England and Sweden will not look to the past despite historic match-up in Euro 2025 quarter-finals

When England and Sweden first met at the European Championships in 1984 they represented the two best teams on the continent.

While women’s football has gone on under major transformation since then, the fact remains unchanged that they must both be considered among the best in 2025.

It was at the fittingly-named battle of Kenilworth bog - a rain-soaked Kenilworth Road providing the setting - that the sides met 41 years ago in the second-leg of the final of the first-ever European Championships.

Then, Linda Curl’s 31st-minute strike drew England level on aggregate before Pia Sundhage, now Switzerland boss, scored the winning penalty in the ensuing shootout to hand Sweden the title.

Since then, Blågult have not won a major tournament but their record on the international stage proves there is plenty still to be feared.

It would take England until 2022 to lift the trophy they had come two spot-kicks away from claiming back in 1984.

That famous day at Wembley three years ago went some distance to making up for the intervening years of hurt and catapulted women’s football in the country into a new stratosphere.

Both teams, however, are used to making it through to the semi-finals of Euros and World Cups and neither will be content with a quarter-final exit.

In fact, England are chasing a sixth-successive major tournament semi-final, having last failed to make that stage in 2013.

Sweden similarly have an impeccable tournament record of late, last failing to make the semi-finals of a major tournament in 2017 when they were knocked out by eventual winners Netherlands - coached by Sarina Wiegman - in the Euro 2017 quarter-finals.

In 2022, the two sides met in the semi-final as England triumphed in an emphatic fashion at Bramall