Euro 2025 final: The team behind the team say 'thank you for the memories'

For England duo Ella Toone and Beth Mead, Euro 2025 has been particularly difficult.

It is the first major tournament both have played since losing a parent, with Mead losing her mum, June, to ovarian cancer in January 2023, while Toone's dad, Nick, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and died in September 2024.

"We were talking about him only the other day as a family," Toone's boyfriend Joe Bunney told BBC Sport. "Nick would've loved this.

"The inspiration Nick gave us to support Ella in the way he did was great. Hopefully one more step and we can win the Euros for him. Every goal she scores, every game, he's watching over her.

"For Ella, it's really important the people she has around her. Beth Mead as well. They're going through a similar thing. It's nice for them to have each other and they are so strong to get through what they've been through in a football season and then go to the Euros."

While Toone and Mead have been united by grief and bonded off the pitch, throughout Euro 2025 the Lionesses' family and friends have been bonding off it, particularly celebrating England's late goals.

"It was all a bit of a blur," Bunney said of celebrating Michelle Agyemang's 96th-minute quarter-final equaliser against Italy. "Michelle's family were in front of me. The scenes were crazy.

"I was sat on row seven and I definitely didn't finish there, I ended up on row three. I was talking to Michelle's family about how proud they must be. It takes us back to 2022 when Alessia [Russo] and Ella were making an impact on the games. It's massive for Michelle and her family are a lovely family and we get on really well."

Joe's message to Ella: "You already know what I think about how inspirational you've been. I know your dad's watching down proud of you, we're all proud of you. Go and bring that trophy home."

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