News in Basel
Nick Potts/PA wire“We’ll remember this forever.”
So says Jo from Sevenoaks as she and her friends emerge from St Jakob-Park in Basel moments after England won the women’s Euros. Again.
She is certainly dedicated. Jo was at a festival in the UK a mere 24 hours ago.
I ask them how this moment ranks out of 10 in the greatest moments of their lives so far.
“11,” replies Charlie, who is from Brighton.
“You know how men still go on about [England’s] World Cup win in 1966? I’m going to be like that,” Vicky from Stockport tells me.
“Brilliant,” is one word that nearly every single England fan I speak to utters as I call out to them outside the stadium. Many look dazed.
Lina, who is Swiss, is clearly having a moment when I approach her.
“It [the game] was exceptional,” she says, putting her hands in front of her face.
“I’m freaking out.”
Lina tells me she is a new England fan – she first saw edits of the team’s captain Leah Williamson on social media and got into women’s football that way.
“It’s the first women’s match I’ve been to and it was really, really spectacular.
“We were right next to the pitch.”
As has become the norm in this tournament for the Lionesses, they left it until the very last moment to send their supporters into a frenzy of jubilation.
Spain took the lead in the first half, but an Alessia Russo goal in the 57th minute levelled things, and took the game into extra time. With no change to the scoreline coming, it was on to those greatest of nail-biters – penalties.
Getty ImagesI can feel the energy around Anna from Essex as I approach her to ask for her thoughts about the game.
She makes a sound that appears to indicate her head is exploding and then asks me “can you put that into words?”
Her friend, Sarah, is calmer.
“I felt like something was going to happen,” she says.
“I didn’t lose faith, which I would have done in previous tournaments. I did at the World Cup final [in 2023] – I started crying at 80 minutes.”
Clearly being a long-time Lioness fan brings with it wisdom. Like Jo, Sarah’s also a dedicated fan – Monday night will see her clocking on for a night shift, so there will only be a few celebratory drinks for her tonight.
Not everyone, of course, was happy with the result.
Rosa is Spanish but lives in the Swiss city of Bern, about 92km (57 miles) from Basel.
“I’m very, very sad because I think Spain played well,” she tells me when I ask how she’s feeling.
She told me she knew it was over for her team when it went to penalties, but is still proud of them.
“We have a lot of good talent…I’m waiting for the next championship so we will see, I have a good feeling about that.”
