Ian Wright’s reaction to England Lionesses’ dramatic late Euros semi final comeback against Italy on Tuesday night goes viral.
England Women left it late to book their place in Sunday’s Euro 2025 final, where they will face either Spain or Germany.
Italy had been on course for victory after Barbara Bonansea’s 33rd minute goal, however Michelle Agyemang’s stoppage time goal sent the tie to extra time, before Chloe Kelly scored on the rebound, after seeing her spot kick saved, to secure victory with the penalties looming.
The SCENES from our studio gantry! š@IanWright0, @laura_woodsy & Karen Carney react to Michelle Agyemang’s late equaliser pic.twitter.com/s6Lt505FYY
ā ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 22, 2025
CHLOE KELLY WINS IT FOR ENGLAND IN THE 119th MINUTE š¤Æ
THE LIONESSES ARE IN THE EUROS FINAL!
Absolute CHAOS. pic.twitter.com/CW92YhGK4N
ā ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 22, 2025
Ian Wright said after the game: “And celebrate they will. But, look, not for too long because very, very quickly after this, turn attention is gonna have to be turned to the final, and we find out who they’re gonna meet in the final tomorrow, of course.
“But for the moment, let’s just celebrate with these Lionesses because as I said earlier on, it doesn’t have to be pretty.
“And sometimes, we as England fans would like it to be a bit of an easier watch, but look, they’ve they’ve found a way through.
“You know, if you if you’ve watched England in the last two, maybe three years of all the time I’ve been doing it, we’re not a team that blast teams off with great football.
“You know? We beat teams that are team that we should beat, but teams that come and give us a problem, we do find it. We don’t we don’t play them off the off the path.
“We get it done. It’s almost like we play tournament football all the time.
“We have a problem with physicality. We have a problem with teams that’s direct, and we have to that’s something we’re gonna have to sort out.
“But in respect of being in a tournament and getting through to the next stage, it’s very difficult to beat this side because they never know when they’ve beaten.”
š£ļø “This side never know when they’re beaten.”
š @IanWright0 reflects on the chaos that unfolded! pic.twitter.com/jibXUWfTWv
ā ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 22, 2025
England’s winning goalscorer Chloe Kelly, speaking to ITV:Ā “It feels unbelievable. Such a great feeling. This team deserves nothing but that. Three finals on the bounce and we want more.
On scoring big goals:Ā “I just try my best for the team. It wasn’t supposed to go like that [the penalty] but obviously the keeper had done her homework. We go back to the drawing board and keep practicing those penalties. Luckily I got there for the tap-in.”
On Michelle Agyemang:Ā “She’s unbelievable, she should have scored again when she hit the cross bar. She’s got the world at her feet. A young player with a bright future. I’m absolutely buzzing for her.
“This team shows resilience but we fight back and hopefully we can make it easier for ourselves, we don’t need that panic.”
On if they can win the tournament again:Ā “We have the hope, we have the belief and we have the quality so we just need to keep at it, and keep working hard at training to make sure we’re right next weekend.”
England manager Sarina Wiegman on why she waits to make substitutes:
“I donāt know if I make the changes at the right time. We wait, it has impact, when we score we have to find a shape that also meant the tempo had to go down a bit.
“We thought we played well, got some chances, but the final touch [was missing]. Thatās why we waited.”
She added: “Weāre going to make a movie some day! Well this is a movie, my goodness, itās unbelievable. Here we are again, itās really really special.”
Ā Wiegman, speaking to ITV, on how the win feels: “To be honest relief. When you score so late in normal time, then late in the second-half of extra-time from a penalty on the rebound and coming behind against Italy ā you know you have a problem.
“We had some serious challenges over this game, I think we didnāt play well in the first-half. We didnāt have the energy in the game. We didnāt create. The second-half we did better but [Italy] defended well so we didnāt have much space in the final third and they had a lot of blocks.
“We had to get a hole in the wall I would say. They did just really good.”
England’s Michelle Agyemang, speaking to ITV aboutĀ going from ball-girl at Wembley to Euro 2025 star:Ā “It means the world to me and I’m so grateful. I’m so grateful to God. Four years ago I was a kid, throwing balls to some of these girls but now I’m here playing with them. It’s a great opportunity and I’m so glad I’m here.
“To be doing this at this level, to be helping out this team is more than what I could have wished for so, I’m so grateful to be here.”
“Most of these girls I haven’t known for more than two months but it shows the togetherness we have as a team.”
Agyemang, speaking to BBC Sport about her crucial late equaliser:Ā “Itās funny because I was supposed to be at the back post. That was actually an instruction to be at the back post…
“But you know I was hanging around the edge [of the box] and fortunately the ball fell to me and it went through a couple of bodies. I donāt care how it goes in as long as it goes in, so Iām grateful for that. That’s it really!”
Agyemang, speaking to BBC Sport about what Sarina Wiegman said to her before she came on: “I donāt know what she said to be honest with you. I think we were all caught in the moment and we just wanted to go and change the game. And with the help of the subs and the girls on the pitch we did that and Iām so happy.”
On how she keeps making an impact:Ā “I donāt know. Itās by the grace of God. Iām so grateful and I thank God for the opportunity to be here. We are doing wonders as a team and I am so proud that I can say Iām a part of this team.”
England midfielder Ella Toone speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live:
“Definitely worth it [the stress]. We said when we stepped on to the pitch we would give everything and by the end be be dead on our feet, and thatās what we are.
“We grafted and got the goal we needed at the end. Buzzing, weāre in another final.
“You always believe it (the moment will come). Weāre England, we fight to the end.
“When youāve got players to come of the bench and impact the game like we have youāve always go that belief.
“The final is going to be tough no matter what, itās a final. People put on big performances in finals, that’s what we are going to have to do. Weāre excited about it. We need to recover again from 120 minutes. But we are over the moon.”
Will you celebrate tonight? – “Iām not sure my calves can, but I’ll give it a go. After doping – I have to do anti-doping again!”
Toone speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on England’s game-changers Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly:
“Michelle deserves that, sheās been a star coming on and changing the game. Itās an amazing feeling for her.
“Chloe is another game changer who has come on a few times this tournament. We are very confident when Chloe comes on and takes a penalty. She took it off my toes, I was almost there!”
England captain Leah Williamson, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on reachingĀ yet another final: “It’s not sunk in for me yet. There was too much going on in the game. It is another final. Another opportunity for us to go out and make our country proud and celebrate what football is all about in a final.
Ā “I’m annoyed that we got ourselves into the situation that we were in again but it just feels like turning it around is just inevitable. The girls are just incredible.”
On impact from the bench yet again:Ā “You don’t win a tournament with 11 players, you just don’t. Or even 13, 14 or 15. You win it with 23 – every player on this team plays their role down to a tee.
“Those girls deserve the spotlight and we will give them their flowers because they turned up and they did it. I am so proud of them, so happy to call all three of them my team-mates, at club and country. Every single person, every little cog in the wheel – I am so proud of these moments because I know the work we do that you guys don’t see.”
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