The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness - England Into Euros Final After More Late Drama

Episode Date: July 23, 2025

Why is Michelle Agyemang becoming “inevitable”? Why does Chloe Kelly love stepping up for the big moments on the largest stage? How hard is it to come on and make an instant impact as a substitute in such a big game? Rach and Ben Haines also discuss how the Lionesses prepare for the final and explain exactly what the next few days will look like for the squad. Wherever it takes you. It Starts with a Swipe ®. Download Tinder today. https://tinder.com/en-GB/download  For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before we kick off today's episode of Daily Brightness, a massive thank you to our proud partners Shaw for backing us since day one. What started as a leap into the unknown has turned into something really special for us and it means a lot to have Shaw with us on the journey backing us like teammates. Right Rach, we're into the summer, what does life after the WSL season look like for you? This year I just had a nice week at home which was really nice to just like get my feet back on the ground after traveling and everything. And then I went away for a couple weeks and then it's hit the ground running.

Pre-season program starts. It's like the hardest thing ever. What about you? Yeah, I've really just taken a little bit of time to just do me really. Not been on any luxury holidays like you have because she sent me pictures every time you're away, which has been nice, but very jealous.

Obviously we're going into a massive summer ahead for women's football we're gonna be back in the lioness's aren't we? Always. So a big thank you to Shaw for always showing up for us on and off the pitch and supporting the podcast and thank you all for tuning in. Whether you've been with us from the start or you're just jumping in now there's so much more to come keep subscribing and keep watching. No Frills delivers. Get groceries delivered to your door from No Frills with PC Express. Shop online and get $15 in PC optimum points on your first five orders. Shop now at nofrills.ca. Hello everyone and welcome to today's episode of Daily Brightness. We're celebrating the fact that England are through to the final of the Euros after another dramatic comeback

victory against Italy. It's just me and Benji tonight, Millie can't make it unfortunately but Ben, talk to me, how's your heart? Do you know what? I have a formal complaint that I want to make to Lionesses. Like, this is not good for any of us. No. The stress, the nerves, the anxiety. And what's mad is, is I still didn't feel that they were going to lose. Even as the clock was creeping down, knowing that you've got Michelle Adjimang on the pitch and she's starting to get that air of inevitability about her do you know what I mean? Starting to feel like

something's gonna drop. I'm the same as you I just feel like as soon as you start to see these subs coming on like you know these teams are getting a bit tired it's a bit cagey and then you just think like no we're gonna win like there's never a doubt in my mind like even with like two minutes to go in like stoppage time i'm like no problem don't worry about it it's so weird but this is the same feeling i've i had when i played for england is it everyone will say oh we're so lucky whatever whatever yeah there's an element of luck but you create your own luck when you're that good do you know i mean like i'm not sitting here going we were amazing like we've been amazing the last few games no but no one gives a shit when the points are on the board and you're in the European final,

three finals in three tournaments, the last three tournaments. Does that start to like seep into the group? Because I think, look, I'm buzzing, I'm so excited for them and it's amazing. If you think about the knock on effect of making another final, it's unbelievable. But do you reckon, in that group, they're just starting to think, this is going to happen, this is meant to be. There's a reason we're getting all of these things going the right way at the right time. Yeah, but I think it's in the DNA.

Do you know what I mean? It's part of the culture now. When you become a Lioness, like it's already there. Like you've got players like Lucy, Leah, Kiera, like Alex, like Big Beth, not Big Beth, but like big, like experienced players that have already got that culture that's been created. And then you've got this absolute enormous amount of talent in the youth coming through. Like it's just, you can see it, like you can see that they've got the togetherness. The England DNA is to find a way to win. Like, I said it from the beginning that we were going to win. Like I said it from literally Day-Dar that

we were going to win this tournament. And I still have no doubt in my mind that we're not going to win this. Like we're going to win this tournament for sure. Like I don't give a shit who we play next. Like it's England. It does feel like whoever we play and whatever happens. I think one of the things we're going to be looking back on is the subs, the finishes in this tournament. It just changes the dynamic of the game so much. Isn't it? That was literally my tweet. That was my tweet when Chloe scored. I was just like, oh shit, they're so good. Like they're just, but it's a theme, isn't it? Like look back, rewind to our euros, like 2022, Toonie, they've come on and just changed the game and it's the same thing.

