Ella Toone has revealed her grandmother died on the morning of England’s Euro 2025 final victory over Spain.
The 25-year-old played the opening 87 minutes of Sunday’s match in Basel as the Lionesses retained their title thanks to a penalty shoot-out win following a 1-1 draw.
Toone, who helped England win Euro 2022 and finish runners-up to Spain at the 2023 World Cup, started five of her country’s six games in Switzerland.
“Even in the highest of highs life can hit you with the lowest of lows,” she posted on Instagram.
“My Nana Maz took her last breath on the morning of our Euro final.
“I have comfort in knowing she got to watch from the best seat in the house with Dad, her favourite person.
“I’ll miss you forever nan but I’ll cherish the special memories we made, there isn’t enough words I can possibly say to sum up the person you were, but I’m grateful you were my nanna.
“My football loving, crazy, funny Nan,” her post continued.
“All those years ago when you put a bet on at the bookies that I would play for England one day & on the day you leave us we bring it home again. You always knew it.”
Manchester United midfielder Toone lost her father Nick to prostate cancer last September – three days short of his 60th birthday.
Toone paid tribute to him moments after England won Euro 2025, in what was the midfielder’s first trophy since he passed away in September last year.
Toone was in tears after England’s shootout victory over Spain and looked towards the sky as she was hugged by Alessia Russo, Keira Walsh and Alex Greenwood.
Toone later posted on Instagram that there happened to be a spare seat next to her mum during the final, adding: “If that’s not a sign I don’t know what is”.
The 25-year-old also uploaded a picture with Beth Mead, who lost her mother June to ovarian cancer 18 months ago, saying: “We did it for our angels in the sky”.
