9 months ago
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ESPN
Jul 20, 2025, 07:13 AM ET
The Euro 2025 tourney is into the semifinals; we person our Final Four!
England came done a mammoth punishment shootout (one of the weirdest ever) against Sweden to acceptable up a clash with Italy, who bushed Norway. While satellite champions Spain knocked retired hosts Switzerland to look a dogged Germany -- who ousted France connected penalties contempt playing with 10 players for implicit 100 minutes.
Emily Keogh, Tom Hamilton, Beth Lindop, Julien Laurens and Sam Marsden person been connected the crushed astatine the tourney this summer, truthful present is their appraisal of events truthful far.
What caught your oculus successful the quarterfinals?
Keogh: Ann-Katrin Berger's flying prevention with -- afloat length, with an limb stretched down her, to forestall what would person been an agonising own-goal by Janina Minge successful other time. It was axenic gravity denying excellence to prevention Germany from apt elimination against France. She was simply immense. To person beaten crab twice, been overlooked for a starting spot astatine nationalist squad level for years, to redeeming 9 shots and seeing Germany done to different semifinal connected penalties, she is the epitome of a heroine. No uncertainty Germany's grit to clasp connected aft the 13th minute, and done other time, against a ruthless France squad is simply a talking point, but astatine the bosom of their determination was Berger, and she deserves each the plaudits.
Hamilton: I hold with Em, Berger's show was conscionable astonishing. And if you're looking for heroines, past you person plentifulness to take from astatine these Euros. Lucy Bronze's show for England against Sweden was conscionable incredible. This is her seventh large tourney and the ageless Bronze conscionable keeps connected going. She dragged England done that quarterfinal from 2 goals down -- she scored the first, kicked the advertizing hoarding, and past 103 seconds later, Michelle Agyemang netted the equaliser. In other time, she took connected the captaincy, strapped her ain thigh up, past ripped it disconnected for her punishment in a farcical shootout -- hammering what was efficaciously the winning penalty. Just incredible.
Lindop: I'd astir apt accidental however intimately contested each of the games person been. Two matches went to other clip and penalties portion Italy's triumph implicit Norway was lone sealed with a extremity successful the 90th minute. Even Spain vs. Switzerland -- which was expected to output a comfy triumph for the satellite champions -- was inactive goalless aft the hr mark. It conscionable shows however good the margins are astatine this level and however there's nary specified happening arsenic an casual game.
Laurens: I don't privation to speech astir this France catastrophe against Germany! Berger, manager Christian Wück oregon anyone! Instead, let's observe Bronze and her nerves of steel. To people her punishment similar she did, done a chaotic shootout, to person had the quality to survey the Sweden's keeper's habits and however aboriginal she was moving. Bronze is the leader here. She did her ain wounded strap, and she wore the rainbow captain's armband arsenic a bracelet. She is possibly not having her champion tourney but against Sweden she was the person her squad needed astatine the astir important clip of all. Shout retired to Chloe Kelly too, ace sub and ace shin pads with her hubby and canine connected them and ace pen and tally up too!
Marsden: Let's perceive it for our hosts, Switzerland, shall we? Bern was unthinkable for their quarterfinal against Spain -- before, during and aft the game. More than 20,000 fans clad successful reddish joined successful unison for the instrumentality locomotion to the crushed from Bundesplatz successful the metropolis centre, implicit the span crossing the River Aare and arriving astatine the Wankdorf Stadium successful a travel which took implicit an hour. They past sang non-stop for 90 minutes -- and for different fractional an hr aft they had been knocked out. "They didn't privation to leave!" manager Pia Sundhage said. On the pitch, the amusement has been apical drawer, including successful Switzerland's game. They kept favourites Spain retired for 66 minutes and, portion they inevitably came up short, determination were concisely immoderate moments wherever you were wondering: could they?
1:42
Laurens: France's Euro 2025 exit a 'massive failure'
Julien Laurens reacts to France's punishment shootout decision to Germany to miss retired connected a semifinal spot astatine Euro 2025.
England v Sweden had an unthinkable punishment shootout, but wherefore are players missing truthful galore penalties this tournament?
Keogh: Teams could larn a batch successful presumption of execution, but besides preparation. Sweden manager Peter Gerhardsson said his broadside -- who missed 3 of theirs -- did not hole for penalties owed to the unpredictable quality of knockout football, but that surely feels similar a mistake now. Some practice, particularly successful the bid of punishment takers, could person returned a wholly antithetic effect and spared 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg from having to enarthrosis specified work erstwhile missing the last kick.
Marsden: As Emily says, it's unforgivable that Sweden didn't signifier spot kicks. Yes, there's an constituent of in-game unit you can't program for, but it's well-proven present that the aged adage of "it's a lottery" is not true. In full astatine the tournament, determination person been 24 of 41 penalties scored, which is simply a 58.5% conversion rate. It's 19/27 removing the England-Sweden game, though, for a 70.4% conversion rate. That's inactive little than the 80% people for astir competitions -- 81.2% successful the Women's Champions League past play -- but not hugely alarming. I deliberation that shootout was conscionable a freak event. That said, it does make much unit connected takers moving forward, though France and Germany responded rather good connected Saturday.
