England completed another chaotic comeback to book their place in the Euro 2025 final thanks to goals from substitutes Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly on a famous night in Geneva.
The European champions were seconds from exiting the tournament against Italy but a frantic scramble saw Agyemang, the 19-year-old striker, spin and finish low past Laura Giuliani in the 96th minute to force extra-time.
And Kelly, who had also helped inspire England’s comeback against Sweden in the quarter-finals, completed another turnaround after Beth Mead was fouled in the box and the winger buried the rebound in the 119th minute after her spot kick was saved.
The win means England go through to a third major tournament final in a row and they will play either Germany or Spain on Sunday, in what will either be a rematch of the Euro 2022 final or a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final.
Follow all the latest reaction and news from Geneva in our live blog below
England v Italy: Women's Euro 2025 latest news and reaction
- England reach Euro 2025 final after dramatic comeback against Italy
- Michelle Agyemang rescues Lionesses before Chloe Kelly scores winner
- But Lauren James is a major doubt after she was forced off with ankle injury
- England will play either Spain or Germany in Sunday's final in Basel
- Teenaged Agyemang recalls journey from ball girl to England hero
Agyemang recalls journey from ball girl to star
17:00 , Lawrence OstlereEngland’s Michelle Agyemang spoke after her stoppage-time strike in the semi-final took the game to extra time.
“I am so proud of the team’s fight and the effort,” said the Arsenal youngster, who was a ball girl at Wembley just four years ago.
“We were down for over 90 minutes and to show that character and the fight, I said it last time, but I am saying it again, it is the character and the strength of this team that has got us this far.
“It means the world to me, I am so grateful and as I always say, I am so grateful for God and where he has brought me from.
“Four years ago, I was just a kid, just throwing the ball to some of these girls and now I am here playing with them. A great opportunity and I am so happy I am here.”
The secret to Chloe Kelly’s unbreakable confidence
16:40 , Will CastleEngland were seconds away from going home. Losing 1-0 to Italy in the Euro 2025 semi-finals, the Lionesses needed a hero. Up stepped Chloe Kelly, raising her arms as she prepared to deliver an inswinging corner from the left. But as the England fans behind the goal prayed for a moment of inspiration, it was immediately clear that something was wrong: Kelly dragged her cross straight out of play. It landed, horribly, into the side-netting.
“Obviously it wasn’t the plan,” Kelly grimaced. Neither was it the plan to miss a penalty with the chance to send England through to the Euro 2025 final, but Kelly’s response to both the failed corner and saved spot-kick remained the same. “The reaction is as important as the action,” Kelly explained. “For me, it was important to not dwell on the moment.” Instead, she followed up her penalty miss by scoring the rebound, telling everyone to “chill” as they lost their minds.
For Kelly, the 119th-minute winner in Geneva is the latest in a long line of iconic moments in an England shirt, to go alongside Wembley, Brisbane and Zurich. When the pressure is at its highest, Kelly has been able to rise above it and deliver, time and time again.
Read more from Jamie Braidwood:
Alex Greenwood reveals conversation with Chloe Kelly before crucial Euros penalty
16:20 , Will CastleAlex Greenwood has revealed the conversation she shared with Chloe Kelly before the match-winning penalty in England’s Euro 2025 semi-final with Italy.
"That takes a lot of courage to step up to take that," Greenwood said. "I asked her, she had no doubt in her mind, she was confident enough to take it.
"All of our penalty takers were off, so who was left was probably me or Chloe. I missed the pen in the (Sweden) game, in the shootout, Chloe scored hers comfortably, so they (manager Sarina Wiegman and assistant Arjan Veurink) said, 'It's up to you, you or Chloe'.
"I asked her, I looked at her and said, 'What do you think?' She said, 'I'm confident'. That's enough for me. I don't need to ask her again. She's confident enough to take it, so she did.
"She's great. She's brilliant. I mean, she came on, she caused them massive problems, she did the other day. She scores a penalty. The way she carries herself off the pitch, I've not got enough good words to say about her.”
Alex Greenwood reveals Chloe Kelly’s words before crucial Euros penalty
England are out of lives - but latest final goes beyond luck
16:15 , Jamie BraidwoodThey may have already used their nine lives, but England are through to their third consecutive major tournament final at Euro 2025.
