Over the past eight seasons, the title partnership has provided a growth platform for ABB to showcase how technology can help industries outrun, engage with customers around the world, and implement its own solutions into the series to improve reliability and efficiency.
This will now be built upon to ensure the partnership provides a year-round opportunity for brand-building and activation, communicating ABB and its technology solutions to new global audiences, including Formula E’s global fanbase.
READ MORE: The full story of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
ABB and Formula E will also work together to engage a new generation of fans, collaborating with unexpected influencers and content creators to tell compelling stories which make advanced electrification and automation technologies tangible and exciting.
Paco Liebrand, Head of Brand, ABB, said: “We are pleased to be continuing our partnership with Formula E which, like ABB, is striving for a leaner and cleaner future. The synergy between the two organizations, combined with the global appeal of the Championship, make it a great platform to promote our brand positioning.
READ MORE: ABB x Formula E
“Formula E is increasingly working with content creators, influencers and celebrities, with initiatives such as the Evo Sessions making an impact through digital channels beyond the racing itself, which is also an essential part of ABB’s new brand strategy.
“Going forwards, we will be enhancing the way we harness the benefits of this collaboration, ensuring the focus is on delivering content and activations which reinforce our new messaging, build familiarity, and tell the “Engineered to Outrun” story.”
Formula E’s first race as the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, back in Marrakesh, 2018
Tiziana Di Gioia, Chief Revenue Officer, Formula E, added: “Our renewed partnership with ABB is a testament to the commercial power and benefit of Formula E as a global platform that drives both brand and business growth.
“ABB, like our wider partnership portfolio, has and continues to see enormous value in collaborating with the fastest growing motorsport on the planet, with viewership, commercial integration and brand storytelling continuing to accelerate. Over eight seasons, ABB has moved from brand visibility to brand activation – integrating deeply into the fan experience, the sport’s ecosystem, and our innovation narrative.
READ MORE: ABB and Formula E hit century in partnership
“This next chapter elevates the partnership even further. With ABB’s new positioning, we are co-creating opportunities across content, digital storytelling, and market engagement, transforming a title partnership into a year-round, value-generating relationship. It’s a model of how modern sponsorships should evolve, rooted in purpose and cultural alignment, but measured by impact.”
Since the partnership began in January 2018, the series has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to showcase the benefits of significant technological development. The end of the mid-race car swap, a 150kW increase in power, top speeds that are 43 percent higher, and energy recovery increasing from 15 to 50 percent all being indicative of the extent to which Formula E technology has continued to outperform on-and off-track.
During this period, ABB has also continued to build on its technical involvement in the series, supplying the race chargers from Season 9, and introducing its ABB Ability OPTIMAX® energy management software (Season 9) and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) technology (Season 5) to the sport.
Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship kicks off with testing in Valencia in late October – sync your calendar now to make sure you don’t miss a lap.
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We are on sale NOW! Match tickets to watch our home games in the BKT United Rugby Championship and EPCR Challenge Cup bid at Rodney Parade until this coming January are on sale NOW – including the huge derby day clashes with Cardiff Rugby, Ospreys and Scarlets!
Click HERE to buy online or call the Ticket Office team on 01633 670690 during office hours.
Dragons RFC have today joined forces with Cardiff Rugby and Scarlets to go live with match tickets as we come together to celebrate the new season approaching.
Let’s get behind the Dragons – your support has never been more important.
The Men of Gwent can look forward to a blockbuster October in Newport with three huge games – including two massive Welsh derby dates.
Filo Tiatia’s men face a mouth-watering October which all begins with the visit of Hollywoodbets Sharks for our home opener at Rodney Parade on Friday, October 3 (kick-off 8.05pm).
Dragons return home for two epic back-to-back Welsh derby games. We tackle Cardiff Rugby on Friday, October 17 (kick-off 7.45pm) before welcoming Ospreys on Saturday, October 25 (kick-off 5.30pm).