Like it's like history is just repeating itself. But I'm so happy that they're thriving as well because it like, we spoke about it last time, didn didn't we like it's so difficult to be in that role you can use it to your advantage or you can use it as a negative and just blow up on the bench don't give a fuck or you can go nah I'm a sub right now but when I come on I'm making the difference and I'll be the hero like Alessia was behind Ellen the whole euros and just played phenomenally scored so many goals I impacted the game so much too near the same. It's like, it really makes me happy.

And I think, obviously, Chloe's shining as well. But yeah, for a young kid like Michelle, honestly, I jump through the roof when she does well. Like, I just want to see success for her. And the one that hit the bar, the log. Oh my God, what a casual little finish. Keepers in no man's land as well. I was like, see you later.

That is one of my favorite types of finish. You know when the keeper watches it over their head and you just see it arc in, you think if that drops in, we're talking about this forever. I feel like Chloe Kelly has got this, look we obviously need to talk about Michelle Adrimang as well. The way that she seems to be able to come on and influence games with so little experience and yet she's shining on this stage which is just unbelievable. And at the same time I feel like Chloe Kelly, they both do it in different ways. Chloe Kelly comes on and you can almost see from the way that she's carrying herself she's like oh by the way I'm going to win this game for us. She's a little

swaggy, swaggy isn't it? Like she's got like that aura and like that air of like it's not arrogant, it's like it's pure confidence. Supreme confidence arrogant, it's like, it's pure confidence. Supreme confidence, isn't it? Yeah, it's like, don't worry about it. Even the penalty, right? It's quite hard. If you miss a penalty like that, like, I think it's difficult to like switch on to like get that rebound.

There's obviously other people around you, but like instant reaction is, fuck! Yeah, yeah. And like even just a celebration, she's just like, you know, you know, it's always going to happen. Like those two, I just think it's, it's absolutely, it's sick. It's so good. I love, I absolutely love stuff like that. When you see them coming on, is there still that part of you, because I saw it across

social media so much tonight, just going, I would have wanted to see them 20 minutes earlier. But that's the thing right that is the thing people want it's really it's a fine balance isn't it right because who's to say if like I don't know Serena changed the whole team and then started the players that are impacting and whatever what if it doesn't work like we've not tried that yet what we know is that that is working. So what I could argue is maybe a little bit sooner, but equally, like it's working. So like don't fix what isn't broken. Like that's my thoughts.

Like you saw it in the last show Rose, Tony and Alessia, 60 minutes, bang, every single time, change again every single time. So yeah, people will call out, start them, start them, start them, but there's so much, like there's so much to be said for people that can come on and make a difference. It's really much to be said for people that can come on and make a difference. It's

really difficult to do. As a player coming on, that first five, ten minutes, it's like you're bloody breathing in blood. It's so hard. The emotions are high. You're trying to get up to speed. The game's flowing. To be able to come on and change a game like that is not an easy thing to do. There's only a certain amount of people that can do it so it's a difficult one for me like I'd love to see them play the whole game don't get me wrong but equally the other players are also wearing the other players into the ground and then it's a good opportunity for them to cut I don't know I'm not a manager like you said in Serena Wichita she's got it right so far so and also that what you said there is like so

bang on the money with the tempo thing about getting up to speed the game because this game was so bitty like Italy in the second half they the second half they made it just horrible to the point where you sort of almost wanted to throw my TV out the window They every single minor touch down 30 seconds killed every goal kick 30 seconds killed every throw in 30 seconds gone You just like it's nauseating. It's so frustrating to watch To the point where you kind of almost admire it You're almost like, this is actually like fair play the way that they're killing this. And it, it was so fitting that England

got back into the game by them having a lapse. Like it was their error. They should have gone and like taking care of the ball both in extra time and in normal time. They should have just taken care of the ball just a little bit better in this final couple of minutes, just a little bit of naivety maybe. And then it as the camera cuts, she really on the sideline and she start almost celebrating that you could see that was possibly the moment that it was always going to be that image. Because if England then had a sniff, if any Italian players are

thinking, oh, we're there, we're done with three minutes to go, that was like, but equally, that's like what Sweden did. It's almost like they've gone early, started early thinking, all right, OK, we're fine. Our crews in that weather, Italy missing that chance. Obviously, Hannah coming up massive again. But that late on in the game, you score that game over. Right. Yeah, we don't see it my England are out there But again, it's like you just have that like Hannah's gonna save it or like we're not gonna concede again. I don't know

