Deep dive: how news brands covered the Women’s Euros 2025
The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 cemented itself as a landmark moment in women’s football, with milestones met and records broke. Take a look back at how news brands covered the summer-long spectacle as the Lionesses defended their European crown
Historic finds
Looking back in time, The Mirror shared an impressive historic letter which had been lost for 100 years. The historian who discovered it described the letter as the “holy grail” after it had been missing since 1921. In that year, the FA banned women from playing football, a prohibition that lasted for 50 years.
The letter captures the powerful battles women have fought throughout decades to reach the Lionesses’ historic success. Read more here.
The Times also shared a video to its Instagram platforms, describing the journey of how women worked to overcome the historic ban from persisting in informal games to forming the Women’s Football Association (WFA) in 1969, which led to gaining international recognition. Read more here.
2025: Records reached
The tournament kicked off in July, with many records tumbling — the greatest number of goals in a final tournament, plus 29 of 31 matches sold out with more attendance records broken throughout the knockout phase, according to UEFA.
Elsewhere, England’s semi-final match against Italy was England coach Sarina Wiegman’s 16th Women’s Euro game as head coach. That broke the record previously held by former England coach Hope Powell and Germany’s coach Tina Theune.
Additionally, Wiegman reached the last five women’s finals as head coach of both the Netherlands and England, three Euro finals and two World Cup finals.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old Italian Cristiana Girelli became the oldest player to score more than one goal in a Women’s Euro tournament match, scoring twice against Norway.
The Independent shared a video on TikTok, with Wiegman stating the Lionesses remained “focussed” ahead of their crucial Euro 2025 group stage clash with Wales despite the historic rivalry between the two nations. In the group’s other fixture, the Netherlands faced France. All four teams were in competition for a spot in the upcoming quarter-finals.
The Guardian’s podcast ‘Football Weekly’ hosts Tom Garry, Marva Kreel and Jonathan Liew to dive into England’s intense shootout win and relive Italy’s memorable performance.
Key moments and highs and lows…
The Lionesses’ breakout star Michelle Agyemang earned a reputation as England’s rescue act as she was named the Young Player of the Tournament, The Times reported.
The Daily Mail shared Agyemang’s rise to becoming a Euros finalist from starting out as a ball girl. The publisher also shows the thrilling video of England fans celebrating her equaliser goal against Italy which took the Lionesses to extra time in the semi-final.
Agyemang seals her place as an inspirational figure for the next generation of girls who want to play football, the coach at her old local club The Standard informed readers.
England star Lucy Bronze shocked the nation and divided opinions when she revealed at the final that she had been playing the entire tournament with a broken tibia. Many questioned if it was a responsible choice. Metro Sport shared insight into how Bronze put the pain to one side to help the team go all the way.
“Now I just have to sit tight unfortunately and wait for the bone to heal before I resume training with Chelsea”, Bronze explained to the Mirror. “Hopefully it won’t be too long. I’m itching to return already”.
The Standard reported England stopping taking the knee before its semi-final against Italy after player Jess Carter received racial abuse.
The team said taking a knee was no longer enough, urging the football community to find more powerful ways to tackle racism and demanded action against online abuse.
The Daily Express shared the Lionesses statement expressing solidarity: “We stand with Jess and all Lionesses players past or present who have suffered racism… No one should have to endure such vile abuse, be that in football or any walk of life… Representing our country is the greatest honour. It is not right that while we are doing that, some of us are treated differently simply because of the colour of our skin.”
The tournament drew over 657,000 fans, making it the best-attended Women’s Euros tournament in history. Fans came together as a community to show support towards the team, as highlighted by Metro Sport and Daily Mail Sport’s TikTok videos.
Semi-finals
England squeaked into the final after scoring a vital equaliser, The Times podcast ‘The Game’ informed its audience. A nail-biting game saw the team score a rebound penalty with just one minute left of extra time.
The podcast hosts questioned if the Lionesses’ resilience and winning mentality could carry them over the line, or if they would need a higher level of performance in the final against either Spain or Germany.
The Guardian’s football podcast looked back on historical moments of the tournament, stating that the Lionesses are the “most successful England team we have ever seen”.
Meanwhile, the Mirror informed readers how the team fought back, from two goals down to forcing extra-time, resulting in a win after a tense penalty shootout.
England went on to play Spain in Basel.
The final result
The Lionesses went into the match looking to avenge their World Cup final defeat two years ago, The Sun reported.
Alessia Russo’s second half strike cancelled out Spain’s opener before goalkeeper Hannah Hampton produced two crucial saves in the penalty shootout. Substitute Chloe Kelly secured the winning title for England against world champions Spain 3-1. The win cemented England’s place in history as only the second team to defend the Women’s EURO title, according to The i Paper.
Front pages: Final celebration
England’s parade for the Euro 2025 trophy
Wiegman deserves to be granted an honorary damehood after leading England to victory, the Daily Star argued.
Meanwhile, according to The Telegraph, this victory makes Wiegman the first manager of a senior England team to mastermind two tournament triumphs, and the only one to successfully defend a major title.
After England won Euro 2022, Wiegman was made CBE on the UK’s overseas list with the permission of the Dutch government.
As the Lionesses retained their European title, supporters lined the streets to welcome home their European champions at an open-top bus parade and celebration event in central London.
While women’s football has grown massively, there is still hesitation from some audiences; The i Paper interviewed the public on the matter on its TikTok channel.
Coach Wiegman says she hopes England’s defence of their European title “makes change” and “inspires people”, the Guardian reports.
Front pages: Lionesses parade
The best Women’s Euros ad campaigns in news brands
Advertisers turned to news brands to get involved with the Euros, showing their support for the Lionesses with often witty campaigns.