And then we kick-off 2026 with a New Year’s Day home fixture with Scarlets Rugby (kick-off 3pm).
Tickets to watch Dragons face champions Leinster on Friday, November 28 (kick-off 7.45pm), French giants Lyon in Europe on Sunday, December 14 (kick-off 3.15pm) and Connacht at home on Saturday, December 20 (kick-off 7.45pm) are also on sale NOW!
We have today also announced new ticket prices to ensure watching rugby at Rodney Parade remains affordable for all. Read more HERE.
Click HERE to buy match tickets online or call the Ticket Office team on 01633 670690 during office hours.
Season Memberships for the 2025/26 season are remain on sale NOW! Click HERE to buy today and make the best savings!
The future Audi F1 Team have announced global financial technology company Revolut as their title partner from the 2026 season onwards.
German automotive giants Audi, who have tasted success in various motorsport categories, will debut in F1 next year after recently completing a takeover of the Kick Sauber entry.
As preparations continue for that arrival, which includes the opening of a UK Technical Centre, Audi are teaming up with Revolut in a flagship, strategic partnership.
According to Audi’s press release, the shared goal of the partnership is to establish “new ways for fans to interact with the sport during race weekends, with unique experiences for a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts and exclusive benefits for Revolut customers”.
Revolut Business will also be integrated into the team’s financial operations, with fans benefitting from Revolut powering “seamless checkout solutions” for team merchandise.
“Audi is entering Formula 1 with a clear ambition: to use the platform as a technologically relevant and economically sustainable investment in the future of the Audi brand,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Sauber Motorsport AG.
“We firmly believe in the success of our project, which we are approaching with a realistic attitude and a mindset of continuous improvement. In Revolut, we have found a partner that shares our ambitions and attitude.
“Formula 1 is a global stage that offers us the opportunity to reach new target groups together and generate enthusiasm for our products.”
Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of the future Audi F1 Team, added: “With Revolut, we have found a partner that shares our core ethos of innovation and relentless ambition. This is more than a brand fit; it is a strategic alliance, engineered to challenge conventions in motorsport.
“From 2026, Revolut’s digital-first solutions will power key areas of our operations while also redefining how fans and communities engage with our team – delivering a seamless and engaging experience on and off the track.”
Nik Storonsky, CEO of Revolut, added: “This is a monumental partnership for Revolut and the Future Audi F1 Team. We’re accelerating towards 100 million customers, and we’ll be bringing them into Formula 1 with unforgettable experiences at a pivotal time for the sport.
“As Revolut continues to challenge the status quo in global finance, the Future Audi F1 Team is set to do the same in motorsport. With a shared outlook, global ambition and relentless drive for progress, this partnership will define what’s possible in Formula 1.”
The Indian football team will participate in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, starting from August 29 in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The CAFA Nations Cup is an international football competition that is played among the senior teams of the Central Asian Football Association. The inaugural edition took place in 2023.
India are one of the two invitee teams for the latest tournament alongside Oman. They are replacing Malaysia who had to withdraw from the tournament due to logistical problems.
A total of eight teams are participating in the second edition of the CAFA Nations Cup, with India clubbed in Group B alongside Tajikistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Afghanistan.
Based on the FIFA rankings, Iran are the top team in the tournament at world No. 20. Tajikistan and India are 106th and 133rd, respectively, while Afghanistan are the lowest ranked team in the group at 161st spot.
CAFA Nations Cup 2025 groups
Group A: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Oman
Group B: Tajikistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India
The top two teams from each group will square off in the final of the tournament, while the two runners-up will meet in the third-place playoff.
This will be India’s first tournament since former head coach Manolo Marquez mutually agreed to part ways with the Indian football team.
The Blue Tigers are also expected to have a new coach by the time the tournament gets underway with three names in the mix for India’s top football job.
India will play all their group stage matches in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan.
The same venue will also host the third-place playoff, while the final will be held at the Milliy Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Iran won the inaugural edition of the CAFA Nations Cup in 2023, while Uzbekistan were runners-up.