Laurens: Sam, who is our mathematician and stats guru, has provided the numbers. The 1 happening I noticed, which shows a deficiency of mentation oregon advice, is that astir of Sweden and England players were taking their punishment precise rapidly aft the referee blew her whistle. We cognize that to person the astir accidental to score, 1 of the things to bash is to permission a fewer seconds aft the ref's whistle, enactment composed, breathe, absorption and past shoot. Shooting consecutive distant is ne'er good!
Lindop: I deliberation each of these punishment misses service arsenic a reminder of conscionable however precocious the unit is erstwhile you get to this constituent successful the tournament. Any mistake tin beryllium costly -- arsenic Sweden recovered retired connected Thursday night. For some teams, it showed the value of keeping a chill caput erstwhile the stakes are precocious and of taking your chances. From a play constituent of view, though, it surely provided entertainment, and determination were immoderate ace penalties successful the shootout betwixt France and Germany.
Hamilton: It has to beryllium nerves. I hold with the others that Sweden messed up by not practising penalties -- however they indispensable regret that now. But the Germany-France crippled proved that a punishment shootout tin beryllium a much high-quality. Overall, England-Sweden was a freak lawsuit -- players similar Alex Greenwood, who missed, are usually truthful reliable. But the in-game penalties are a operation of nerves, broad analysis, superb goalkeepers and, successful immoderate instances, mediocre execution.
1:54
England players respond aft melodramatic punishment shootout win
Alexa Russo, Lucy Bronze, Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly springiness their absorption pursuing their melodramatic punishment shootout triumph implicit Sweden astatine Euro 2025.
What is 1 happening you haven't enjoyed astatine this Euros truthful far?
Hamilton: The outgo is extortionate. But besides the 9 p.m. kick-offs. Far excessively precocious -- particularly if you person other clip and penalties. A beauteous 6 p.m. is ideal!
Lindop: I'm going to beryllium that annoying English idiosyncratic who complains astir the heat! I'm not the biggest instrumentality of blistery upwind and I've struggled conscionable walking astir Switzerland astatine times, truthful monolithic kudos to the players for managing to present successful specified precocious temperatures. The tourney organisers person done a large occupation implementing provisions to support everyone chill -- though I did person to wage astir £7 for a vessel of h2o connected 1 occasion!
Keogh: I person to hold astir the outgo of things. On average, my greeting java has outgo maine an eyewatering £6.28. Add that to the pricey quality of Zurich and the deficiency of media nutrient provided by UEFA, it has been an costly tournament. However, the escaped transport -- I americium a large instrumentality of the trams -- astir matchdays, and the grab-and-go nutrient from section supermarkets, person been a redeeming grace -- not lone for easiness but besides for my slope account.
Marsden: It's wrapping up excessively quickly! At the hazard of going afloat UEFA oregon FIFA bigwig, could we beryllium acceptable to reflector the men's 24-team radical stage? I perfectly emotion knockout shot and it feels similar it's implicit truthful rapidly successful this format. There was a immense spread betwixt Switzerland and Spain and they inactive enactment up a bully fight. Imagine what Portugal, Denmark oregon Netherlands could person contributed successful a circular of 16. I deliberation determination is capable prime for the enlargement to hap without losing excessively overmuch from the radical stage.
Laurens: Nothing! I person been enjoying everything and I wouldn't alteration anything. I'd accidental the 9 p.m. kicks disconnected are the close clip for large games astatine large tournaments -- isn't 6 p.m. the clip erstwhile you person meal arsenic an Englishman, Tom? And vigor is great! It's amended than playing nether the pouring rainfall similar we person excessively often successful England, Beth! And you were capable to aquatics successful the water successful Zurich excessively arsenic good arsenic getting a tan, I americium sure! It is costly Emily. but past I americium definite your java was the champion you ever drank! I emotion knockout shot too, Samuel, but I americium not definite 24 teams is the close telephone conscionable now. Some teams, including Portugal, inactive person to improve.
1:23
Keogh: Every squad is beatable astatine Euro 2025
Emily Keogh reacts to Spain's 2-0 triumph implicit Switzerland to unafraid a semifinal spot astatine Euro 2025.
This is your accidental to alteration your prediction for the last -- who volition marque it now?
Hamilton: We've had our just stock of twists and turns truthful far, but I deliberation this present goes to script. England should decision Italy and Germany are truthful depleted present for their semifinal with Spain that you person to fancy the reigning satellite champions. It'll beryllium an England-Spain final.
Keogh: Just due to the fact that everyone volition surely accidental England vs. Spain, I americium going to basal for the underdogs and accidental Italy vs. Germany. It's an implausible scenario, but we've seen crazier things hap successful a tournament.
Lindop: I'm inactive sticking with England vs Spain successful a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final. Neither squad looked anyplace adjacent their champion successful the quarterfinals but they some inactive recovered a mode which is the surest motion of champions.
Laurens: I don't truly spot this England side, who person not been bully truthful far, but determination is nary mode Italy tin bushed them. So the holders volition person a accidental to support their rubric against Spain. It is boring but Germany, adjacent with their intelligence spot and antiaircraft mindset, person excessively galore issues to beryllium capable to vie with the World Cup winners. And really, satellite champions vs European champions, the revenge of the past World Cup final, is the close last and the 1 we each wanted to spot from the beginning.
Marsden: I was impressed with however good Germany dug successful a subordinate airy against France, portion Italy volition present beryllium playing with a definite magnitude of state fixed they are the fertile outsiders of the 4 teams left. So, with that I'm mind, I'm sticking with what I said aft the radical stages: Spain vs. England.
