Spain vs. England Clash in Euro 2025 Women’s Final/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Spain and England will meet in the Euro 2025 Women’s Championship final after wildly contrasting journeys. Spain brings technical mastery while England has powered through adversity and late-game drama. Sunday’s match in Basel promises a high-stakes clash between Europe’s two top women’s football powers.
Euro 2025 Final Showdown: Spain vs. England + Quick Looks
- Spain vs. England final set for Sunday in Basel
- Spain dominated their path, only trailing briefly once
- England relied on comebacks, spending 219 minutes trailing
- Spain’s midfield duo Putellas and Bonmatí offer unmatched technical precision
- England’s Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly delivered clutch performances off the bench
- Spain and England have traded wins in recent tournaments
- Both teams are led by female head coaches, continuing a Euro tradition
- This is the first title match between the reigning Euro and World Cup champs
- Spain seeks second major title in two years; England defends its Euro 2022 crown
Deep Look
Euro 2025 Women’s Final: Spain’s Precision vs. England’s Perseverance
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Europe’s two women’s football titans, World Cup champions Spain and defending Euro champions England, will clash Sunday in what promises to be a spectacular Euro 2025 final. Their paths to the championship game, however, couldn’t have been more different.
Spain has dominated much of the tournament with commanding performances and tactical brilliance, led by their star midfield pairing: Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, both two-time Ballon d’Or winners. England, by contrast, has clawed its way into the final through grit, late goals, and resilience, overcoming multiple deficits along the way.
The Contrasting Journeys
Spain’s campaign has been methodical and precise. They trailed only once—briefly—during a group-stage match against Italy when some starters were rested. Their only scare came in a tense semifinal against Germany, which they narrowly survived.
England’s journey has been far more dramatic. After opening with a 2-1 loss to France, they were nearly eliminated in both knockout rounds. Against Sweden in the quarterfinals and Italy in the semifinals, super-sub Michelle Agyemang came off the bench to equalize, once in the 81st minute and again deep into stoppage time. Chloe Kelly also played a pivotal role off the bench.
Coach Sarina Wiegman, speaking lightheartedly, acknowledged the stress: “We’ve nearly killed her twice this tournament,” joked midfielder Ella Toone.
Head-to-Head History: Trading Titles and Wins
Spain and England are becoming familiar foes in big moments. England eliminated Spain in Euro 2022, coming from behind to win 2-1 in extra time. A year later, Spain returned the favor, winning the 2023 World Cup final 1-0 in Sydney.
This year, the two nations split results in UEFA Nations League play: England edged Spain 1-0 at Wembley in February, while Spain rallied with two goals from Clàudia Pina to win 2-1 in June.
Spain has now won 13 of their last 14 matches, with only the Wembley loss interrupting a near-perfect run.
Midfield Magic vs. Tactical Tenacity
Spain enters the final with arguably the most skillful midfield in world football. Putellas and Bonmatí dictate the tempo, retaining possession and slicing through defenses with surgical precision. “We’re ready for anything,” Putellas said, exuding confidence in her team’s playstyle.
England relies on a never-say-die attitude, making clutch adjustments and showing mental toughness in the face of adversity.
Spanish midfielder Patri Guijarro praised England’s spirit: “There’s no fragility. Their competitiveness is what’s gotten them this far.”
Coaching Milestones: Women at the Helm
For the eighth consecutive Euro, the championship will be claimed by a team led by a female head coach.
- Sarina Wiegman (England) seeks her third straight Euro crown, having won with the Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022.
- Montse Tomé (Spain) has guided her nation to its first Euro final ever after years of underachievement.
Only seven of the 16 Euro 2025 coaches were women, and now the final stage is once again a celebration of their leadership.
Penalty Shootout History
The Women’s Euros have seen only one title match decided by penalty shootout: the very first final in 1984, when Sweden beat England after a 1-1 draw over two legs.
England’s only other shootout in Euros history came just last week, again against Sweden. In a chaotic quarterfinal, both teams missed multiple penalties, but Sweden failed to convert two chances to win, allowing England to escape.
Spain’s sole shootout experience at the Euros came in 2017, where they lost to Austria in the quarterfinals.
Match Snapshot
| Spain | England |
|---|---|
| Possession-focused, technical style | Physical, resilient, late-game fighters |
| 13 wins in last 14 matches | Regular comeback victories |
| Midfield stars: Putellas, Bonmatí | Bench strength: Agyemang, Kelly |
| 1 Euro final appearance (first ever) | 3rd Euro final appearance (1 title) |
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