ENGLAND midfielder Ella Toone has admitted Spain may have added motivation heading into Sunday’s Women’s Euro 2025 final, following the controversy that overshadowed their 2023 World Cup triumph. Spain defeated England 1-0 in Sydney two years ago, but the victory was marred by former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales’ forced kiss on player Jenni Hermoso.
“It was a difficult period for the Spanish players,“ Toone said. “For what they did in the World Cup, for that to then be the main talking point, was really tough and something they shouldn’t have had to go through. They should have celebrated what was an amazing tournament for them.”
Rubiales was later fined 10,800 euros for sexual assault, but the incident cast a shadow over Spain’s historic win. Now, Toone and England are eager to avenge their 2023 defeat while also aiming to replicate their Euro 2022 success, where they beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley.
“Both of us want to win obviously—they have their reasons, we have ours, and I think it is going to be a very tough game,“ said the 25-year-old Manchester United player. “We have so much respect for them and the quality they have, but we also believe in ourselves, that we can really step up.”
England’s journey to the final has been dramatic, with late comebacks against Sweden and Italy in the knockout stages. Trailing Italy in the semi-finals, Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute equaliser forced extra time before Chloe Kelly’s 119th-minute winner secured their place in the final.
“I think we have it in us all individually and as a team that we want to fight, not stop running,“ Toone added. “You have seen that in games where sometimes you might feel like we are down and out, and then someone comes on and we take that moment.”
With both teams eyeing glory, Sunday’s final promises to be a fiercely contested encounter – AFP
