I watched the Lionesses' penalty win - where were you when MK’s Williamson led her side to glory?
The Lionesses, led by Newport Pagnell’s Leah Williamson, had the nation on the edge of its seats, and then off of them in celebration, as they defeated Spain on penalties to retain the UEFA Women’s European Championship title.
We want to know where you were watching the match, who you were with, and any unusual things you did in the hope of bringing good luck.
Hopefully wherever you were, you saw the final dramatic moments before me – as my own celebration was about 10 minutes behind the rest of the country.
Having found out the venue I watched the men’s UEFA Euro 2024 final at was sadly not showing the women’s equivalent, I decided to venture to my local pub The Carpenters Arms, in Stewkley, which I had seen on social media was showing the match.
They were also offering curry and a pint for £11 during the game, an offer I took advantage of (if you were wondering it was a very nice mild chicken curry).
I had not realised this until I got to the pub and settled down with my pint (I did need a refill when the match went to extra time), that although the match was being shown on a TV screen, coverage was coming through the BBC iPlayer rather than a TV aerial.
I realised this meant we were already going to be slightly behind those watching it the traditional way, but decided I had to embrace the experience.
There were multiple bufferings along the way, none at key moments thankfully, which led to plenty of mutterings from the assembled pubgoers about ‘broadband’ and ‘rural location.’
It also meant that, other than during the 15 minutes at half-time, you had to resist the urge to look at your mobile phone for fear of any spoilers.
I sat next to a young lady wearing a Lucy Bronze shirt, who was living every second of the match. Exactly the generation this team is hopefully inspiring to follow in their footsteps.
Only later on did it become clear how inspiring Bronze’s story was, playing the entire tournament with a fractured leg.
As my heart rate and anxiety levels increased during the match and the penalties were about to be taken, I wondered if there was anything I could do that might bring luck in between leaping up and down in celebration as English penalties went in and Spanish ones did not.
An experience I will never forget, even if I did experience it a bit belatedly. It was worth the wait!
> Following England Women’s thrilling penalty shoot-out triumph, Royal Mail will mark the occasion with a special congratulatory postmark.
The postmark will be applied to stamped mail across the UK from today until the end of the week. It will read:
It’s Home. Again.
Champions of Europe 2025.
England Women's Football Squad
Natasha Ayivor, Royal Mail, said: “Successfully defending their European title is a remarkable achievement that has truly captured the nation’s mood. It’s a moment worthy of a special postmark. Our congratulations go to the manager, players, and all the backroom staff on this fantastic win!”