Women's EURO 2025 final: Great England vs Spain games

England take on Spain in Sunday's UEFA Women's EURO 2025 final in Basel, a match-up which a decade ago would have been a surprise on such a stage but now represents the latest stage in a shared history which already encompasses a FIFA Women's World Cup decider.

We take a look at the evolution of a rivalry that is now one of the key match-ups in the international game.

The first meetings

Spain and England played for the first time on 19 December 1993 in Pamplona, a crowd of 3,700 watching a 0-0 draw in a Women's EURO 1995 qualifier. The scoreline was repeated two months later in Bradford and England ended up winning the group by a point ahead of Spain (both teams ending unbeaten and with 29 unanswered goals), and eventually reaching the semi-finals.

The 1997 play-off

Women's EURO 1997 was the first to feature a group stage and Spain met England in the play-offs for the right to compete in it. Marimar Prieto, Spain's star of the era, got their first-ever goal against England as she struck twice in a 2-1 opening-leg win, the reply coming from Hope Powell.

Spain then qualified by drawing the return 1-1 at Tranmere, Prieto describing going to the finals as "a very beautiful experience" as they reached the semis. England soon turned to Powell as manager and have never again failed to reach a Women's EURO, with a teenage forward in that play-off against Spain, Kelly Smith, pointing to a brighter future.

The qualifying thrillers

In the decade after Women's EURO 1997, it was England rather than Spain who began to qualify regularly for the big tournaments. For Women's EURO 2009, the two teams were matched in a qualifying group, and England looked to have taken control of the section when they beat Spain 1-0 in Shrewsbury through Karen Carney, their first competitive defeat of their opponents (having won a 2001 friendly in Luton).

But by the time they met again a year later in the final game of the group in Zamora, Spain had moved to within three points of an England team who had been held 0-0 at home by Czechia. Spain knew victory would take them to Finland and were two up at the break through Verónica Boquete and Sonia Bermúdez, only for England to respond as Carney pulled one back and then set up a superb Smith equaliser. Spain lost in the play-off to the Netherlands, who England were eventually to defeat in the semi-finals.

There was not long to wait for a rematch as England and Spain were in the same 2011 World Cup qualifying group. Again England won 1-0 at home, through Katie Chapman, and once more Spain went two up in the return, through Adriana Martín and Sonia, only for Rachel Unitt and Faye White to score in the last 12 minutes for a 2-2 draw eventually decisive for the Lionesses' progress.

Katie Chapman (left) celebrates her winner against Spain in 2010 with Kelly Smith Getty Images

First finals encounter: 2013

Span avoided England in Women's EURO 2013 qualifying and both made it to Sweden, where they met on Matchday 1 in Linköping. In their first finals game since 1997, Spain led on four minutes through Verónica Boquete only for Jill Scott to set up Eni Aluko to equalise for an England team tipped as favourites for the match, having been runners-up only four years earlier.

There were more early chances but the next goal did not arrive until the 85th minute through Jenni Hermoso, with England then seemingly saving a point with Laura Bassett's goal following a corner, only for Spain to win deep in added time when a 19-year-old substitute, Alexia Putellas, saw her header deflect in off Karen Bardsley. Spain got to the quarter-finals and Putellas has risen to the very top. England were to go out with one point, spelling the end of Powell's 15-year reign, but the foundations she had laid were shown by the fact that the Lionesses have reached every EURO and World Cup semi since.

The rematch: 2017

England and Spain were matched again in the Women's EURO 2017 group stage, on Matchday 2 in a rainy Breda. Both had won their openers but this time it was England who struck first, early, Fran Kirby with a calm finish after just over 90 seconds.

Spain were to have 78% possession but could not produce an equaliser and with five minutes left Jordan Nobbs set up Jodie Taylor to clinch a 2-0 win for England. Both teams progressed, Spain getting to another quarter-final and England the last four, each now becoming established in the business end of big tournaments.

The quarter-final: 2022

The first knockout game between these teams was just three years ago at the last Women's EURO. England had cruised through their group while Spain, missing the injured Putellas, had finished second behind Germany, meaning this showdown in Brighton and Hove.

Spain, as five years earlier, had most of the ball and early in the second half substitute Athenea supplied the opener for Esther González. England's home dream seemed to be fading, but with six minutes left substitutes Alessia Russo and Ella Toone combined for an equaliser and then in extra time Georgia Stanway thrilled the near-29,000 crowd with a trademark long-range finish to ensure the Lionesses survived the only game in their victorious run where they were ever behind.

The World Cup final: 2023

A decade earlier, a World Cup final between England and Spain would have seemed a long shot, but by the time they faced off in Sydney it seemed a pre-ordained meeting between the European champions and a team whose first major title seemed due, not least with their core of players from the increasingly dominant Barcelona squad, including fit-again Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí.

After chances at both ends, Olga Carmona scored in the 29th minute, and although Mary Earps saved Jenni Hermoso's penalty, Spain held on for their first major trophy. Sunday could be their third, having also won the 2023/24 UEFA Women's Nations League, while England vs Spain will be the first Women's EURO final to be a replay of the previous World Cup decider (though it has happened the other way round when Germany beat Sweden to win both Women's EURO 2001 and the 2003 World Cup).

The two tight games in 2025

These teams have already met twice this year, in their Women's Nations League group. England won the first encounter 1-0 at Wembley through Jess Park but by the time they faced off again last month in Barcelona on Matchday 6, Spain only needed a point to reach the finals again.

Russo, winning her 50th cap, put England ahead at half-time with an assured finish. However, Clàudia Pina (who a few weeks earlier had scored crucial goals to help Barcelona beat Chelsea in the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals) was sent on just before the hour mark and within 12 minutes had scored twice, the goal clinching the 2-1 win especially impressive.