The 2025 Women’s European Championship is into the final group games. Let’s catch you up on what’s happening, what you’ve missed and what’s still to come.
We will update this file throughout each matchday with the latest reporting, analysis and fun from the competition.
– Women’s Euro 2025 bracket, results and fixtures schedule
The lead: Germany collapse as Sweden win Group C
ZURICH — Germany’s Carlotta Wamser went from hero to zero, setting up the opening goal before receiving a straight red card a third of the way into the game. The 10-player side squandered their opportunity to top Group C with a 4-1 loss to Sweden. It’s only the fifth time they’ve lost in 49 Euros games, and their biggest-ever defeat at the tournament.
It was all going Germany’s way for the first 12 minutes, with five shots on target and one goal set up by Wamser on the right for Jule Brand — who has been involved with four of the five goals this campaign thus far. But in allowing Sweden to equalize via Stina Blackstenius, and steal the lead via Smilla Holmberg’s Euros debut goal, it all began to crumble for Germany.
The eight-time winners and last edition’s finalists were handed a red card in the 31st minute as Wamser — Germany’s backup right back behind Guilia Gwinn, who is set to miss the remainder of the tournament following a medial cruciate ligament injury — handled the ball on the goal line trying to prevent Fridolina Rolfö’s strike. The former Barcelona player then converted from the spot to further the demolition job before Lina Hurtig blighted any hopes Germany had of coming back, coolly tapping home with composure to spare. Sweden, as a reward for finishing at the top of the group, will stay in Zurich and face the runners-up of Group D, while Germany will head back to Basel to face the winner of that group. — Emily Keogh
Today’s top Euro 2025 news
– Wiegman unfazed by England-Wales rivalry talk
– Wales boss on England clash: ‘Pressure’s on them’
– Welsh pride: How Wales’ fans have made Euro 2025 a party
Sights and sounds around Euro 2025
Poland cap off tournament of firsts with triumph over Denmark
With both teams already eliminated, there was technically not much to play for in Lucerne, Switzerland. But Poland had everything to play for, and it showed. Nina Patalon’s side created a small slice of history in beating a dismal Denmark 3-2, scoring their first goals and securing their first win at the Euros.
You could feel what this meant to debutants Poland on the pitch and in the stands, where supporters celebrated as if they had qualified for the next round. Natalia Padilla-Bidas, who scored Poland’s first goal, looked like she could barely believe it. Even Ewa Pajor, who scores so frequently for Barcelona, toasted her fine header with extra oomph, given its significance back in her homeland and what she hopes the team’s presence in Switzerland will do for football in the country.
The second half was not as easy. Denmark briefly threatened to come back. Janni Thomsen got them back in the game, and VAR ruled out an equalizer before Martyna Wiankowska added Poland’s third. Signe Bruun’s late consolation set up a tense ending but could not prevent Denmark losing their third group game to register their worst-ever performance at the Euros. To make things worse, star forward Pernille Harder was also taken off injured. This has been a tournament to forget for the 2017 runners-up. — Sam Marsden
Guijarro highlights Spain weaknesses and her “angry expression”
Spain breezed through Group B with three wins, scoring 14 times to match the record for goals scored in the group stage set by holders England three years ago. However, they also conceded three and were occasionally troubled by both Belgium and Italy, especially on set plays and in transition.
Midfielder Patri Guijarro said the world champions are aware of their weaknesses and working hard to correct them ahead of Friday’s quarterfinal against hosts Switzerland.
“With dead balls, [it can be difficult] when they’re bigger or stronger than you,” she said.
“As for transitions, we like to have the ball, we try to push the opponent back and keep the ball in their half. So it’s normal that counterattacks are one way teams can try and catch us out.
“We work on it. We know we have to be speaking all the time, working out where we need to be positioned because we know it’s a weak spot. The important thing is we’re analyzing it and trying to improve.”
As the holding midfielder, the dirty work of breaking up counters often falls on Guijarro, but she insists she enjoys it — even if her teammates joke about her vexed expression as she snuffs out attacks.
“There are times when they ask me: ‘Do you enjoy playing football?'” she laughed. “Because I’m so self-demanding, they look at me and see this angry face. … But I do enjoy it, honestly! It’s part of my game.” — Marsden
Bonmatà draws lots for her shirt
How do you decide who to give your shirt to when you’re one of the most sought-after players at the Euros?
That was the problem facing back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatà after Spain’s win over Italy on Friday. Thinking on the spot, the Barcelona star decided the fairest way to do it was with an improvised draw of sorts.
She thought of a number between one and 20 and asked the supporters seeking her shirt to guess what it was. After several guesses, someone shouted 11, prompting a nod from Bonmatà and the passing of the jersey. It may or may not have been a coincidence that the recipient also seemed to be the fan with the biggest sign dedicated to Spain’s No. 6. — Marsden
Kika shines bright before Portugal fade away
Kika Nazareth produced a titanic effort to try and keep Portugal in the Euros on Friday, only to see her team come up short. Nazareth was not supposed to be here. The Barcelona midfielder had ankle surgery at the end of March and was ruled out for four months. She made a remarkable recovery to feature in the 1-1 draw against Italy on Monday and then produced one of the finals’ most incredible, if ultimately unrewarded, displays against Belgium.
