Electric Ella Toone lighting up England’s title defense at Euro 2025
ZURICH AP England midfielder Ella Toone is back to her unbelievable best Toone stole the show in Sunday s - thrashing of Wales at the Women s European Championship with a sensational first-half performance to propel the defending champion into the quarterfinals The Manchester United star set up two of England s four goals in the first period and netted one of the others herself for her second goal of the tournament I think she was unbelievable explained England teammate Beth Mead Toone also had an incredible pass completion against Wales before being substituted off at halftime with the outcome a foregone conclusion and the defending champion s place in the quarterfinals guaranteed Well I mean it might not have been if I stayed on the second half but I ll take it Toone reported with a laugh But I m a number I want to take risks I want to find passes that sometimes might not come off and I inevitably think that it s okay to make a mistake I feel really good at the minute feel really confident and really enjoying my football So hopefully I can continue with that in the next games England will face Sweden in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Zurich where the Lionesses played their first two matches of Euro The -year-old Toone is all but assured of a place in the starting lineup especially as England coach Sarina Wiegman normally avoids tinkering with a winning group in tournaments Wiegman kept the same starting lineup for all six of England s matches in its triumphant Euro run and made only the one change after England opened its defense with a disappointing defeat to France That was to bring Toone who had come off the bench against France in for Mead against the Netherlands shifting Lauren James to the right England won - Mead herself had a sublime performance against Wales after coming off the bench at halftime with a goal and an assist as England wrapped up the scoring That s the Beth that I saw in at the Euros when she took an extra touch in the box and sat a meager defenders down and got a goal and I m so happy for her Toone reported But the -year-old Mead who was the Euro athlete of the tournament is likely to start again from the bench against Sweden I think Tooney is really coming into her own and sometimes in situations where you feel a little bit low it brings you to the top of your match Mead announced And I have perfectly felt that and done that before been in a tough place and come back and she deserves everything she s getting right now because she has worked really hard for it Bonding over grief Mead and Toone have both lost parents since England lifted the Euro trophy Mead s mother died from ovarian cancer in January while Toone lost her father to prostate cancer last September Both players pointed to the sky after scoring on Sunday We both declared the first tournament we really struggled a little bit Mead declared You look to the stands for your person who was standing there and they re not there anymore I think my mum was the first person I would look for in the stands so I obviously understand what Ella felt in that moment and it s just special to be able to have that moment think about them and dedicate it to them Toone says she and Mead have really bonded over such a terrible thing and that her teammate has been a mentor to her as she understands what she is going through I was buzzing for her that she got that tonight and we both could celebrate to the sky Toone added I am sure they will be up there with a scant pints in their hand watching us AP soccer https apnews com hub soccer Source
