England Euro 2025 hero second favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year

Two Lionesses are in the frame to be named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year after England won Euro 2025.

Sarina Wiegman’s side beat Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout to retain their European title.

Pre-tournament favourites Spain led through Mariona Caldentey’s first-half header but Alessia Russo’s second-half equaliser took the final to extra-time and then penalties.

England missed their first spot-kick – Beth Mead’s effort saved after her first had to be retaken due to a double kick – but Spain then missed three in a row, with Hannah Hampton saving two.

Chloe Kelly, who scored the winner in the Euro 2022 final win at Wembley, struck home the decisive penalty to spark bedlam among England fans in the stadium and watching on from back home.

Moments after England lifted the trophy, Kelly was installed as the second-favourite to win the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award.

Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: ‘Chloe Kelly is the new second-favourite to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after scoring the winning penalty for England in the Euro 2025 final.

‘Hannan Hampton is also in the mix after saving two penalties to help England win the tournament. Kelly and Hampton are joined by fellow Lionesses Lucy Bronze and Leah Williamson who are among the outsiders to win the award.’

Despite the Lionesses’ historic success, Rory McIloy remains the favourite to win Sports Personality of the Year after he completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters earlier this year.

By winning at Augusta, McIlroy became just the sixth man – and first European – in history to win all four majors.

World darts champion Luke Littler and Formula One driver Lando Norris are also contenders for SPOTY following impressive rises in their respective sport.

Littler etched his name into darting history by becoming the youngest ever PDC World Championship winner at the start of the year.

The 18-year-old won the World Matchplay on the same day England retained their Euros title to complete darts’ triple crown.

‘Football is chaos’ – but England come through yet again

England’s path to Euro 2025 glory was far from straightforward but the Lionesses delivered when it mattered most to retain the trophy they first lifted in 2022.

Penalties were also required in the quarter-finals and Wiegman’s side recovered from missing four spot-kicks to beat Sweden.

The Lionesses were minutes from exiting in the semi-finals against Italy before Michelle Agyemang scored a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser and Kelly scored late in extra time.

After coming from behind yet again to beat favourites Spain in the Euro 2025 final, Wiegman said: ‘I can’t believe it!

‘We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible.

‘I just can’t believe it. I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy. It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponent.

‘From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.’

England star Ella Toone added: ‘Amazing feeling. I felt all the same emotions as I did back then [at Euro 2022].

‘We worked so hard, winning a tournament for your country – there’s no better feeling. We deserved that and we should be so proud of ourselves.

‘There were times when people thought we were down and out but we never did. We had that belief in the squad that we were going to come out and win.

‘That’s the quiet confidence we have in ourselves. Amazing feeling. We’re going to enjoy the night. I love a party, I’m a Tyldesley girl of course I love a party!’

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