Ella Toone: 'We are England, we fight to the very end'

Ella Toone says the England squad are excited to be taking their place in a third successive major tournament final, following their UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 semi-final victory over Italy.

It took a last gasp equaliser from Michelle Agyemang to take the game in Geneva to extra time, before Chloe Kelly’s late goal prevented the match from being decided by a penalty shootout.

And having featured in both the EURO 2022 Final and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final in recent years, Toone says the team will be ready to go on Sunday when they’ll face Spain.

“Of course, it is going to be a tough game no matter what – it’s a final and people put on big performances in a final and that is what we are going to have to do,” said the Manchester United ace.

“It’s going to be a tough game but one we are really looking forward to, we turn up in finals and we are excited about it. We’ve got to make sure we recover from 120 minutes again, but we are over the moon and dead on our feet.

“We'll celebrate tonight, we deserve to and we'll enjoy this moment but we will make sure we prepare properly for the final and make sure we recharge because the girls have put in a big shift tonight.”

England’s never-say-die approach in the EUROs so far has become a key component in their progress to the final, with the team having had to come back from behind in both of their knockout games so far against both Sweden and Italy.

And Toone revealed that the attitude among the full squad has helped them throughout their time in Switzerland so far.

“We said that when we stepped out on the pitch today, that we would give absolutely everything and by the end of it we would be dead on our feet and that is exactly what we are,” she added.

“We grafted and we got the goal that we needed at the end and we’re buzzing we’re in another final.

“You always believe it, we are England, we fight right to the very end and you have seen that in this tournament.

“And when we have got players that can come off the bench and impact a game like we have, you have always got that belief.”

Toone has been a regular starter in Sarina Wiegman’s team at the EUROs so far, having previously been used as an impact player from the bench in the past.

And having had experience of coming on and changing games herself, the 25 year old paid tribute to both Agyemang and Kelly who helped turn the match back in England’s favour.

“Mich [Agyemang] deserves that, she has been a star this tournament at coming on and changing a game and it is an amazing feeling for her but for the whole team as well,” she said.

“[Kelly] Another game changer who has come on a few times in this tournament and really changed the game and impacted the game, the same as tonight.

“We are very confident when Chloe steps up and takes a penalty and even though she missed the first one, she was right there and took it off my toes!

“I was almost there, some of the girls thought it was me but she can have it, she deserves it. She has been amazing this tournament for us, coming on, changing the game and that is what the whole squad is about and we are absolutely over the moon.

“We are delighted with that and off to a third final in a row.”