Ella Toone Reveals Grandmother Passed Away on Morning of Euro 2025 Final

England midfielder Ella Toone has revealed that her beloved grandmother passed away on the very morning of the Lionesses’ dramatic Euro 2025 final victory over Spain.

The 25-year-old played 87 minutes of Sunday’s final in Basel, as England successfully defended their European title with a penalty shoot-out triumph following a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Toone, who was also instrumental in England’s Euro 2022 success and the 2023 Women’s World Cup final appearance—where they finished runners-up to Spain—started five of the Lionesses’ six matches throughout the tournament in Switzerland.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Toone wrote:

“Even in the highest of highs, life can hit you with the lowest of lows.

“My Nana Maz took her last breath on the morning of our Euro final.

“I have comfort in knowing she got to watch from the best seat in the house with Dad, her favourite person.

“I’ll miss you forever, Nan, but I’ll cherish the special memories we made. There aren’t enough words to sum up the person you were, but I’m grateful you were my nanna.

“My football-loving, crazy, funny Nan.

“All those years ago when you put a bet on at the bookies that I would play for England one day… and on the day you leave us, we bring it home again. You always knew it.”

The Manchester United star also lost her father, Nick Toone, to prostate cancer in September last year—just three days before what would have been his 60th birthday.

Following England’s Euro 2025 win, which marks her first major trophy since her father’s passing, Toone offered a moving tribute. In tears after the shoot-out victory, she looked to the skies while being embraced by teammates Alessia Russo, Keira Walsh and Alex Greenwood.

Later, she shared another poignant moment via Instagram, revealing there had been a spare seat beside her mother during the final.

“If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is,” she wrote.

Toone also posted a touching photo with teammate Beth Mead, who lost her mother June to ovarian cancer 18 months ago, captioned:

“We did it for our angels in the sky.”