{"id":865204,"date":"2025-08-14T21:17:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T02:17:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/14\/euro-2025-final-live-build-up-to-england-v-spain-as-lionesses-set-out-to-defend-title-in-basel\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T21:17:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T02:17:07","slug":"euro-2025-final-live-build-up-to-england-v-spain-as-lionesses-set-out-to-defend-title-in-basel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/14\/euro-2025-final-live-build-up-to-england-v-spain-as-lionesses-set-out-to-defend-title-in-basel\/","title":{"rendered":"Euro 2025 final live: Build up to England v Spain as Lionesses set out to defend title in Basel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cThere was no mention of me ever playing football<\/a> growing up,\u201d said Wendy Buckingham, 64, as she sat along The Mall<\/a> waiting for the Lionesses\u2019 victory parade<\/a> to begin. \u201cSo to see this here today makes me very proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms Buckingham was one of tens of thousands who travelled from across the UK on Tuesday morning to bag a spot as the victorious Lionesses rode through central London on an open-top bus to celebrate their historic Euro 2025 win.<\/a><\/p>\n

Some 65,000 fans, many decked out in England flags and Union Jacks, joined the crowd as the players travelled from Admiralty House to Buckingham Palace in double-decker buses emblazoned with \u201c2022 and 2025 European Champions\u201d on the front and sides.<\/p>\n

The atmosphere was electric, with a chorus of \u201cfootball\u2019s coming home\u201d giving way to a jubilant rendition of Sweet Caroline as flags and banners were waved in the air. <\/p>\n

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\"Wendy<\/p>\n<\/div>

Wendy Buckingham, 64, travelled from Romford early in the morning to bag a spot at the fence (Athena Stavrou\/The Independent)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

England\u2019s captain Leah Williamson held the trophy up to the crowd while tournament stars including Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton waved at supporters, clearly overwhelmed by the turnout. <\/p>\n

Ms Buckingham added: \u201cFor the players, this hasn\u2019t happened overnight \u2013 it\u2019s been years of training.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been standing and playing in the rain, parents taking them to every training session and missing out on other things growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was that hard work, and the subsequent success which saw them beat Spain in a nail-biting Euros final in Switzerland, that fans were celebrating during the homecoming parade. <\/p>\n

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\"Some<\/p>\n<\/div>

Some 65,000 people decked in England flags and Union Jacks flocked to central London on Tuesday morning to support the team (Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Tracey, 48, left home at 6am to get to the parade. She said: \u201cIt was my birthday on Sunday so it was a great birthday present. We are so proud of them and the atmosphere here today is amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was stood nearby Ellie, 19, and Evie Rose, 16, who said their favourite player Chloe Kelly\u2019s performance on Sunday was \u201camazing\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ellie said: \u201cIt\u2019s amazing to see the progress from the last Euros. Then, the celebration was in Trafalgar Square and now we are on The Mall showcasing Women\u2019s football.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Tracey,<\/p>\n<\/div>

Tracey, 48, left home at 6am to get to the parade after watching the Lionesses win on her birthday (Athena Stavrou\/The Independent)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Kat Spurr, 47, and Julie Turner, 48, got to The Mall just before 9am to support the Lionesses. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great atmosphere,\u201d Kat said. \u201cThe game on Sunday was great but a bit nerve wracking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little bit of extra excitement I guess,\u201d Julie said, adding: \u201cWe are very proud. Hopefully this will encourage more people to support women\u2019s football and make it as well known as the men\u2019s game.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Fans<\/p>\n<\/div>

Fans began to stream into The Mall as the time for the parade grew nearer (Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Pat Small, 76, got the train at 7am from Bracknell and was one of the first to arrive at The Mall at 8am.<\/p>\n

A lifelong football fan and player, she said: \u201cI was jumping in the air on Sunday. It was fantastic and just makes you happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played for the Bracknell Bullets when I was younger, and now my sons and daughters play so I\u2019ve been going to all of those matches. It\u2019s nice to see women\u2019s football get the spotlight it deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Pat<\/p>\n<\/div>

Pat Small, 76, got the train at 7am from Bracknell and was one of the first to arrive at The Mall (Athena Stavrou\/The Independent)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Fans began to stream into The Mall as the time for the parade grew nearer. Crowds near the front of Buckingham Palace spilled onto the banks of St James\u2019 Park as supporters all hoped to catch a glimpse of the bus.<\/p>\n

Others draped in England flags sat in the park to bag themselves a good view of the large screens set up to show the celebrations, with some seen toasting glasses of fizz to mark the occasion.<\/p>\n

The crowd was filled with people of all ages and genders, gathered together to show their support for the Lionesses.<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/p>\n<\/div>

The crowd was made up of people of all ages and genders, gathered together to show their support for the Lionesses (Yui Mok\/PA Wire)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Dougy Gray, 78, was doing a good job of hyping the crowd up on Tuesday morning. He told The Independent<\/em> he had gotten up early to make his giant banner which read: \u201cWell done ladies. So proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he had come to show his support and appreciation for the team: \u201cI think they\u2019ve done so well and the onus is on us to come and show some support here today.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Dougy<\/p>\n<\/div>

Dougy Gray, 78, was doing a good job of hyping the crowd up on Tuesday morning (REUTERS)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI really enjoyed the game. The standard of football the women play is second to none.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the bus carrying the team began to roll down The Mall, children stood on adults shoulders to catch a glimpse as renditions of \u201cfootball\u2019s coming home\u201d broke out.<\/p>\n

Wearing white Nike T-shirts and England scarves, the team took photos with their phones as the buses travelled down the street, led by the Band of His Majesty\u2019s Royal Marines Portsmouth and flanked on either side by cheering fans waving flags.<\/p>\n

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\"As<\/p>\n<\/div>

As the bus carrying the team began to roll down The Mall, children stood on adults\u2019 shoulders to catch a glimpse as renditions of \u201cfootball\u2019s coming home\u201d broke out (Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Once the open-top buses arrived at the grand stage in front of Buckingham Palace, fans rushed to get a better view from St James\u2019 Park or in the middle of The Mall as it opened up.<\/p>\n

Cheers erupted as large red fireworks went up into the sky and the tune of Sweet Caroline could be heard across the park.<\/p>\n

Among those spotted in the crowd was Princess Beatrice, the King\u2019s niece and ninth in line to the throne, who was joined in giving her support by husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their baby daughter Athena.<\/p>\n

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\"Cheers<\/p>\n<\/div>

Cheers erupted as large red fireworks went up into the sky and the tune of \u2018Sweet Caroline\u2019 could be heard across the park (AP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Speaking on stage at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of the palace to host Alex Scott, a tearful Williamson said: \u201cI\u2019ve been crying all the way down The Mall.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is unbelievable, probably one of the best things we\u2019ve ever, ever been a part of, so thank you for coming out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Jamie Braidwood and Miguel Delaney
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThere was no mention of me ever playing football growing up,\u201d said Wendy Buckingham, 64, as she sat along The Mall waiting for the Lionesses\u2019 victory parade to begin. \u201cSo to see this here today makes me very proud.\u201d Ms Buckingham was one of tens of thousands who travelled from across the UK on Tuesday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":865205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4503,584],"tags":[6722,5256],"class_list":{"0":"post-865204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-build","8":"category-final","9":"tag-build","10":"tag-final"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=865204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/865205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=865204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=865204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=865204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}