The tournament will also serve as preparation before India resumes their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers campaign in October.
“It’s actually really easy,” laughed Wyatt on being asked how they navigate the potentially hazardous dynamic of friends and rivals.
“From the moment we joined the British programme, you are taught that we work together,” the 33-year-old explained of the set up at the University of Bath, on England’s west coast, which incredibly does not even have a full skeleton track.
Housing the only sliding-specific training facility in the UK and used by the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association athletes, the set-up focuses solely on the push start, a vital aspect of racing in which skeleton sliders hurtle down the track, navigating corners at up to 90mph (145 km/hour).
It sounds rudimentary, but athletes push a wheeled practice sled along straight embedded metal rails on a concrete slope 140m long (468ft).
A new type of motion-capture technology, however, developed alongside researchers from the university, tracks performance during the push-start phase, all important in gaining those extra milliseconds vital to the time at track’s end.
It works.
Since it opened in 2002, skeleton athletes have won seven medals for Team GB at the Olympic Winter Games including gold-medals from Amy Williams (Vancouver 2010) and Lizzy Yarnold (Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018), while the four-man bobsleigh team won bronze in 2014.
“We only get X amount of runs per year, but if I can talk to Matt after every one of his runs and we share ideas, then suddenly my experience that season doubles,” said 2024 European champion, Wyatt. “We work really closely from the get-go and it’s very easy on race day. It’s not me versus Matt, it’s me versus the clock. You can’t affect anyone else.
“If Matt has a great day… and I have to congratulate him, well done, he’s done a better job than me, but I’m going to try again next week and if I beat him next week, he’ll be the first person to congratulate me.
“You think from the outside it’s quite difficult, but yeah, we make it work.”
Weston concurred: “We also have an open, almost, not agreement, but like philosophy, that each other are the ones we want to beat the most and we’re accepting of that, not in a bad way.
“If I beat Marcus, because he’s a good slider, I know I’m going to have a good day and the same with if he beats me. We’re in a good position where we are probably going to have a good result if we do beat each other,” said Weston, who defended his 2024 world title shortly before the interview, adding a silver in the mixed team event alongside Tabitha Stoecker.
“It’s always pretty healthy, and I enjoy it to be honest.”
Tadej Pogačar will not race La Vuelta a España in August, choosing instead to focus on his recovery after winning a fourth men’s Tour de France title.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has opted to take a month break, missing the Spanish Grand Tour road cycling stage race, and is expected to be back competing at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal in September.
“I have fantastic memories there from 2019, but now the body is telling me to rest,” Pogačar said of La Vuelta, in the team announcement on Tuesday (July 29).
“I’m excited to go back to Canada; the races are tough but beautiful, and they fit my style well. I’ll be aiming to be back racing well again for that part of the season and for the World Championships, especially.”
The Olympic bronze medallist hopes to have recovered for his world champion title defence in Rwanda in late August and also chase a fifth Il Lombardia title.
“The idea this year was for Tadej to return to the Vuelta, but the season has been a long one for him. We spoke and agreed that the best thing for him now is to take a good rest and build up to his final season goals,” the team’s sports manager Matxin Fernández said.
The 26-year-old also missed the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, opting to focus on his Tour de France campaign.
In his absence, João Almeida and Juan Ayuso will start as co-leaders of the team, when the final men’s Grand Tour of 2025 gets underway on August 23.
Shadab Khan cuts one away, Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 1st T201, Lahore, May 28, 2025. — AFP
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalised the qualification process for cricket at the 2028 Olympics, with a report from British media outlet The Guardian indicating that Pakistan is unlikely to qualify for the men’s event.
Following discussions at its annual general meeting in Singapore, the ICC has approved a regional qualification format to decide the participating teams.
The men’s tournament at the Los Angeles Games will include six teams, with one automatic slot reserved for the host nation, the United States.
Under the proposed model, the highest-ranked team from each continent will qualify, ensuring representation from all regions.