Despite the minutes against Italy being her first since March 12, Nazareth stood head and shoulders ahead of everyone in the Portugal and Belgium match. She led the game in touches (86), completed passes (44), chances created (five), assists (one), recoveries (seven), carries (55), carry distance (360 meters) and attempted take-ons (13), but was powerless as a 2-1 loss sent Os Navegadores home.
Portugal will be left wondering what could have been if she had been fully fit for the start of the Euros, but also hopeful that progress will not be far away with her leading the team. — Marsden
Beever-Jones takes pride as England’s tour diarist
Aggie Beever-Jones’ chat with the media on Friday should’ve been far more hectic than it was.
Her brave FA chaperone was shielding her from a wasps’ nest, but she was calm — ignoring the buzzing, irritating swarm around her — as she spoke about life in Zurich with the Lionesses.
Her game time has been limited so far at the Euros, but she’s taking full advantage of the experience. She’s learning all she can about life at a major tournament — hopefully the first of several — and she’s journaling everything as she goes along. She calls it her “memory book” and it also combines noting down anything about experiences and lessons with her passion for photography.
“I’ve got quite into photography so I take pictures,” Beever-Jones says. “I’ve got my own little wall chart of each game. It’s a book full of all the memories and little details that sometimes you might forget.
“Every day we have a wellness [session], and one of the physios writes a quote on the wall. I just always write it down, and try to find the joy in the little things.”
She has been appointed the squad’s unofficial photographer. She’s got her film camera and has been taking photos of some of her teammates with their families.
She added: “I have a film camera which I love, the prints are in my journal. I’ve got a few Polaroids stuck in there.” — Tom Hamilton
Wales’ Morgan takes followers inside camp
Wales international Ffion Morgan is among the players making history this summer by representing her country at their first major tournament.
The former Bristol City forward has made sure to document all of the highlights of her time in Switzerland, sharing daily videos of camp life on her TikTok page.
In her most recent video, Morgan showed how the players recover after a match day, vlogging the aftermath of Wales’ defeat to France. From wearing compression pants to sessions in the ice bath, Morgan’s videos offer a real insight into what life is like for elite players at a major tournament.
It’s also clear to see that, despite failing to progress from their group, the Wales camp are thoroughly enjoying their time in Switzerland. Morgan also noted how — as well as spending plenty of time with her teammates, enjoying time in the swimming pool and playing Jenga — the Welsh FA has made sure to schedule plenty of time for the players to spend with their families and take in the local sights.
With more than 100,000 TikTok followers to her name, Morgan may well have a future in presenting when she decides to hang up her boots. — Beth Lindop
Star player of the day
Smilla Holmberg, Sweden
Holmberg, in her first start at a European Championship, not only scored but kept Klara Bühl at bay, removing one of Germany’s biggest attacking threats. Remarkably, it’s only her second game for the national team. She earned her first senior call-up for the Euros and made her debut against Denmark earlier in the group stage. The Hammarby IF defender is only 18 and already showing why Sweden have fast-tracked her transition to the national team, aware that she is one of the next big players for the nation. — Keogh
Match previews, odds for Sunday
England vs. Wales
Odds (via ESPN BET): England (-2500), Draw (+1300), Wales (+2300)
England know that a win against Wales will be enough to book their place in the knockout stages of the Euros. They struggled in their opener against France, but impressed in their 4-0 win over the Dutch on Wednesday.
England have a fully fit squad available for Sunday’s match in St. Gallen, and manager Sarina Wiegman is expected to make minimal changes in what remains a must-win scenario.
Wales face their neighbors off the back of two defeats, but they’ve created history with their first-ever major tournament goal in their 4-1 loss to France last time out. But the Welsh are desperate to bloody England’s nose. In an emotional news conference on Saturday, Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson said they want to “spoil” England’s party. They, too, have every outfield player fit, but goalkeeper Poppy Soper was injured on the eve of the match. — Hamilton
Netherlands vs. France
Odds (via ESPN BET): Netherlands (+380), Draw (+290), France (-145)
France, having secured two wins from two matches, are ideally placed to advance from the group stage yet again.
A victory will guarantee them top spot in the table. Even a narrow loss to the Netherlands would see them through, unless the Dutch can overturn a daunting three-goal deficit to complicate the head-to-head and goal-difference tiebreakers among the top three sides. For the Netherlands, there’s plenty at stake.
That heavy 4-0 defeat to England has left them in danger of an early exit. However, a win over France, combined with an England loss or draw, would see them leapfrog the reigning champions and progress at England’s expense.
With both sides desperate to reach the knockout stage, it promises to be a fiery and hard-fought encounter. France might opt to rotate with qualification all but within their grasp, but the margin for error is slim, and with Les Blues having failed to make waves in previous tournaments, it is unlikely they will want to relinquish any comfort they have. — Keogh
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