Lionesses Return to England as Heroes After Historic Euro 2025 Triumph

England’s victorious women’s football team arrived home to a hero’s welcome on Monday following their dramatic Euro 2025 final victory over Spain. Hundreds of jubilant fans, draped in England flags and wearing team colors, packed Southend Airport to celebrate the returning champions.

The squad, who touched down at 15:30 BST aboard a specially liveried plane bearing the England crest and the word “Home,” headed straight to a Downing Street reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. There, the players presented a signed England shirt and celebrated with refreshments in the famous Number 10 garden.

“You’ve brought it home again,” declared an emotional Rayner, hailing the team as “a shining example of talent and excitement for women’s football.” The Lionesses’ 3-1 penalty shootout victory in Basel – sealed by Chloe Kelly’s decisive spot-kick after two crucial saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton – marked England’s first major tournament win on foreign soil.

Manager Sarina Wiegman, joking about the unusual setting of their celebration, told guests: “I must apologize for giving you all heart attacks during that match. But this incredible team found a way, just like we always do.”

The nation watched in record numbers, with over 16 million viewers making it the year’s most-watched TV moment. The celebrations continue Tuesday with an open-top bus parade through central London, including a procession along The Mall and a special ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial near Buckingham Palace.

Having successfully defended their European title, the Lionesses return not just as champions, but as icons of a rapidly growing women’s game. As Wiegman put it: “This team keeps making history – and we’re not done yet.”