This means India is expected to claim Asia’s spot, while Australia (Oceania), South Africa (Africa) and Great Britain (Europe) will also qualify automatically. With these allocations, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand will miss out on direct qualification.
One of the Caribbean nations could replace USA if their governance issues are not resolved after the ICC called on USA Cricket Board to resign this month.
Pakistan and New Zealand are unhappy with the ICC’s decision, but while it has yet to be ratified by the board, it is unlikely to be reversed.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also pushed for the regional qualification system to ensure global representation and promote cricket’s international appeal.
This format, however, leaves just one spot open after India, Australia, South Africa, Great Britain and the USA have confirmed their places.
The ICC will decide how the sixth and final berth will be awarded. There is speculation that it could go to a representative team from the Caribbean Islands, similar to the arrangement during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where Barbados represented the region.
The men’s and women’s cricket tournaments at LA 2028 will be played in the T20 format.
The ICC has already confirmed that both competitions will run from July 12 to July 29, 2028, with the women’s medal match scheduled for July 20 and the men’s final on July 29.
Cricket will make its return to the Olympic stage after 128 years. The sport’s only previous appearance was at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France in a one-off match to claim gold.
Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf against Bangladesh, 2nd T20I, Mirpur, Bangladesh, July 22, 2025. — AFP
Six-team limit narrows field for 2028 Games.
IOC backs global representation in Olympic cricket.
ICC to decide on final Olympic cricket berth.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalised the qualification process for cricket at the 2028 Olympics, with reports from British media outlet The Guardian indicating that Pakistan is unlikely to qualify for the men’s event.
Following discussions at its annual general meeting in Singapore, the ICC has approved a regional qualification format to decide the participating teams.
The men’s tournament at the Los Angeles Games will include six teams, with one automatic slot reserved for the host nation, the United States.
Under the proposed model, the highest-ranked team from each continent will qualify, ensuring representation from all regions.
This means India is expected to claim Asia’s spot, while Australia (Oceania), South Africa (Africa) and Great Britain (Europe) will also qualify automatically. With these allocations, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand will miss out on direct qualification.
One of the Caribbean nations could replace USA if their governance issues are not resolved after the ICC called on USA Cricket’s Board to resign this month.
Pakistan and New Zealand are unhappy with the ICC’s decision, but while it has yet to be ratified by the board it is unlikely to be reversed.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also pushed for the regional qualification system to ensure global representation and promote cricket’s international appeal.
This format, however, leaves just one spot open after India, Australia, South Africa, Great Britain and the USA have confirmed their places.
The ICC will decide how the sixth and final berth will be awarded. There is speculation that it could go to a representative team from the Caribbean Islands, similar to the arrangement during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where Barbados represented the region.
The men’s and women’s cricket tournaments at LA 2028 will be played in the T20 format.
The ICC has already confirmed that both competitions will run from July 12 to July 29, 2028, with the women’s medal match scheduled for July 20 and the men’s final on July 29.
Cricket will make its return to the Olympic stage after 128 years. The sport’s only previous appearance was at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France in a one-off match to claim gold.
Van Dijk retires as one of cycling’s all-time greats
Next year, the peloton will miss one of its most familiar faces, as 38-year-old Ellen van Dijk has decided that 2025 will be her last racing season. Van Dijk has certainly left her mark on the sport with 70 victories to her name, including three world time trial titles, five European titles — one road race and four time trial — and a solo win at the Tour of Flanders.
With 41 victories against the clock, as well as being former hour record holder, van Dijk will go down in history as one of the time trialling greats. Her prowess in the race of truth not only earned her many individual successes, but also helped to propel her teammates to collective victories in team time trials, the most recent example being at the Vuelta España Femenina this year, where Lidl-Trek clinched victory by three seconds. Ellen’s contribution was recognised with the chance to don the race leader jersey.
Whilst van Dijk’s career will be remembered for its glorious highs, it has not been without its lows. Speaking about her decision to retire, van Dijk spoke frankly about the impact crashes and injuries have had on her over the years.
