UEFA Women’s Euro 2025: What’s At Stake For The 10 Top Players

Laken Litman

College Football & Soccer Analyst

Doug McIntyre

Soccer Journalist

From Ballon d’Or winners to high-scoring forwards to veteran playmakers, these are the stars who’ll grab the headlines at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.

Sixteen nations will aim for glory at this edition of the tournament, taking place across Switzerland from July 2-27. You’ll be able to watch all 31 games across FOX Sports, culminating with the final on July 27 at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland (12 p.m. ET, FOX). 

What’s at stake for these players and teams? Plenty. For England, it’s about winning a consecutive Euro championship after seeing some of their top stars from the 2022 tournament retire. For Spain, a new piece of silverware to go with the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup title would further cement their legacy. 

Each squad in the tournament has standout players, but these 10 stars – including several those two co-favorite sides – will be the focus of fans and opponents alike. Let’s dive in: 

Aitana Bonmatí | Midfielder | Spain 

What’s At Stake: We saw the disappointment in Bonmati’s face after Barcelona lost to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final earlier this spring, so you can bet that will be a motivating factor for the two-time reigning Ballon d’Or champion. Not only that, but the last time we saw Spain on the world’s stage was the 2024 Paris Olympics when La Roja lost to Brazil in the semifinal match. Bonmati has won a lot of trophies – including the 2023 World Cup – but Spain has never won the Euro’s before and she will be anxious to lead her team to a title. – Laken Litman

Kadidiatou Diani | Forward | France

What’s At Stake: In 2023, Diani won the Silver Boot at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In 2024, Diani was the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League. But the 30-year-old forward has never won an international trophy for her team, either at club level or with Les Bleues. This summer represents her next chance, and it’s a good one: After Spain and England, France is the bookies’ next favorite to claim the title in Switzerland. – Doug McIntyre

Caroline Graham Hansen | Forward | Norway 

What’s At Stake: Hansen, who finished second in the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, is one of Norway’s top players right now. The Barcelona winger – who, like Bonmati, will be anxious to do well this summer after losing out on a Champions League title – is creative, fun to watch and probably a bit under the radar despite her dominance on the pitch. Norway has a strong group of players, which also includes more familiar stars like Ada Hegerberg. But if this group is going to make a run at winning its first European championship since 1993, it will take a massive effort from the 30-year-old Hansen. – Litman

Chloe Kelly | Forward | England

What’s At Stake: Who could forget that Kelly was the hero of the 2022 Euros? She scored the game-winning goal in extra time to give England a thrilling 2-1 win over Germany, and promptly ripped off her jersey in celebration. Since then, Kelly has been up and down for the Lionesses. But she’s recently found her footing at Arsenal, where she transferred this spring, before helping the club win the Champions League. The 27-year-old forward is playing more confidently than ever and is anxious to help England win a second title. – Litman

Clàudia Pina | Forward | Spain

What’s At Stake: There’s so much talent from Barcelona playing in these Euros, it’s easy to forget the Spanish club didn’t win the Champions League title this season. Pina was one of the reasons why her club made a run to the title game though, coming in as the top scorer in Champions League with 10 goals. She’s had some time to rest and recover following a long and laborious season, and Spain certainly hopes she’s in top form to be a threat in front of goal this summer. – Litman

Alexia Putellas | Midfielder | Spain 

What’s At Stake: The two-time Ballon d’Or winner tore her ACL on the eve of Euro 2022, torpedoing Spain’s chances of winning its first continental title. Putellas returned in time to occupy a supporting role as La Roja won the 2023 World Cup, but another knee injury prevented the Barcelona superstar from participating as Spain claimed last year’s UEFA Nations League. This summer’s Euros, in other words, marks the first major tournament for a fully healthy Putellas since the 2019 Women’s World Cup. – McIntyre

Alessia Russo | Forward | England

What’s At Stake: Russo is coming off arguably her best club season ever – she helped lead Arsenal to a Champions League title and won the WSL Golden Boot (12 goals). Now, she’s looking to take England back to the top of Europe by winning a second straight Euro championship. Russo played in the 2022 final, coming on as a second-half sub and was on the England squad that lost to Spain in the 2023 World Cup final. While the 26-year-old forward is still young in her career, she’s won a lot and if the Lionesses win it all this summer, she’ll be a major reason why. – Litman

Lea Schüller | Forward | Germany

What’s At Stake: Schüller’s international strike rate is gaudy, with 52 goals in 75 appearances for Germany. It hasn’t translated into silverware, however: the 27-year-old’s career with the Frauenteam has been marked by near misses, including a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics, another third-place finish in that year’s Nations League and a heartbreaking loss to England at the Euro 2022 final. If the Germans are to win their ninth European title this July (and their first in more than a decade), Schüller will play a major role. – McIntyre

Keira Walsh | Midfielder | England

What’s At Stake: The Lionesses’ maestro is looking to lead the defending champions to their second consecutive European title. Walsh orchestrated England’s unforgettable Euro 2022 triumph over Germany on home soil three years ago, but she struggled mightily in the 2023 World Cup final loss to Spain. Now 28 and the Lionesses’ vice-captain, the Chelsea standout will be highly motivated to put that setback right this summer. – McIntyre

Daniëlle van de Donk | Midfielder | Netherlands

What’s At Stake: The high point of Van de Donk’s 15-year international career came in 2017, when she helped the Oranje win Euro 2017. But the Dutch couldn’t turn that triumph into trend; they lost the World Cup final to the United States two years later, then bombed out of the 2020 Olympics, Euro 2022 and World Cup 2023 in the quarterfinals. The Netherlands failed to qualify for last summer’s Paris Games. With her 34th birthday approaching in August, this could be her final opportunity to add another major trophy before hanging up her cleats. – McIntyre
 

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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