“We’re going to make a movie some day! Well this is a movie, my goodness, it’s unbelievable.”

So said Sarina Wiegman after her side came back from 1-0 down in a dramatic semi-final against Italy. 19 year old Agyemang’s 96th-minute equaliser, followed by Chloe Kelly’s extra-time penalty miss then rebound goal, makes Wiegman’s comment that “it’s a little bit dramatic” a huge understatement!

England’s tournament had already been full of twists and turns. Many wrote off the defending champions before the Euros began, after some key players announced their international retirement just weeks before the tournament began. England’s disappointing defeat against France seemed to confirm that opinion.

However, England performed well in the final matches of the group stage to finish second in the group and progress to the knockout stages. Our side of the draw seemed an easier one, but against Switzerland, England had to come back from 2-0 down to take the match to an astonishing penalty shootout.

Comebacks against Sweden and Italy, but surely England could not get away with that against the greatest opponents yet: the world champions, Spain. Was there any way this movie could have a happy ending?

You know the story. 1-0 down, again. A second-half equaliser from Alessia Russo. Extra time that seemed to last for eternity, and yet another penalty shootout. Heroic saves from Hannah Hampton. England just need one more penalty to win. Who would be the one to take it? Who else could it be? Chloe Kelly, the substitute gamechanger of this tournament. Signature high step. Never any doubt. Back of the net.

The movie with the Hollywood ending.

What a remarkable story. In the knockout stages, of the 360 minutes played, England were only in front for just 4 minutes 52 seconds. It’s an incredible victory - and indeed it’s the first time an England team has won a major trophy on foreign soil - as the victories in 2022 and 1966 were at Wembley.

As one BBC article stated - “this was the greatest achievement in the history of English football.”

It still feels hard to believe England actually pulled it off.

This movie had a happy ending.
Where dreams actually came true.
And as humans we love this. This is what we yearn for.

We are drawn to stories where everything ends well.

Tolkien, who wrote Lord of the Rings, talked about why we are drawn to fairy stories.

They connect with this deep sense we have that there is a greater story, that the light will win, that all things will come right in the end.

He argued that we resonate with these stories because they bear witness to an underlying reality - to the true story of the Gospel. The underlying narrative of human history and its ultimate destination.

A story where the hero was written off from the beginning. A story full of twists and turns and doubts and faith and miracles. A story which seemed to have a tragic ending, where its hero died a humiliating death. Hopes, dreams, dead and buried with Jesus in a tomb.

And yet against all odds, in the greatest of all comebacks, Jesus’ death is not final. Out of the grave, out of the tomb, he rises. He lives.

A happy ending.

But not just for Jesus.

This means that our own stories, too can end happily.
Human history is heading to a fairytale ending too.

Looking at the darkness of the world we wonder, how can it all end well? How can the light win?

For those who trust in him, Jesus’ resurrection wins for us a future where everything sad comes untrue.

A place where “he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Revelation 21:4

On these amazing words, Richard Bauckham writes:

"Behold I am making all things new": this is the happy ending of all happy endings, the happy ending beyond all the tragic endings, the happily ever after of all Creation.”

The movie of the Lionesses journey of Euros 2025 has ended well. Dreams came true.

Let this point us to the greater happily ever after which we long for with all of our hearts. The Gospel provides the answer to all of our hopes and dreams. But it’s not just a fairytale. It’s true.

Rosie Woodbridge

Rosie is a mum of two, she goes to St Mary's Church Basingstoke and writes occasionally for Christians in Sport.