunday night, which saw them beat Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout to lift a second consecutive European Championship and avenge their World Cup defeat from two years earlier against the same opponents. After celebrating victory with her team-mates, Carter revealed her nerves heading into the match - as she ended up part of a team that created footballing history. She said: 'I was super scared of playing the final for the first time in my life. 'When I woke up in the morning and saw my team and saw the support I had - and the belief I had from my team-mates, manager and family - I could come out and give my all. That's all you can do. The Lionesses have released new footage this morning of players celebrating on the pitch following last night's dramatic Euros victory in Basel Striker Alessia Russo, forward Lauren Hemp and defender Esme Morgan are among those who cannot contain their excitement following the penalty shootout. The players lapped up celebrations on the pitch in front of family, friends and travelling supporters before carrying on the party at the team hotel. Watch the video below: Football fans have dubbed Lioness Chloe Kelly a 'legend' after she shouted into the camera after collecting her medal. Celebrating their triumph over Spain in the Euros, the England team lined up to shake hands with Prince William and have their medals place round their necks. But Kelly, who scored the winning penalty which secured their victory, couldn't contain her excitement. The Arsenal winger, who also scored the winner in England's 2022 Euros final win over Germany, kissed her medal before turning to the camera as she walked away and said: 'F***ing come on! '. Viewers at home were quick to point out her uncensored celebration on social media. One wrote: 'Chloe Kelly "F***ing come on" Hah. Legend. ' Watch the moment below: For one Lioness, last night's victory in the Women Euro's final marked a double celebration as it also saw her turn 22. England and Chelsea forward Aggie Beevor-Jones told Sky Sports she doubts she'll ever have a better birthday as the Lionesses became back-to-back European champions. Aggie played three matches in the tournament, scoring once against Wales. Watch her interview here: Tomorrow's victory parade for England's victorious Lionesses will start at 12: 10pm with an open-top bus procession along The Mall. Details have now been released of the celebrations hosted by the Football Association. Key Timings: The event is free to attend and will be broadcast live across the BBC, ITV and Sky between 12pm and 1pm. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner will host the Lionesses at Downing Street today as Sir Keir Starmer heads to Scotland to meet with Donald Trump. Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock will welcome Sarina Wiegman and her team as they head back from Switzerland today. The Lionesses are then set for a homecoming open-top bus parade celebration in central London on Tuesday, followed by a ceremony outside Buckingham Palace. Confirming the Downing Street reception, Sir Keir Starmer said: Rayner said it will be 'a privilege to celebrate' with the team. Prince William and Princess Charlotte were on hand to congratulate the Lionesses on behalf of the Royal Family last night as they applauded the team in Switzerland. Charlotte could be seen looking pensive when Spain took the lead in the final before she joined in the celebrations by hugging her father on the pitch following England's dramatic victory. After the match William and Charlotte penned a personal note to the team, marking the first time the Princess has ever signed off an official message. It said: 'What a game! @lionesses, you are the champions of Europe and we couldn't be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment @England. W & Charlotte. ' Watch our video below: When Spanish media approached Hannah Hampton for a post-match interview earlier in the Euros, they were stunned by the England goalkeeper’s fluent response – in Spanish. It was against Spain that she then grabbed the headlines again, as England finally got revenge for their defeat in the World Cup final in 2023, with Hampton saving two penalties in the Lionesses' stunning victory to retain their Euros crown. But her flair for languages (she also learned sign language to communicate with her deaf cousin, Ethan) is just one of the many hidden layers beneath England’s No 1. At a young age, Hampton was diagnosed with strabismus – a depth perception condition caused by one eye turning differently than the other. By the age of three, she had already undergone three operations in an attempt to correct the issue. None proved successful, and doctors advised her to avoid playing sports altogether. Such was the difficulty of the problem that she would struggle to pour herself water, spilling it all over herself if she wasn’t holding the glass. But even as a child, Hampton wasn’t one to be deterred. Despite frequent bloody noses and broken fingers – early results of her misjudging ball trajectory – she was determined to keep playing. England fans were left stunned after Lucy Bronze revealed she played the entire Women's Euro 2025 tournament with a fractured tibia — an injury she had kept secret until after the final. The 33-year-old was taken off at half-time in extra time during Sunday's final, which ended 1-1 before England beat Spain 3-1 on penalties in Basel. But when asked about the new knee injury she picked up during the game, Bronze casually disclosed that she had already been playing through far worse. 