Leah Williamson played the whole match as England became European champions for the second time by beating Spain on penalties in Basel.

Despite missing a penalty in the shoot-out that ultimately decided the match, England captain Williamson was able to lift the Women’s Euros trophy as England triumphed in a shootout at St Jakob’s Park.

Victory sees the Lionesses win their second European championship in a row, to go with the trophy won after beating Germany at Wembley in the 2022 final. It also saw England gain revenge on Spain, after the Lionesses lost to Spain in the final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

In the match, Mariona Caldentey had given Spain a 25th minute lead, but Alessia Russo equalised for England just before the hour when she headed in a cross from her Arsenal team-mate Chloe Kelly.

Both sides missed multiple chances throughout an eventful game, but with no further goals in regular time or in extra-time, it meant spot-kicks to decide the tournament.

Beth Mead missed England’s first penalty, to controversy as she initially scored only to be ruled to have touched the ball twice and the kick be ordered to be retaken. Spain then scored their first kick, taking the advantage.

But while England scored their second and third penalties, two saves from England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton turned the game back in England’s favour, with the keeper denying goalscorer Caldentey and reigning Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmati.

Williamson missed England’s fourth spot-kick after her penalty was kept out by Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll, only for Spain’s Salma Paralluelo to put her penalty wide.

That gave Kelly the chance to win the match and tournament, which she duly did with a penalty that flew past Coll to decide the tournament and confirm England’s victory.

Remarkably, the Lionesses won the tournament despite only leading for an accumulated total of 4 minutes in 360 minutes of game-time in the knockout stages, having needed penalties to beat Sweden in the quarter finals and then beating Italy through a goal in the late stages of extra-time in the semis.

Victory in the tournament adds another trophy to Williamson’s collection. The England captain, who was born in Milton Keynes and raised in Newport Pagnell, was part of the Arsenal team that won the Women’s Champions League earlier in 2025 after helping the Gunners defeat Barcelona.

Speaking to BBC One after the game, Williamson said she was delighted to be a champion again and praised her teammates for their resilience in a tournament where all 3 of their knockout matches went to extra-time.

She said, “Total disbelief – but at the same time, I knew it was going to happen. There’s always a moment when I think, right girls, let’s turn it on. The way we defended as a team, nothing came through us. It felt like it was going to be our day.

“Relentless, we have players who absolutely love it. It’s just unbelievable to do it again. And after that first game, no-one thought we would – and fair enough! But nothing has changed.

“The stakes, everything was higher. We have ridden our luck, but I don’t think we were lucky.”