Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Group C - Poland v Denmark - Stadion Allmend, Lucerne, Switzerland - July 12, 2025 Poland's Natalia Padilla is thrown into the air by teammates after the match REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
OBERENTFELDEN, Switzerland (Reuters) -Poland signed off their maiden Women's Euros in style with a 3-2 victory over Denmark, showing that they had learned the lessons of defeats by Germany and Sweden to grab their historic first goals and first win at the tournament.
With their exits already guaranteed, both Poland and Denmark were playing only for pride when the two sides met on Saturday in Lucerne, and it was the Poles who took the spoils with another spirited display.
"It's a great feeling," team captain and goal-scorer Ewa Pajor said. "We fought in every match, from the first minute to the last, and were finally rewarded for it. This win is another step forward in our development."
The Polish players could barely conceal their delight at registering a win at their first major tournament.
"I have no words to describe it! I don't know what to say. I'm very happy that we did it. This is the best moment of my life," said Natalia Padilla, who netted Poland's first goal.
Pajor paid tribute to the Polish fans who had made the trip to support their team through the group stage.
"They were really fantastic, from the very first match right through to this last one. We are very grateful that they were with us throughout the tournament," she said.
For the Danes, there was to be no fairytale ending for Afghan-born forward Nadia Nadim as the 37-year-old brought down the curtain on her long and influential international career that saw her play 108 times for her country.
"I have been a part, with many others, to kind of put Denmark on the footballing map a bit more, and I've been so proud to have been part of this team for 16 to 17 years," Nadim said.
"I have loved every part of it -- not the ending I wanted, but sometimes football can be cruel."
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; editing by Clare Fallon)
