England's Euro 2025-winning stars were invited to the prime minister's residence the day after their epic penalty shootout victory over Spain.
Lionesses invited to special receptionEuro 2025 triumph formally celebratedUK prime minister not actually presentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
On Monday evening, having flown back home from Switzerland, the Lionesses arrived at 10 Downing Street to acknowledge and celebrate their achievement by successfully retaining the European Championship title they originally won in 2022. The building had been specially decorated, with England flags draped across the windows to greet the "history makers".
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With prime minister Sir Keir Starmer meeting US president Donald Trump 400 miles away in Scotland, deputy PM Angela Rayner was the one who warmly received Sarina Wiegman and the England squad. Of the players, only defender Jess Carter was not present for the event, having immediately returned to America to link back up with club side NJ/NY Gotham.
WHAT RAYNER SAID
Addressing the squad, Rayner said: "The Prime Minister is disappointed that he can't be here, but like the rest of us he was cheering you on. You've made us all so, so proud. Role models like you send such a powerful message. The Lionesses are a shining example of talent and excitement for women's football."
WHAT WIEGMAN SAID
"You don't come to Downing Street normally and how they [decorated] it like this is very special, to be able to go inside but also into the garden, it was really nice," Wiegman told reporters. "They put up some pictures of us that showed what we had done in the Euros. It was lovely and a very warm welcome."