England's hopes of securing back-to-back European titles suffered a significant setback during the Euro 2025 final against Spain, as Lauren James was forced to leave the field with an injury in the first half. The incident occurred in the 39th minute with Spain leading after a goal from Mariona Caldentey. James went to ground, clutching her leg after passing the ball out of play.

James's availability for the final had already been a concern in the lead-up to the match. She had been substituted at halftime during England's semi-final victory against Italy due to an ankle problem. Despite the injury, she participated in training sessions before the final, and coach Sarina Wiegman had expressed optimism about her potential involvement. Wiegman confirmed that James was fit and available for selection after completing the final training session.

The loss of James is a major blow to England's attacking prowess. Before the tournament, a hamstring injury had cut short her season in April. Despite these concerns, she was named in the starting lineup for the final, highlighting her importance to the team. Her absence forces a reshuffle in England's attacking setup and places greater responsibility on other players to step up.

England entered the Euro 2025 final as defending champions, seeking to replicate their success from Euro 2022. However, they faced a tough challenge against Spain, the reigning World Cup champions. The match was a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final, which Spain won. Spain also defeated England in the 2023 World Cup final.

The Lionesses' path to the final was marked by dramatic comebacks. They needed extra time to overcome both Sweden and Italy in the knockout stages. Michelle Agyemang's late equalizer against Italy and Chloe Kelly's penalty rebound were crucial in securing their place in the final.

Despite the setback of James's injury, England has a talented squad capable of challenging Spain. Players like Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang could play a key role. Captain Leah Williamson, who had her own injury scare earlier in the tournament, has declared herself fully fit and ready to lead the team.

The Euro 2025 final presents England with an opportunity to defend their title and achieve a historic milestone. A victory would make them the first team since Germany to win consecutive European Championships. However, they face a formidable opponent in Spain, who are determined to add the European title to their World Cup crown.