Yes, England have been extremely fortunate to make it this far, requiring miraculous escapes to defeat Sweden and Italy in the knockout stages and overcome sub-par performances.
But if the Lionesses have had luck on their side, there is no denying that reaching another final is an impressive achievement - one that is unprecedented in England’s history.
WATCH: Ian Wright’s hilarious reaction to England semi-final win caught on camera
16:00 , Will CastleEngland are living a ‘fantasy’ at Euro 2025 – now they must get real
15:38 , Miguel DelaneyAs the giddy talk in Geneva inevitably turned to endings, and comparisons with movies, match-winner Chloe Kelly described it as a “fantasy”. That might well refer to the improbability of England somehow winning despite performing so badly, even though that’s obviously not what the forward meant.
Sarina Wiegman and her squad naturally don’t want to get into such critical discussion right now, and for good reason. There’s another historic final appearance to celebrate. There’s also going to be a lot of analysis to come before Sunday, and a lot of preparation.
They’re needed.
England are so much less than the sum of their parts, but, crucially, have greater qualities. There is a rare resolve in the team.
Read more from Miguel Delaney:
England are living a ‘fantasy’ at Euro 2025 – now they must get real
When is Germany v Spain? Women’s Euro 2025 semi-final kick-off time and TV channel
15:17 , Jamie BraidwoodWorld champions Spain take on record winners Germany for the chance to play England in the Euro 2025 final.
Germany produced a miraculous escape to defeat France on penalties in the quarter-finals, playing for around two hours while down to 10 players and as goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger made a stunning save in extra time.
Berger also starred in the shoot-out but the victory came at a cost for Germany and they will be heavily depleted for what is a tough test against the world champions Spain, who have won all four games at the Euros so far.
Aitana Bonmati eventually inspired their 2-0 win over Switzerland in the quarter-finals - and Spain will feel there is a score to settle after their defeat to Germany in last summer’s Olympic bronze medal match.
Spain have yet to reach a Euros final while Germany have won the tournament a record eight times and were the runners-up to England at Euro 2022. Here’s everything you need to know.
When is Germany v Spain? Women’s Euro 2025 semi-final kick-off time and TV channel
'Many girls but also boys have become passionate about women’s football'
14:49 , Lawrence OstlereSoncin has worn his heart on his sleeve throughout the tournament and he paid tribute to how the women's game has developed over the last few years in Italy.
"When I started with this group, the main goal was to constantly monitor the players so we could increase the internal competitiveness, and this has given us a lot of benefits," he explained. "We study what the clubs are doing and they are investing a lot, so we have a lot of confidence for the future."
That work is already paying off at under-age level, providing a pipeline of promising players to the senior team as they seek to build on their success in Switzerland, which is building a fan base across the gender divide.
"In Italy, clubs are developing very well. Our youth football is growing, which requires time. This year the U17s and the U19s got to the (Euro) semi-finals and this is a symptom of what is coming. The fruits will come in the long term," Soncin said.
"For sure, many girls but also boys have become passionate about women’s football. In future years, these boys will respect women who want to play football."
Italy growing its women's game
14:37 , Lawrence OstlereItaly were within touching distance of a first Women's Euro final since 1997 until a stunning England comeback derailed their dream, but the Italians can look forward to a bright future as they reap the benefits of a more professional approach.
The country's top flight for women went fully professional for the 2022-23 season and the effects of that change could be seen on the field as they led reigning European champions England 1-0 until the 96th minute before losing 2-1 in extra time.
The Italian players never wilted under the English onslaught and though they lack a bench as deep in talent as the one available to Sarina Wiegman, their replacements performed admirably despite the defeat.
"Before the tournament people said we could not get past the group stage, but in the end we were one minute from the final. The players deserved a better ending but sometimes you don’t get what you deserve. There is pride amid this bitter defeat – this hurts but you have to be proud," Italy coach Andrea Soncin told reporters.
ITV records biggest audience of the year for England’s Euro 2025 semi-final
14:06 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland’s dramatic Euro 2025 semi-final win over Italy was watched by a peak audience of 10.2m, with ITV drawing their biggest audience of the year as Chloe Kelly sent the Lionesses through to the final.