I just think it's one of them where You get into those final like latter stages of the game and you just sight England in the wind. No problem, but I do think What is wrong with defenders like at the minute like why are you pulling Beth Meade like what was the need as the Italian defender to do that like what are you doing? You're giving your team a 50-50 chance of going to a European Championship final in three minutes if you just stand up and defend your space. What are you doing? I mean I'm buzzing about it don't get me wrong. Let's go, I'm here for it, by the way.

Outrageous from Mido is so smart, isn't it? It's just so good because she's pulling a little bit, she just gets her to lean into her and then goes down and for the referee. But as a defender, you've got to know that that's coming. You're playing against some of the most top players in the world right now and most experienced. What are you doing? I look like I'm angry about it but I'm absolutely buzzing about it. Do more of that.

I just think it's so that is the difference isn't it? Those are like the little gains that you need just a little bit of inexperience at that moment to just not, it was so smart from Beth Mead and it was like the polar opposite of what we were talking about the other day with Germany, like getting a red card for a hair pull, like this one was just so subtle. It was like Beth just getting into a position where she knew she could go down and the moment the ref gives it, it's not going to get overturned because she was so close it was just magic and then literally every part of me thinks Chloe Kelly's going to smash that penno into the top corner so I said top bins and then don't know don't know it's a weird one but who gives a shit she scored three banshee's exactly job done onto the final right should we

take a quick break and then come back and discuss how we're going to the final and the celebrations tonight? Let's do it. This episode is brought to you by Tinder. People think that dating is to just find the one, Mel, but I think there's so much more to it than that. We spoke about it before about, you know, you have a soulmate in life, but you have a soul best friend and you're my soul best friend, as you know.

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but they might become your best friend or someone that you can go to the pub with and have a drink with or go do a pub quiz with, so I think there is a lot of success behind that as well. It's not just finding the one. Yeah, as you say, Tinder is for all types of connections. And it works because on Tinder, a new relationship starts every three seconds,

from slow burners to instant sparks. Wherever it takes you, it starts with a swipe. Download Tinder today. Welcome back to the rest of Football Daily Brightness. Let's have a quick natter about how things are going to go down over the next 48 hours, Rach. I'm so intrigued to know what happens after you come off the pitch in a semi-final. This one probably a little bit more dramatic, I suppose.

I think first things first, you're probably going to be like, we've done it again. But I think, yeah, I think initially, of course, you're celebrating like in the change rooms. I hope the girls are like buzzing because do you know what it doesn't matter how you win like for me you win you're in the final no one gives a shit about the score no one gives a damn how you play like you're in the final so they'll be initial celebrations of thing obviously rest and recovery and then yeah focus on I'm sure they'll all be watching the game together obviously a big semi-final see who they've got in the final that's it's lovely semi final, see who they've got in the final.

That's lovely, not having that pressure, right? They can literally sit there and just go, right, just soak this one up, see who it is. Yeah. Do they do anything? So we're recording this on Tuesday night at silly o'clock. Do they do anything? Yeah, cheers girls. If they could win the final in regulation, that'd be great. Yeah, serious. Do they do anything tomorrow? Do you train? Yeah, so the players that didn't play much will train.

It's the same sort of schedule all the way through, and then the players that have played over 60, so pretty much half of them will usually be like rest and recovery. And then, yeah, obviously just focus on watching the next game but I think What's exciting about this year is? If it's Spain it's a repeat of the World Cup final if it's Germany's repeat of the Euro final So it's like you there's no coincidence that these teams are consistently making it through That's what I love about it, but I don't know if they're gonna have a preference of who they want to play against I don't know. they're going to have a preference of who they want to play against. I don't know. I think they're very much focused on ourselves.

