Women’s EURO 2025 stars to look out for in the Women’s Champions League
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
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Cristiana Girelli, Aitana Bonmatí and Chloe Kelly are among the players who lit up UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 aiming to excel again in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
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Many of Europe’s best players who went head-to-head at Women’s EURO 2025 will face each other again, as the Women’s Champions League’s new league phase format pits Europe’s elite against each other on every matchday.
Among them are five players who reached at least the semi-finals in Switzerland and are hoping to challenge for European silverware with their clubs this season.
Chloe Kelly, Arsenal and England forward
Chloe Kelly came off the bench to play a role in several of the Lionesses’ decisive moments at Women’s EURO 2025, adding a second EURO winners’ medal to the Women’s Champions League one she picked up with Arsenal in May.
The 27-year-old’s crosses and penalties were among the defining actions of England’s winning campaign: she converted the spot kick that won the final’s penalty shoot-out, set up team-mates’ crucial goals and followed up on her saved penalty deep in semi-final extra time to tap in and secure the Lionesses’ place in the final.
Having now made her loan deal with Arsenal permanent and ranked fifth in the 2025 Women's Ballon d'Or, Kelly will be seeking to rise to the challenge as the titleholders take on two teams they eliminated in last season’s knockouts – OL Lyonnes and Real Madrid – in the league phase.
Jule Brand, OL Lyonnes and Germany midfielder
Jule Brand is a new face in the line-up of record eight-time Women’s Champions League winners OL Lyonnes, after signing from Wolfsburg over the summer. The 22-year-old winger shone for Germany at Women’s EURO 2025, scoring twice and assisting twice en route to the last four. Her spectacular strike from distance against Poland in the group stage ranked second in the Goal of the Tournament poll.
Brand and fellow recent signing Marie-Antoinette Katoto will boost OL Lyonnes’ already potent attack, as coach Jonatan Giráldez’s side look to write another chapter in the Women’s Champions League history books.
Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona and Spain midfielder
Aitana Bonmatí’s participation in Women’s EURO 2025 looked at one point to be in doubt, with the midfielder hospitalised with viral meningitis days before the tournament kicked off. But the Barcelona player bounced back to put in a Player of the Tournament display, helping guide her team to their first-ever Women’s EURO final and being awarded a third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or.
Bonmatí’s vision and skill were epitomised in the way she slotted past Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger from a tight angle in extra time of Spain’s semi-final. As a three-time Women’s Champions League winner, the 27-year-old will want to banish the memories of last season’s final loss to Arsenal by excelling once again in Europe’s elite women’s club competition.
Cristiana Girelli, Juventus and Italy forward
Italy’s journey to the Women’s EURO semi-finals was one of the tournament’s most exciting narratives, and captain Cristiana Girelli was influential throughout. The 35-year-old’s three goals included a brilliant double in Italy’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over Norway and a stunning long-range effort against Portugal in the group stage that was voted fans’ Goal of the Tournament.
Girelli’s Juventus failed to progress from the Women’s Champions League group stage last season, when they faced tough competition for a knockout stage spot from eventual champions Arsenal and Bayern München. But the Italian champions will be hoping to emulate their run to the 2021/22 quarter-finals under the new league phase format, with early opposition including Benfica and Bayern.
Hannah Hampton, Chelsea and England goalkeeper
As the inaugural recipient of the Women’s Yashin Trophy at the recent Ballon d’Or awards, 2025 has been quite a year for Hannah Hampton. The Chelsea goalkeeper put in a Player of the Match performance in the Women’s EURO final against Spain, performing penalty shoot-out heroics in the quarter-finals and final as England retained their title in dramatic fashion. Her ball distribution also attracted widespread praise, with the 24-year-old’s long passes helping to set up key moves for her outfield team-mates.
The shot stopper also contributed to Chelsea’s run to the semi-finals of last season’s Women’s Champions League and a 2024/25 domestic treble, but the Blues will have their eyes on European silverware this season having come close but never lifted the coveted trophy before.