'I have actually played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia, ' she told BBC Sport. '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. ' There could be a few sore heads on flights heading out of Switzerland this morning. .. Ella Toone's partner Joe Bunney, who is also a professional footballer, shared an airport picture this morning as he prepares to return home. Bunney added three emojis indicating he is feeling delicate ahead of boarding the plane after he partied with the Lionesses long into the night. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has today said there should 'rightly' be a celebration for the Lionesses' Euros victory but declined to commit to a Bank Holiday to mark the occasion. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Reynolds was asked whether there would be an additional day off to mark the moment. He said: Spanish media have hit out at Chloe Kelly for her 'unnecessary' and 'cocky' celebration in front of La Roja stopper Cata Coll after scoring the winning penalty for England. It came immediately after the Arsenal winger had confidently stepped up and dispatched the decisive spot-kick, which secured victory for the Lionesses in the final of the women's European Championship on Sunday night. Kelly, who scored the winner in England's 2022 Euros final win over Germany, 'unnecessarily' diverted her path after smashing the ball past Coll before making a gesture in front of the keeper, according to Spanish outlet Diario AS. In the comment that accompanied a short clip of the climatic moment, published on their website, Kelly's decision to make a b-line for the England supporters in the corner was deemed 'cocky' and uncalled-for. Here are just some of the scenes awaiting England's Lionesses today as they return home following their stunning Women Euro's victory in Switzerland last night. The team will be welcomed to a reception at Downing Street today before an open-top-bus parade in the capital tomorrow. GWR staff decorate the 7: 30am service from London Paddington to Bristol Downing Street will welcome the Lionesses to a reception later Tower Bridge in London lit up red, white and blue on Sunday night Here's the moment England's jubilant Lionesses kicked off their Euros celebrations as champagne flowed in Switzerland last night. Players including Ella Toone and Lauren Hemp partied way past 4am after they edged out Spain and avenged their World Cup final defeat in 2023. There were scenes of wild joy as England lifted the trophy they had first won on home soil back in 2022. Chloe Kelly, scorer of the decisive penalty and also the match-winner back in the 2022 final, delivered a quick rhyme to mark the occasion. Shouting excitedly into a camera during a lap of honour, she declared: 'The first time was so nice we had to do it twice! ' The England team celebrated long into the night at an after party in Switzerland, where players joined family and friends to let their hair down. Players were still partying into the early hours of the morning, with Toone's partner Joe Bunney posting a picture at 4. 10am this morning. Ella Toone sang karaoke as England manager Sarina Wiegman and captain Leah Williamson cut a celebratory cake together. But for some players, not all of their loved ones were able to be present. Ella Toone posted of photo of herself holding team-mate Mead, who lost her mum in 2023. Toone, whose dad died in September last year, captioned the image: 'We did it for our angels in the sky. Forever with us & forever proud'. Toone then shared an image from where her family had been sat at St. Jakob-Park. Despite the game being sold out, seat 430 appeared to be unoccupied. Toone wrote: 'Spare seat next to my mum tonight. If that's not a sign I don't know what is. I know you were there Dad. Love you cock'. Watch the video below: England will celebrate their Euros win with fans at an event in central London on Tuesday. There will be an open-top bus procession along The Mall, which will start at 12. 10pm, before a staged ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Fans can attend for free but it will be broadcast live on BBC, ITV, and Sky. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: Good morning and welcome to Mail Online's live coverage following the Lionesses historic victory in the Women's Euros last night. Today Sarina Wiegman and her team are set to be honoured with a Downing Street reception followed by a victory parade through London tomorrow. But the partying began last night with a boozy bash that went on until at least 4. 10am with dancing and karaoke. After 120 tense minutes against reigning World Cup holders Spain, and a nerve-shredding penalty shootout, Sarina Wiegman's side emerged victorious once again - cementing their place in footballing history and sparking jubilant scenes across the country. Stick with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest reaction from England's stunning achievement.
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