So whoever it is, we'll just deal with it. And yeah, obviously the preparation will be right and the analysis team will be working hard behind the scenes and the staff to prepare them for whoever it is. But I'm not sure if they'd have a preference to be honest. Will it be easier now once you get to this point, you've got four to prepare obviously there'll be a lot of noise from the outside have they will they have got into a pattern now where nothing really will get through where they've kind of got their bubble they know their patterns they know their behaviors will they be quite calm shutting the noise out? Yeah I think so I mean obviously they've got this far it's it's been a consistent theme for England

to be in finals for the last few years so So I think, like I say, you've got the experienced players that have been through that. It'll be guiding the younger players and pulling them along and sort of taking them under their wings. But I don't think so. I think, you know, they've got this far and there's so much quality. I think they're just on to the next one. It's just another game, do you know what I mean? And I think obviously there is a massive expectation, but they'll be so well prepared and so well trained to just sort of just tunnel vision on, it's just us, like we've just 90 minutes of, well, maybe 120 minutes of our preparation and what we're good at. I think that extra day is massive as well. I think it's huge. I think two lots of hundred and twenties basically. And that's no easy thing to do. I don't know what actually

what the weather's like there at the minute. But I mean, it's been a long, obviously a long summer, long season. It won't be easy. I mean, the bodies are going to be they've put the bodies on the line and yeah, I think hopefully LJ is okay coming off at half time so all the ice structure on our ankles. So I think it's just like mad they're so robust as well like they went into this game with 23 fit players like after that last 120 man I was like walking wounded but yeah I think another an extra day will be will be crucial for them. This is one of those ones now where you just I know we said it before the semi-final but even more so for the final because Leah came off

as well and I might be reading too much into it, but just the way she was running when she came off I was like she looks uncomfortable. She looks like she's Maybe still hobbling a little bit as well But you just know now there is no way any of those players are gonna let Serena say I don't think you're up for it. No, and I think that's like a testament to Leah as well, do you know what I mean? Like we spoke about before, it's like playing, like I'm sure she wasn't comfortable tonight with her ankle, you know, after how badly she rolled it and we saw her against Sweden, but just a pure leader to get through that, to get through the pain, to shut everything

out and just go, right, semi-final, focus focus on winning this game give absolutely everything and play through whatever pain I'm in and that's you know, it's a true leader. It's someone who wants to win and yeah massive respect for her you know, hopefully she went off tonight just as a tactical thing and rather than anything wrong, but again precautionary maybe save the legs for for the final and I'm absolutely buzzing me. I can't wait for the final. Oh no, it would be so special. I do just want to give a shout out to Esme as well. Dropped in at centre back.

We said there might be tactical tweaks, there might be changes and barring the goal, which I think is one of those ones where they'll go away and analyse it afterwards and say, we probably could have stopped that five times over. There's so many points for the Italy goal where you felt like, oh, on another night you don't concede that.

I think she handled that occasion and that situation unbelievably well. I mean, I think anybody stepping into a team where you've not featured much, the mental like switch on that you've got to have throughout the whole tournament to be focused and be ready that if your time comes, I watched the press conference with her and I thought she spoke really well about you know, I'm sure Leah's going to be ready but all I can do

is my best to be ready and I thought that was really good and anyone that steps into a game, starting a game in the semi-final of the Euros. I mean, that's such a big challenge in itself. So absolutely massive credit to her for stepping in and delivering a really good performance. And, you know, I'm sure she's going away absolutely buzzing with that tonight and help the team to another victory. And yeah, I yeah, shower because that's not an easy thing to do, especially not centre back. She's got to go win another Euros on Sunday now. Exactly. Exactly. Bring back that gold.

Easy work. Right, that's it for today's episode of the Restless Football Daily Brightness. We'll be back later in the week, getting excited about the massive, massive, massive game on Sunday. But for now, it's goodbye from me. Have a great week, everyone. Bye from me.