Crown reclaimed: England’s Euro 2025 triumph rings in a new era for women's football

England’s victory over Spain at the 2025 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Women’s Championship final late last month was more than a football match. It was a cultural turning point.

With a core built from Arsenal’s Champions League winners — Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, and Michelle Agyemang — and a tournament-defining emergence of teenage hero Agyemang, the lionesses have reasserted their place atop European football.

The Arsenal contingent stitched club chemistry into national triumph. Williamson returned from an ACL injury to anchor England’s defense with serene authority. Mead’s tireless runs carved spaces in Spain’s backline. Agyemang, fresh off the bench in the quarter and semi-finals, grabbed crucial equalizers, first against Sweden, then Italy, and earned Young Player of the Tournament honours.

Chloe Kelly’s performance epitomized resilience. Substituted on in the 40th minute after Lauren James’s injury, her cross set up Russo’s 57th minute equalizer. What’s more remarkable is that only months earlier, Kelly had considered stepping away from football, weighed down by pressure and burnout.

But with Sarina Wiegman’s steady belief — “She gave me hope when I probably didn’t have any” — Kelly stayed. She then stepped up in the shootout and calmly converted the decisive penalty.

England’s path to glory, with three successive knockout rounds decided in extra time or penalties, belied their UEFA-titled style. In Wiegman’s words, this was “the most chaotic tournament” she has ever experienced. But perhaps chaos is where belief is tested and forged the strongest.

This year’s Euro’s marked the first major trophy England has won outside home soil and a statement of intent for a generation. It was growth — from club investment, grassroots access, and youth development — to a moment where ball girls became Champions League winners and champions reshaped history.

More than 30,000 filled Basel’s stadium. Millions watched worldwide. These players weren’t just fighting for medals. They were carrying the weight of legacy, equity, and momentum. Agyemang’s South Ockendon roots and Ghanaian heritage, Kelly’s redemption arc, and the Arsenal connection together reframed the women’s game as powerful, professional, and culturally vital.

I carry the image of Williamson leading once again, only to be the most successful England captain of all time. Of Mead and Ella Toone pointing to the skies in memory of their mum and dad who they both lost to cancer. Of Agyemang lighting up the pitch. Of Kelly standing tall, from near break to national hero.

England’s victory wasn’t tidy, but it was honest. In unveiling the value of belief in the face of doubt, this tournament rewrote what “possible” looks like.

Football stops being called “women’s football” when performances like this become unforgettable. Now, in every youth locker room, every community club, and every empty pitch on a Tuesday night, the next generation sees themselves reflected in glory.