England’s win was watched by an average audience of 8m, with the peak occurring as Kelly scored the winner in the 119th minute, while ITV’s streaming platform ITV X also saw its biggest day of the year with 17.2m streams.
ITV records biggest audience of the year for England’s Euro 2025 semi-final
Bronze hails Agyemang
13:20 , Lawrence OstlereBronze, England’s oldest player, was full of praise for Agyemang, the youngest.
"She's a little bit of the unknown and she brings something different to her other strikers and our attackers, which maybe other teams aren't used to playing against - especially in an England shirt.
"So I think it gives her a lot of confidence and the team give her a lot of freedom, Sarina does.
"We want her to be confident and just play good football and try and score goals. When she scored the first one, we were like, 'go and do it again'. And you saw that in the rest of the game.
"She was going on by herself, she had two or three good runs in extra-time where she was like, 'I'm going to take this team to the final'. It's amazing to see and I think that gives the rest of the team confidence."
Bronze: We've nothing left to prove
13:02 , Lawrence OstlereLucy Bronze insisted England had nothing to prove after booking their place in the Euro 2025 final with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Italy in Geneva.
"I think people from the outside think teams have to win every single game," defender Bronze said.
"I think people talk about consistency with this England team, we've done six consecutive semi-finals, three consecutive finals, who else has done that? Nobody.
"You know, Spain and Germany are fantastic teams, even they haven't managed that feat.
"It's hard to stay at the top in international football, so many teams, they have performances, then it's up and down, they develop, but this team just keeps fighting until the end.
"I feel like we didn't have anything to prove because we've been there, we've done it many, many times.
"It's just the fact that the game's getting better, international football's not as easy as it used to be. Everybody's fighting and everyone wants to win and everyone feels like they can win."
Williamson admits she was 'annoyed' by England performance
12:45 , Lawrence OstlereWilliamson further explained that she doesn’t “think it has gone smooth sailing for anybody yet, which is the point”, and England just need to “keep rising as well”.
“It makes a great tournament and it shows what is going on. We just have to keep rising as well, this new England has to find their feet quicker,” said Williamson.
“We have one more to go. I promise you we will give it everything we can,” she added.
Williamson admits she was 'annoyed' by England performance
12:34 , Lawrence OstlereSpeaking after the semi-final victory in Geneva, William said she was “very proud”, though at the same time “annoyed that we get ourselves into certain situations”.
“Those girls deserve their flowers, and everybody just played their role,” said Williamson.
“We get ourselves into certain situations with miscommunications or not doing exactly what the plan says, but to bounce back like that, you can’t take anything away from the team or those girls, it is incredible.
“It has not been smooth sailing and I feel like things haven’t necessarily gone to plan,” continued Williamson, before adding that “the level just keeps rising and there are more and more unknowns and you have to be ready for everything”.
Williamson admits she was 'annoyed' by England performance
12:16 , Lawrence OstlereEngland captain Leah Williamson admitted that she has been “annoyed” by aspects of the Lionesses’ recent performances at Euro 2025, though added that the team “deserve their flowers” for reaching the final.
The Lionesses went 1-0 down to Italy in there first half of their Euro 2025 semi-final last night and needed a 96th-minute equaliser from 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang to save their Euros campaign, before Chloe Kelly wrapped up a dramatic comeback in extra time with a rebound after seeing her penalty saved.
It marked the second knockout game in a row in which England needed to claw back a deficit, with the Lionesses having been 2-0 down to Sweden in the quarter-finals before winning a remarkable penalty shootout.
How to watch Euro 2025 final
11:43 , Lawrence OstlereThe Euro 2025 final will take place on Sunday 27 July in at St Jakob Park, Basel. While kick-off times for the quarter-finals and semi-finals were 8pm, the final will start at 5pm BST (UK time).
Viewers will have a choice between BBC One and ITV 1, with both channels providing live coverage of the final.
‘Inevitable’ Agyemang has left England with choice for Euro 2025 final
11:31 , Jamie BraidwoodJamie Braidwood, in Zurich:
At some point, Michelle Agyemang may start playing a game for England when they are not behind. It could even be on Sunday in the Euro 2025 final. But for now, it is hard to think of anyone at this tournament who has a clearer understanding of their exact role and the impact they can make than the 19-year-old striker who began it with just one international appearance for her country, and who has now saved them from the brink twice in two games.