“I’m going to retire as a professional cyclist at the end of the season, after 20 years. It’s been a big part of my life, a super long career that I feel very thankful for. It’s been a very difficult decision for me, I really love the life of a professional cyclist, I really see it as a privilege. I love time trialling, it’s no secret. That’s my big passion and my big love. It still is and it will always be. I also love road cycling, but especially in the last two years I had a lot of nasty crashes and this for sure makes me more scared on the bike in the peloton, and it makes me lose the real love of the road racing. Because of the dangers of the sport I cannot enjoy the road cycling as much as I would like to any more. I feel that the peloton is not my place any more, and it’s time for a new generation.
I found it a very difficult decision because I love to have a goal every day, to be outside, to train and to feel good about it and especially to always try to improve. I was waiting for finally one moment where I knew it was enough, and it came. I had a good spring this year, so when that was going well I didn’t feel retirement calling, but I’ve had some nasty crashes in the past two years and after the spring this year I broke my shoulder and in my first race coming back from that, the Baloise Tour, I was involved in a hard crash in the middle of the peloton. At that moment, I realised that I don’t want this anymore. We started the next day in the rain, and I thought ‘no’, this is not where I feel at home anymore. For me that was the moment where I knew I was done with racing in the peloton.”
In 2023, van Dijk paused her career to welcome her son, Faas, to the world. Within six months, she was not only pinning a number on her back, but incredibly, winning again.
“I’m very proud of my whole career. Of course, of the wins, but I’m also proud of the last two years where as a family we really had to be a team to get the best out of me, and I’m proud of how my partner Benjamin managed that with Faas. It’s been super special to experience these past two years as a family and all the memories I have from that are super special and I will treasure them for sure.
“Cycling means a lot to me and gave me a lot of great chances in life, and very thankful for everything that cycling gave to me. I’m especially thankful to Lidl-Trek. This is my seventh year with the team, the longest time I’ve been with one team, and that’s not for no reason. I really feel at home with this team, and it means a lot to me what this team did for women’s cycling. Trek always believed in women’s cycling and invested a lot in it and has played a big role in making women’s cycling what it is today.
“I don’t know if I look forward to my retirement. I don’t know yet what I’m going to do, but in general I feel very thankful for everything in my career and I would like to make that message very clear.”
“Chloe Kelly scored the goal that won Euro 2022 and the penalty that won Euro 2025. Including penalty shootouts, has anybody else scored the winner in two major international tournaments? And which women have dominated a whole competition?” asks Emma Pollard.
For a player who has never started a knockout match at a major tournament, Chloe Kelly has had … a reasonable impact. She scored the winner against Germany in extra time in 2022, and the winning penalty in the shootout against Spain on Sunday. Kelly also set up Alessia Russo’s equaliser in the final, played a key role in both goals against Sweden in the quarter-finals, kept England in the tournament with a nerveless penalty in the subsequent shootout, and then scored a 119th-minute winner against Italy in the semi-finals.
We’re not done. In 2023, Kelly scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Nigeria in the World Cup last 16. If you include the Finalissima against Brazil earlier the same year, Kelly has scored the winning penalty in three shootouts for England. That’s more than every other man and woman in England combined. Eric Dier (Colombia, World Cup 2018) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (Switzerland, Euro 2024) are the only players to do it once.
Kelly’s substitute role means she hasn’t dominated a World Cup or European Championship finals like Carli Lloyd in 2015 or, in the men’s game, Diego Maradona at Mexico ‘86. But she is the first player to score the decisive goal – shootouts included – in two World Cup or European Championship finals. Hers is a modern kind of glory: from the bench, often involving extra time and penalties.
Some greats of the women’s game have stolen the show in different ways. Germany’s Birgit Prinz scored in – and you’ll like this – five finals between 1995 and 2009. Germany won them all, four in the Euros (1995, 1997, 2005, 2009) and one World Cup in 2007. Prinz was also part of the team that won Euro 2001, more of which below, but failed to score in the final.
