By Simon Wilkes
England head coach Sarina Wiegman hailed Lucy Bronze as ‘one of a kind’ after the veteran full-back played a starring role in a dramatic 2025 Women’s Euro quarter-final win over Sweden on Thursday night.
Defending European champions England were second best at 2-0 down after a dismal first-half performance against the Swedes, who outmuscled and out-hustled the Lionesses.
Wiegman did not make any changes during the interval, and England were equally as lacklustre after the break, until she made a triple substitution – sending on Beth Mead, Esme Morgan and Michelle Agyemang before also introducing Chloe Kelly in the 78th minute.
All the subs had an impact, but none more so than Kelly, whose sublime cross was headed home by Bronze on 79 minutes to wake England from their slumber.
On level terms
The Lionesses were then level two minutes later when Kelly and Mead combined to set up Agyemang for a leveller at 2-2 which set up extra time and the penalty shootout.
England number one Hannah Hampton made a string of fine saves during the match – then stepped up in an erratic shootout, making two saves and seeing several Sweden players fail to hit the target with their spot-kicks.
Bronze, however, displayed nerves of steel – having bandaged her leg in extra time – and smashed her penalty kick home before roaring in celebration, helping England to a 3-2 shootout win which secured a semi-final clash with Italy in Geneva on Tuesday, July 22.
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One of a kind
Wiegman poured praise on the 33-year-old, telling a press conference: “Lucy Bronze is one of a kind.
“I have never, ever seen this before in my life, and I’m a very lucky person that I’ve worked with so many incredible people, incredible football players, and there are so so many, but what she does, and her mentality.
“That penalty, the goal, but that’s not [even] what defines her. It’s that resilience, that fight.
“I think the only way to get her off the pitch is in a wheelchair.”
Rollercoaster ride
Bronze, meanwhile, was quick to praise the subs who came off the bench and totally ‘changed the dynamic’ of the last-eight match.
She told BBC Sport: “It was a rollercoaster. Both underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time.
“A crazy game, as a player, and for fans too.
“Holding the team together in the first half was difficult.
“They had a few good chances to put the game to bed, lucky for us we kept them out.
“The substitutes changed the dynamic of the game.”
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