“She feels inevitable right now,” said Leah Williamson, and, somehow, so do England. But the only moments where England have felt as if they’ve had any sort of momentum behind them in their extraordinary escapes against Sweden and now Italy came when the youngest member of the squad was on the pitch; the teenager was a Wembley ball-girl for the Lionesses just four years ago, but has now helped fire them into a third consecutive major tournament final.
Read more:
‘Inevitable’ Michelle Agyemang has left Lionesses with one choice for Euro 2025 final
Chloe Kelly had 'no doubt' about taking penalty
10:48 , Lawrence Ostlere"I asked her, I looked at her and said, 'What do you think?' She said, 'I'm confident'. That's enough for me. I don't need to ask her again. She's confident enough to take it, so she did.
"She's great. She's brilliant. I mean, she came on, she caused them massive problems, she did the other day. She scores a penalty. The way she carries herself off the pitch, I've not got enough good words to say about her."
Chloe Kelly had 'no doubt' about taking penalty
10:36 , Lawrence OstlereChloe Kelly needed no persuasion to take the pressure-cooker extra-time penalty that sent defending champions England into the Euro 2025 final, according to defender Alex Greenwood.
"That takes a lot of courage to step up to take that," Greenwood said. "I asked her, she had no doubt in her mind, she was confident enough to take it.
"All of our penalty takers were off, so who was left was probably me or Chloe. I missed the pen in the (Sweden) game, in the shootout, Chloe scored hers comfortably, so they (manager Sarina Wiegman and assistant Arjan Veurink) said, 'It's up to you, you or Chloe'.”
Kelly gets her confidence from 'myself'
09:48 , Lawrence OstlereAfter Chloe Kelly smashed in her own rebound that lifted England into the Euro 2025 final, she struck a casual pose at the corner flag, one hand on the flag, another on her hip, and smiled up at the England fans.
Kelly's 119th-minute winner was the punctuation mark on a nervy come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Italy that sends the reigning champions into their third consecutive final of a major tournament.
They will play either world champions Spain or Germany on Sunday.
Asked where she gets her confidence, Kelly said: "Myself."
"The moments when in January I felt like giving up football makes you so grateful for these moments here today, and this makes you enjoy every minute of that," said Kelly, who did her trademark prancing penalty run-up.
"I think confidence comes from within, but from around you as well. The players that we stand side by side with on the pitch, give confidence in each other."
England are living a ‘fantasy’ at Euro 2025 – now they must get real
09:35 , Lawrence OstlereThe Lionesses’ team spirit is rightly lauded but they cannot rely on last-minute miracles to beat high-calibre opposition of Spain or Germany in Sunday’s final, writes Miguel Delaney:
England are living a ‘fantasy’ at Euro 2025 – now they must get real
'A minute away from the dream'
09:07 , Lawrence OstlereThe last time Italy reached a Women's European Championship final was 1997.
They looked destined to repeat the feat when Juventus midfielder Barbara Bonansea fired home in the 33rd minute at the Stade de Geneve. Italian fans erupted in celebration, with one proudly holding a sign declaring "It is coming home to Rome".
But England's 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang had other ideas, equalising in the 96th minute to send the match to extra time and ultimately crush Italian dreams.
"There is a lot of regret, we were a minute and a half away from the dream... unfortunately in the final we were tired," Elena Linari told Italian broadcaster RAI.
"I am proud of the girls, it is a bitter evening, but also a sweet one," she added.
'I'm sad but we can be strong' – Cantore
08:51 , Lawrence OstlereItalian midfielder Sofia Cantore told Reuters that Le Azzurre's performance showed the strength and growth of the squad.
"I think we made something incredible. Now I'm sad, but we bring with ourselves the thought that we can be strong," Cantore said.
Girelli sets sights on 2027 World Cup in Brazil
08:38 , Lawrence OstlereIn two years there will be a World Cup in Brazil where Italy, if they qualify, will have a reputation and new-found respect to defend. But will captain Girelli still be leading her country?
