Why Beth Mead had to retake her penalty in England’s dramatic Euro 2025 shootout win over Spain

Beth Mead was forced to retake England’s first penalty in their dramatic Euro 2025 final shootout with Spain due to the new double-touch rule.

The second-half substitute was nominated as England’s first penalty taker, and duly fired the ball down the middle of Spain goalkeeper Catalina Coll’s goal. But Mead had clearly kicked the ball twice, hitting it against her standing foot as her boot slipped on the grass, and replays confirmed what referee Stephanie Frappart suspected.

Kicking the ball twice is not allowed from the penalty spot and previously that would have meant Mead’s goal being immediately chakled off.

But European football's governing body Uefa asked for the laws concerning these rare instances to be reviewed after Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez controversially had a spot-kick disallowed in a shootout against Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 in March, causing uproar.

The Argentinian slipped and his standing leg made slight contact with the ball. Real went on to win the shootout.

Ifab, which sets the sport's laws, issued a clarification to Law 14 after much fury about how cruel the call was. Ifab acknowledged it would be unfair not to penalise a double touch at all and allow such kicks to stand as a goal, because goalkeepers can be disadvantaged by the altered trajectory of the ball.

The new double-touch rule meant that Mead was offered a second chance to strike, but this time her effort was saved to give Spain the advantage in the shootout.

And yet it mattered not, as England prevailed 3-1 on penalty kicks to win Euro 2025.