As the Women’s Super League enjoys its last bit of rest before the January transfer window and the second half of the season, The Athletic takes a look back at what stood out in European women’s football in 2025. It was a year of the unlikely, with Arsenal overcoming the odds to upset three-time Champions League winners Barcelona. Even if the magic didn’t last, the feat was something to behold in May. And although the Lionesses were the European Championship holders, a misstep against France in
It was a year of the unlikely, with Arsenal overcoming the odds to upset three-time Champions League winners Barcelona. Even if the magic didn’t last, the feat was something to behold in May.
And although the Lionesses were the European Championship holders, a misstep against France in their opening game added some drama to an eventual final win, another England vs Spain showdown.
Charlotte Harpur and Michael Cox reflect on the moments that stuck with them after another monumental year for women’s football in Europe.
Best moment
England back-to-back champions
The achievement is remarkable in itself but the way it was done will go down in history. Unlike Euro 2022, it was not a smooth ride for the Lionesses. Player retirements and withdrawals weeks before the tournament threatened to rock the boat, before an opening 2-1 defeat to France put their backs against the wall. Somehow, England found a way in every knockout game, even when they looked down and out.
Charlotte Harpur
Worst moment
Blackburn Rovers’ financial troubles
It was a stark reminder of the fragility of women’s football. Blackburn Rovers’ owner, V H Group, decided not to fulfil the required licensing criteria to stay in Women’s Super League 2, English football’s second division.
Blackburn, who helped produce England stars Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone and Keira Walsh, were demoted and now compete in the regional fourth tier.
The Athletic reported in June that the proposed redundancies could impact at least 20 members of staff and all senior players were due to be released upon the expiry of their contracts that summer.
Charlotte Harpur
Best game
Women’s Euros quarter-final: France vs Germany
The excitement before Germany versus France was helped by the fitting location of Basel, which is within walking distance of both countries’ borders. But the game seemed to be dead within 12 minutes, when Germany centre-back Kathrin Hendrich was sent off for foolishly pulling Griedge Mbock Bathy’s hair inside the box. Grace Geyoro converted from the spot and then it was 1-0, 11 versus 10 — surely no way back for Germany.
Yet somehow, they stayed in it. Sjoeke Nusken headed home an unlikely equaliser from a corner and France had two goals disallowed for offside. Germany, who had barely crossed the halfway line for much of the game, won a penalty out of nothing. Nusken stepped up but saw her spot kick saved by Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. Germany had surely blown their chance.
Then came the most memorable moment, when Sakina Karchaoui’s cross into the box was inadvertently flicked on by Nusken towards her own goal, looping over the seemingly helpless Ann-Katrin Berger. It seemed a certain goal, only for Germany’s goalkeeper to backpedal, dive vertically backwards and claw the ball away. It was a truly remarkable save. Germany had somehow made it to extra time.
They were on the back foot throughout the half-hour period, which ended when France’s Melvine Malard thumped the bar from 30 yards in the final minute. By that point, you knew it was Germany’s day. Berger didn’t just save two penalties, but she also scored one herself. For sheer drama, it was as good as football gets.
Michael Cox
Best player
Patri Guijarro
Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the Ballon d’Or and the award for Euro 2025’s best player, but in truth, she wasn’t at her best in a year when she was affected by injury and illness. Her team-mate, Alexia Putellas, was magnificent in the group stage in Switzerland but faded in the knockout matches.
Instead, this was the year when their midfield colleague for club and country, Patri Guijarro, stamped her mark on matches at the highest level. A consistent but underrated performer for Barcelona, she was absent from Spain’s World Cup success in 2023 but was their standout performer at Euro 2025, setting the tone for Spain’s possession play with incisive passes from deep, making sudden forward runs to catch out opponents who don’t expect a holding midfielder to be popping up in attack, and charging forward to press on the edge of the opposition box. Her performances for Barcelona have also been exceptional.
“Playing with her is very easy and very difficult at the same time,” said her team-mate Vicky Lopez. “There are passes that only she sees and you don’t expect. You have to get used to her.”
Michael Cox
The stat that sums up 2025
For all the discussion that some of the outsiders are catching up with the traditional powers, there remains an obvious ‘big six’ in European international football: England, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. And the simple reality is that they don’t lose to the other nations. Those big six won all 10 games against the other teams at Euro 2025. Include Euro 2022, and you can extend that to winning 26 of 27 matches played — and the exception was Iceland snatching a last-minute draw against a France side who were already assured of top spot in their group.
Everything revolves around this, and all the narratives we create are largely about the draw. Italy reached the semi-finals largely because they avoided a big-six team in the quarter-finals. The Netherlands crashed out early because they were in a group with England and France.
Michael Cox
Most memorable quote
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor did not mince her words. She came out punching, defending her goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and England manager Sarina Wiegman following former England No 1 Mary Earps’ comments in her book about the events that led to her international retirement before the 2025 Euros.
“With what I read in terms of the comments coming from Mary Earps, it’s not acceptable to not show respect to your team-mates or managers,” she said after Chelsea beat London City Lionesses 2-0 in November.
“We are talking about Hannah, but I want to raise my voice for Sarina. When you use some words about someone who won the Euros three times in a row, you should probably think about it before you speak.
“If you look at what Hannah said in her previous comments about Mary Earps, then what Mary is saying about her now — one of them is class, and Hannah is the class one.”
Charlotte Harpur
Did that really happen?
Arsenal’s Champions League win
Arsenal were the clear underdogs heading into the Champions League final. It was almost David against Goliath and very few thought they could dethrone three-time winners Barcelona from their lofty perch in Lisbon.
Almost everything about the win seemed unlikely. Head coach Renee Slegers had been an assistant at the start of the season, and was only appointed permanently after a three-month interim spell. Chloe Kelly, who played on the right wing, had been a surprise loan signing on January deadline day. Stina Blackstenius was being mocked for missing easy chances, yet scored the winning goal.
Somehow, everything came together in Lisbon: Slegers’ game plan, Arsenal’s discipline out wide, and Blackstenius’ winner. Unfortunately for the club, the smooth sailing didn’t last the year.
Charlotte Harpur
Player to watch in 2026
Melchie Dumornay
If you haven’t been watching Dumornay, where have you been? Now in her third season at OL Lyonnes, the 22-year-old punished Manchester United and Arsenal in the Champions League with ruthless efficiency, scoring a brace in each. On more than one occasion, she created space for herself with fluid footwork and unleashed a rocket. In France’s Division 1, she is the league’s top contributor for goal and shot-creating actions.
The attacking midfielder was one to watch at the 2023 World Cup with Haiti and she is set to tear it up on the European stage.
—Harpur
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
England, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros
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Category: General Sports