"We achieved something great, something stratospheric, but we'll see," the storied veteran said of her chances of playing on until then. "These emotions are too beautiful to not want to relive them."
Soncin: Sometimes you don't get what you deserve
08:24 , Lawrence Ostlere"We were one minute away from the final," Italy coach Andrea Soncin said at a post-match news conference.
"The players have deserved a different end, but unfortunately it happens sometimes you don't get what you deserve.”
Soncin acknowledged women's football in Italy was playing catch-up to nations which had more established programmes, like England. "It's another step we have to make to better manage these situations."
'Michelle showed up again and saved the day'
07:54 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland’s Esme Morgan, who made her first start at a major tournament in the semi-final win over Italy, and stood up to the task.
“I enjoyed it, especially in the end! It was a really intense game, a real challenge against their big, strong, physical forwards, and I enjoyed that task of trying to deal with them. I’m so proud of how everyone kept the belief until the very end and just kept fighting.
“I felt we were hammering on the door in the second half and things just weren’t seeming to fall but then Michelle showed up again and just saved the day. I’m so proud of her, she’s such an incredible human being and she deserves these moments.”
'Michelle deserves her flowers'
07:39 , Jamie BraidwoodLeah Williamson on Michelle Agyemang’s impact on Euro 2025 after the 19-year-old rescued the Lionesses for a second time at the tournament.
“She feels inevitable right now. I think she's quality. I think what she brings, she's a nightmare to play against. I’m glad she's my teammate at club and country.
“She deserves her flowers. I hope she gets them. hope she enjoys tonight, and then I hope she's ready to go at the weekend.”
Sarina Wiegman on whether she at any point thought England were going home
07:26 , Jamie Braidwood“I thought at 88 mins, wow, OK, well we have to score a goal or we are going home. When the injury time was shown and there were seven minutes left, I thought, that gives us the time we need to create another chance.
“But of course the clock keeps ticking and you are thinking maybe it won’t come. But we play to win, we play to get these moments and we are a team that never gives up.”
Italy rue 'cruel' semi-final heartbreak
07:24 , Lawrence OstlereItaly captain Cristiana Girelli and defender Lucia Di Guglielmo cried as they walked around the field after an emotional semifinal loss — 2-1 after extra time to England on Tuesday — each with one arm around the other's waist.
They waved goodbye to fans and their shared Women's European Championship title hopes inside Stade de Geneve, which had been a joyous second home for them in Switzerland.
Less than hour earlier, Italy had been little more than one minute away from advancing to a final few had imagined.
"I feel that something has ended that we didn't want to end, because I still don't believe it's over," the 35-year-old Girelli said, in tears again in the player interview area. "Probably fate has been a little cruel to us."
‘Inevitable’ Michelle Agyemang has left Lionesses with one choice for Euro 2025 final
07:08 , Jamie BraidwoodAt some point, Michelle Agyemang may start playing a game for England when they are not behind. It could even be on Sunday in the Euro 2025 final.
But for now, it is hard to think of anyone at this tournament who has a clearer understanding of their exact role and the impact they can make than the 19-year-old striker who began it with just one international appearance for her country, and who has now saved them from the brink twice in two games.
‘Inevitable’ Michelle Agyemang has left Lionesses with one choice for Euro 2025 final
The sass, swagger and dark times behind Chloe Kelly’s unbreakable confidence
07:04 , Jamie BraidwoodFor Chloe Kelly, her 119th-minute winner in Geneva is the latest in a long line of iconic moments in England shirt, to go alongside Wembley, Brisbane and Zurich. When the pressure is at its highest, Kelly has been able to rise above it and deliver, time and time again.
This is how.
The sass, swagger and dark times behind Chloe Kelly’s unbreakable confidence
Ian Wright's hilarious reaction to England semi-final win caught on camera
06:46 , Jamie BraidwoodChloe Kelly sends England into final
06:31 , Jamie BraidwoodNo one else does it quite like Chloe Kelly. Another iconic moment for England in the books.
Michelle Agyemang rescues England
06:17 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s incredible to see what Michelle Agyemang is doing on the big stage. Four years ago, she was a ball-girl for the Lionesses at Wembley. Three months ago, she hadn’t even met most of the squad.
Now she’s saving England in back-to-back games to send them through to the Euros final.
