I Was There: The Night The Lionesses Conquered Europe Again

In this blog, Kerys Harrop, Lecturer in Football Coaching and Performance and former professional footballer, shares her unforgettable experience of attending the UEFA Women’s European Championship Final in Basel, where England’s Lionesses triumphed over Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout to reclaim their European title. 

There are nights in life that etch themselves into your memory. Nights when time feels like it slows down, only to speed up again in an explosion of sound and pure emotion. Sunday 27 July 2025 was one of those nights. I was there, in Basel, when the Lionesses beat Spain on penalties in the UEFA Women’s European Championship Final. A night I will never forget… the Lionesses bringing it home - again!

From the moment I stepped off the tram at the stadium, the atmosphere felt electric. The walk into the ground was a sea of faces painted, flags draped over shoulders, and an unmistakable energy - belief mixed with nerves from both sets of fans. This wasn’t just any match, this was an opportunity to make history. The whole nation getting behind our Lionesses, not just from Basel but also back home, to take on one of the most technically gifted teams in the world, Spain.

Spain. Of course, it had to be Spain. I remembered the heartbreak of the final at the last World Cup! This was a chance at redemption, at glory, at proving that our women were the best, not just in heart and resilience, which they had shown all tournament, but in skill and steel too. As I walked into the ground, the concourses were full, with England and Spain fans getting their pre-match food and drinks. It was packed! A mix of both sets of fans here to cheer on their teams. The game itself? A rollercoaster doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Spain played like Spain always do; quick passing, tight control and dominating possession. When they scored first, it felt like the dream might slip through our fingers again. The Spain fans were singing in full voice, the England fans more hushed. But then came the response in the second half…super sub Chloe Kelly delivering another pinpoint cross to Alessia, who rose above the Spanish defender to head the ball home. A great finish! The hope of the England fans revived! Suddenly, the belief was back. Every pass, every tackle, every run was met with roars from the crowd. Extra time came and went in a blur of tension, clenched fists and lots of excellent defending from the Lionesses after what seemed like half an hour of a Spanish onslaught. And then came the dreaded penalties.

I could barely watch. Penalty shootouts are football’s cruellest decider, and yet, sometimes they’re the only way. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t feeling very confident after our previous penalty shoot-out earlier in the tournament. However, Hannah Hampton stood tall once again. When she saved that crucial spot-kick against the world’s best player, Aitana Bonmati, to put the advantage in England’s favour, I’ve never heard a sound like it. The stadium exploded! And then when our final penalty hit the net, courtesy of no other than Chloe Kelly, the England fans roared with joy and bounced up and down in ecstasy. The Lionesses were European Champions…AGAIN! We had done it. The Lionesses had done it.

After the final whistle, the celebrations were pure joy. The players danced, tears streaming down their faces. The fans stayed long after the trophy was lifted, singing, waving flags, soaking it all in. I stood there, looking around at the crowd, people of every age, gender and background, all united in pride. For the team. For the sport. For what this meant to the nation. I was fortunate enough to join the players and their family and friends at the party organised for them back at the team hotel. It was lovely to see the pure joy on everyone’s faces, players raising a few glasses (or more!) with their families, having fun on the dance floor and laughing at Ella Toone’s karaoke singing. She has a decent voice to be fair to her! And best of all was seeing Sarina Wiegman busting a few moves on the dance floor with the players, what a legend she is!

It wasn’t just about winning a football match. It was about continuing the legacy of the Lionesses. About little girls watching the screen and seeing heroes who looked like them. About boys learning to respect and admire the women on the pitch not as a "women’s team," but as an England team. It was great to see the girls get a hero’s welcome when they returned home on Tuesday for the parade in London. Over 65,000 fans coming to share the moment with the Lionesses, uniting a nation once again!

Even now, a couple of weeks later, it still doesn’t feel real. But when I look back at the pictures, I remember how real it felt to be there. To stand amongst thousands of England fans and watch a team of extraordinary women make history once again! Bring on the World Cup in Brazil in 2026!