General Football
Honest Hayes and Wright shine as ITV and BBC go head-to-head for Euro 2025 final | John Brewin
There was a look at how far the women’s game has come while England gave commentators their chance to land the words they wanted
Sarina Wiegman’s team playing disjointedly, yet rescued by moments of inspiration and fortune. It is why “Proper England”, to use the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 mission statement, wins record audiences, an expected worldwide audience of 46 million dragged through Sunday night drama, putting Poldark and Mr Darcy to shame.
Across the BBC and ITV, Euro 2025 coverage has not been nearly so happy-clappy as the BBC’s Team GB-Beebies, sub-Henman Hill Olympics cheerleading. Perhaps the cruelty of football as a game precludes that. Once the game is afoot, there are few hiding places. Still, there has been a cheeriness to both channels’ female lead presenters – Laura Woods for ITV, Gabby Logan for BBC – so rarely seen in the male equivalent.
Lucy Bronze reveals she played with fractured tibia throughout Euro 2025
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England defender describes injury as ‘very painful’
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Chloe Kelly says thanks to ‘everyone that wrote me off’
Lucy Bronze revealed after England’s Euro 2025 final victory against Spain that she had played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia.
The right-back, who went off during half-time of extra time of the final because of an injury to her right knee, said she had played all six matches at the tournament with a fractured tibia in her left leg and described it as “very painful”.
Defeated but proud: Madrileños brave the heat to roar on La Roja
Confidence in another triumph for Spain’s women’s team was dashed, but the swell of support was a win in itself
Despite the air-fryer temperature outside and the imminent, annual August exodus, the people of Madrid weren’t going to miss out on another opportunity to watch their national football team prove its mettle against the country that had given the world the beautiful game.
After all, recent international fixtures had not gone all that badly for them.