'We were far superior' - Lionesses branded 'time-wasters' by beaten Spain stars after England win Euro 2025 on penalties

England edged out Spain 3-1 on penalties to win the Euro 2025 final after a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Mariona Caldentey gave La Roja the lead before Alessia Russo equalised after the break. Despite La Roja, the current world champions, dominating the stats, it was the Lionesses who triumphed in Basel to defend their 2021 title. Spain controlled the game with 65% possession, 22 shots, and nearly 350 more passes than the Lionesses. However, clinical finishing and composure from England proved decisive once again.

It was a familiar story for Sarina Wiegman’s side, who showed resilience rather than dominance to retain their title just as they had done throughout the tournament. Through the entire knockout stage of the tournament, England had only led a game for a total of four minutes, including injury time. La Roja were quick to criticise the Lionesses for being lucky to win their title.

Spain captain Irene Paredes told Spanish TV RTVE: "I thought we deserved it more but in the end it is not about who deserves it. It is about having that bit of luck and England had that throughout the whole tournament. We thought we could overcome that but we weren't able to."

El Pais claimed that Paredes later bemoaned England's 'time-wasters' and 'players on the ground'.

Ballon d'Or holder Aitana Bonmati added: "I think we've all given up; it's been a long time here, and it's been very cruel. In terms of play, we were far superior to our opponents, but in football, that's not enough."

Spain boss Montse Tome concluded: "Of course, I think this team deserved more. I feel we worked hard during a long time to reach this moment, to reach this final against a high-level national team as England, and what we saw during the game makes me feel that the team deserved having more, not leaving with this bitter feeling. This is sport. You must know how to lose and today we missed the penalties. We did a good first half. Then with the 1-1 and then in extra time we managed to control the ball but we didn’t manage to get the victory.”

“I think we were better but football is a sport where not always the best team wins. England is an excellent national team. They showed a high level during the tournament. They draw and then they defend themselves to get to the penalty.”

England will celebrate a historic back-to-back Euro title while Spain must regroup and reflect on another near-miss despite their quality. With both sides stacked with talent, another chapter in this rivalry could come soon in the 2027 World Cup. For now, the Lionesses reign supreme, regardless of the criticism.