An emotional Ella Toone paid tribute to her late father after England overcame Spain to win the Women’s Euro 2025, saying she ‘did it for her angel in the sky’.
For the third game on the bounce, the Lionesses were forced to come from behind to seal victory after Mariona Caldentey headed world champions Spain in front midway through the first half.
Just as they had done in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the holders dug deep into their reserves and it was Alessia Russo who drew them level with a brilliant header of her own in the 57th minute in Basel.
With the two teams all square after 90 minutes and extra-time, another penalty shootout beckoned – and Sarina Wiegman’s side eventually prevailed to successfully defend their crown from three years earlier.
The 3-1 win marked yet another moment of history for Wiegman’s Lionesses, who became the first English team in history to clinch a major tournament on foreign soil.
The result also tightened Wiegman stranglehold on the famous trophy, with the 55-year-old having won the title with the Netherlands in 2017 before being appointed by the FA.
There may have been some mixed emotions and a tinge of sadness amongst the celebrations for heroes Toone and Beth Mead, who both lost parents to cancer in the years preceding England’s triumphant campaign.
Toone’s father, Nick, was diagnosed with prostate cancer the day after the Lionesses’ victory over Germany at Euro 2022, in which his daughter opened the scoring. He passed away in September 2024, three days before his 60th birthday.
Mead’s mother, June, meanwhile, lost her battle with ovarian cancer in January 2023 and the Arsenal forward described her mum as her ‘biggest motivation’ heading into the tournament.
In the immediate aftermath of England’s dramatic victory on Sunday night, Toone took to share a selfie with Mead, writing: ‘We did it for our angels in the sky.
‘Forever with us & forever proud [two love heart emojis].’
In a separate Instagram story, the Manchester United attacking midfielder revealed how there had been a spare seat beside her mum at the St Jakob-Park – a ‘sign’ that her father was watching on.
Toone said: ‘Spare seat next to my mum tonight. If that’s not a sign I don’t know what is.
‘I know you were there Dad. Love you cock [two love heart emojis].’
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, Mead – the Player of the Tournament in 2022 – said it was ‘insane’ to be able to share England’s latest triumph with Toone.
‘To be able to win back-to-back Euros and being able to share that moment tonight with Ella… we had our mum and dad at the last Euros and they’re not here today,’ she said.
‘You go straight to the stands and have an emotional moment with her mum and my dad and they’re the moments.
‘My mum did so much to get me here so to be able to celebrate with her… I don’t think she was watching over me when I was taking that penalty actually!
‘The emotion that comes out, it’s not been easy. I’ve been in Ella’s situation and having to do that, people scrutinise you, but you’ve got so much going on as a person and a human and to be able to perform in the tournament in the way we have is incredible.
‘To be able to win it and share that moment with her has been insane.’
Asked about the spare seat beside Toone’s mum, Mead added: ‘We see it as a sign. He [Toone’s late father] was meant to be sat there.
‘A lot of the girls have said that Nick and June have been watching over us this tournament and they very much have.
‘We’ve done it every possible way and to be able to share that moment with her is pretty cool.’
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