When is the Euro 2025 final and who will England play?
05:57 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland will get their shot at back-to-back European titles after clawing their way to the Euro 2025 final in Switzerland - and they will face familiar opponents either way on Sunday.
Sarina Wiegman’s side produced another miraculous comeback in their last four clash against Italy, with Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute equaliser saving the Lionesses on the brink of elimination.
Chloe Kelly then tucked home her penalty rebound in the dying stages of extra time to book England’s place in the final, where they will hope to emulate their Wembley heroics of Euro 2022. Kelly was the hero then, too, scoring the extra time winner in a 2-1 triumph over Germany.
England saviour Michelle Agyemang ‘something special’ says Sarina Wiegman
05:52 , Jamie BraidwoodSarina Wiegman predicted much more to come from “something special” Michelle Agyemang after the 19-year-old saved England from the brink of elimination for the second time at Euro 2025 and helped the Lionesses book a return trip to the final.
“She has something special,” Wiegman said of Agyemang, who levelled with less than two minutes remaining in second-half stoppage time.
“She’s only 19-years-old, she’s very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do.”
England saviour Michelle Agyemang ‘something special’ says Sarina Wiegman
Chloe Kelly reacts to chaotic England comeback to secure place in Euro 2025 final
05:51 , Jamie BraidwoodMatch-winner Chloe Kelly says England's last-gasp comeback win over Italy was nothing more than the Lionesses deserved as they booked their place in the Euro 2025 final.
"Unbelievable, such a great feeling," Kelly said. "This team deserves nothing but that. Three finals on the bounce and we want more. This is an unbelievable feeling.
“This team shows resilience again and we fight back. Hopefully we can make it a little bit easier for ourselves and don’t need that panic.
“We have hope, we have belief and we have the quality. We just need to keep at it and keep working hard in training to make sure we’re ready for next weekend.”
Ian Wright demands one England change for Women’s Euro 2025 final
05:49 , Jamie BraidwoodIan Wright insists England's improbable habit of producing stunning comebacks at major tournaments cannot continue and that a change is needed before Sunday's Euro 2025 final.
"You can't continue to rely on that," Wright said. "Six semi-finals, three finals on the spin. At some stage, the luck will run out. We need to start better and get a foothold in the game.
"The thing is, if it's Germany, very physical and direct, it won't suit us. Spain, they play a more technical game, it might suit us more. I'm not sure about Plan A and Plan B, we're in a final.
"But we need to start games better. We take too long to start games, we need to get into that, how we can get into our stride quicker."
Ian Wright demands one England change for Women’s Euro 2025 final
England suffer major injury blow with Lauren James doubtful for Euro 2025 final
05:48 , Jamie BraidwoodLauren James is a major doubt for England's Women's Euro 2025 final against Spain or Germany after hobbling off at half-time against Italy in the semi-final.
"She hurt her ankle," said the England boss Sarina Wiegman. “I haven’t seen her yet.
"We’ll have to see over the next couple of days. We had to take her off."
England player ratings vs Italy as substitutes inspire the impossible once again
05:46 , Jamie BraidwoodEngland’s substitutes inspired once again to complete an unbelievable turnaround against Italy and book their place in a third consecutive major final at Euro 2025.
Here are how the England players rated from their 2-1 semi-final win in Geneva:
England player ratings vs Italy as substitutes inspire the impossible once again
Chloe Kelly delivers another miracle to extend an unbelievable England trend
05:45 , Miguel DelaneyEngland, somehow, do it again. The defending European champions are in a third consecutive major final after a second consecutive game where they needed a miracle late rescue. Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly were, once more, the heroes. Whether they can do it one more time is a big question but one that can wait – for tonight. There is an awful lot to fault about this team right now, but not their resolve. They keep going no matter what, which is why they keep getting through round after round of this tournament.
It isn’t always convincing. It isn’t always productive. But it does just keep happening.
Chloe Kelly delivers miracle to extend an unbelievable England trend
Oh what a night
05:43 , Jamie BraidwoodThat actually happened! The Lionesses went through to the Euro 2025 in unbelievable, dramatic fashion as they came from behind to beat Italy in extra time.
Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang were the heroes on a famous night in Geneva.