To find a recent example of a player grabbing the headlines at the business end of a tournament, you only need to go back a couple of years. The Spain left-back Olga Carmona followed an 89th-minute winner against Sweden in the World Cup semi-final by rifling in the only goal of the final against England.
The most dominant performance across a whole knockout stage probably belongs to the aforementioned Carli Lloyd. In 2015, she was player of the match in all four of the USWNT’s knockout games. She scored in all four, too, including the only goal against China in the quarter-finals, the opener against Germany in the semis – and a hat-trick inside the first 16 minutes of the final against Japan.
Carli Lloyd celebrates after scoring against Japan in the 2015 World Cup final. Photograph: Erich Schlegel/USA Today Sports
For overall impact, that’s very difficult to beat. A few other players are worthy of mention, though:
Pia Sundhage (Sweden, Euro 1984)
Semi-final first leg: scored Sweden’s second equaliser in 3-2 win away to Italy
Semi-final second leg: scored both goals in 2-1 win (5-3 agg)
Final: scored Sweden’s only goal across the two legs against England, which ended 1-1 on aggregate, then scored the winning penalty in the shootout (NB: The tournament began at the semi-final stage)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands, Euro 2017)
Quarter-final: second goal in 2-0 win over Sweden
Semi-final: opening goal in 3-0 hammering of England
Final: equalised in the 10th minute v Denmark, then scored in the 89th minute to seal a 4-2 win
Megan Rapinoe (USA, World Cup 2019)
Last 16: scored two penalties in 2-1 win against Spain
Quarter-final: scored both goals in 2-1 win over hosts France
Semi-final: didn’t play v England due to injury
Final: opened the scoring from the spot in 2-0 win over the Netherlands
Those are the best examples we could find from the Women’s Euros and World Cup. But if you have any from other tournaments – or we’ve missed something obvious – please get in touch.
Pia Sundhage (bottom right) played a big part as Sweden won the 1984 European Championship. Photograph: TT News Agency/Alamy
Won in 60 seconds
“Excluding added time, England were ahead for one minute in the knockout rounds of Euro 2025,” notes Chris Williams. “Assuming this is a record, how does it compare to previous tournaments?”
Kelly’s 119th-minute goal against Italy put England ahead for the only time in their three knockout games against Sweden, Italy and Spain. Including added time, they led for four minutes 52 seconds out of approximately six and a half hours. We’ll focus on here on how that compares to previous major women’s tournaments.
We don’t have the added time for previous tournaments so, for purposes of comparison, we’ve counted each match as lasting 90 or 120 minutes. Before this tournament, the winners of the women’s Euros who spent the least time in front were Germanyin 2001. They were ahead for a total of 33 minutes, but the context was very different. While England played 360 minutes of knockout football in this tournament, Germany played only 188 in 2001. There are two reasons for that: there were no quarter-finals and the final was decided by a golden goal.
Germany won both their knockout matches 1-0. Sandra Smisek scored after 57 minutes against Norway, giving Germany a lead that lasted 33 minutes. The final against Sweden was settled by an iconic golden goal from Claudia Müller in the eighth minute of extra time. The moment she put Germany ahead, the tournament was over.
Quarter-finals were introduced to the Euros in 2009. Since then, and before this year, this year the team who spent the least time in front were … England in 2022. The total was 107 minutes on that occasion: 24 in extra time v Spain, 56 v Sweden and 27 in the final against Germany.
The briefest frontrunners among the World Cup winners are Japan’s class of 2011, who were ahead for a combined total of 42 minutes out of a possible 330 across three knockout games. In the quarter-final against the holders Germany, Karina Maruyama scored the only goal after 108 minutes. Japan then came from behind to beat Sweden 3-1 in the semi-finals, a match in which they led for the last half-hour.
Japan’s 2011 World Cup winners led for just 42 minutes across three knockout games. Photograph: Action Images/Action Images/Reuters
In the final against the United States, Japan twice came from behind to draw 2-2, with Homare Sawa scoring in the 117th minute to take the match to penalties. Japan won the shootout 3-1. When the music stopped, they were in the winning chair.
Michael and Michelle
“At the age of 19, is Michelle Agyemang the youngest England player to win an individual award at a major tournament?” wonders Alex Smith.
Agyemang’s impact on Euro 2025 had gone into English football folklore even before the tournament was over. The Arsenal forward still hasn’t started an international match but was a threat from the bench in every game and scored dramatic equalisers against Sweden and Italy in the quarter- and semi-finals.
Her story resembles that of Michael Owen, who was even younger when he took France ‘98 by storm at the age of 18. Owen won Fifa’s young player of the tournament award after scoring against Romania and Argentina. “In my mind, Owen was the only good thing to come out of France 98,” said Diego Maradona a few years later. “He had speed, cunning and balls.”
Speed, cunning and balls: Michael Owen takes on Argentina. Photograph: Star Images/Action Images/Reuters
As far as we’re aware, the other England players to receive official individual awards were all in their 20s and 30s:
Golden Ball Beth Mead (aged 27, Euro 2022)
Silver Ball Lucy Bronze (27, World Cup 2019)
Golden Boot Harry Kane (24, World Cup 2018) Gary Lineker (25, World Cup 1986) Beth Mead (27, Euro 2022, shared with Germany’s Alexandra Popp) Jodie Taylor (31, Euro 2017)
Bronze Boot Ellen White (30, World Cup 2019)
Golden Glove Mary Earps (29, World Cup 2023)
Best young player Michael Owen (18, World Cup 1998) Michelle Agyemang (19, Euro 2025)
Knowledge archive
“Are the Lionesses the first team to win a major international tournament after going behind in every knockout game?” asks Danielle Patterson.
We had a similar question last year, when England’s men’s team beat Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands after conceding the first goal. They didn’t go on to win Euro 2024 – spoiler alert – and the only example we could find at that stage was China in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. This is how they did it.
Quarter-final China 3-1 Vietnam (from 1-0 down)
Semi-final China 2-2 Japan (4-3 pens; China’s second equaliser came in the 119th minute)
Final China 3-2 South Korea (China were 2-0 down after 67 minutes before a spectacular fightback culminated in Xiao Yuyi scoring an injury-time winner)
We looked at other comeback kings and queens who didn’t go on to lift the trophy; the link is worth clicking just for the story for the crazy story of Jürgen Klinsmann’s South Korea at last year AFC Men’s Asian Cup.
Knowledge archive
Can you help?
“Lucy Bronze revealed after Sunday’s final that she had played throughout Euro 2025 with a fractured tibia,” writes Tom Walters. “What other examples are there of footballers playing some or all of a major international tournament with serious injuries?”
“England’s two backup keepers at Euro 2025, Anna Moorhouse and Khiara Keating, have just won a major trophy despite both having zero caps,” notes Tim Spargo. “Has this happened before?”
“With Hugo Ekitiké joining Liverpool, which other players with palindromic surnames have featured in the Premier League (and beyond)?” wonders Michael Martin.
“Lauren James (four) and brother Reece (two) have won six trophies between them in the 2024-25 season. Have any other sets of siblings won more in a single campaign?” asks Magnus Blair.
“We all love it when a goalie comes up for a last-minute set piece,” states Simon Buckton, correctly. “But has a goalkeeper ever been flagged for offside – or better still, had a goal disallowed for offside?”
“Port Vale have played Everton at Priory Road, Anfield, Goodison Park and now the Hill Dickinson Stadium,” notes Kevin Doran. “Is there an example of any other team having played another team at four or more home grounds?”
“This week I’m savouring a veritable feast of Luxo-British football in the Conference League: Differdange v The New Saints, followed by Strassen v Dundee United,” writes Martin Davies. “Both games will take place at Differdange’s stadium. Have two British teams played European ties in the same stadium within 48 hours of each other before, or am I going to witness a first?”
