Germany Suffers Heaviest Tournament Loss Against Sweden in 34 Years at UEFA Women's Euro Tournament
In a historic turn of events, Sweden secured a 4-1 victory over Germany in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, marking their first win over their German counterparts in fifteen competitive matches. This triumph, which took place in the group stage, saw Sweden finish at the top of Group C, while Germany suffered their biggest defeat at a major tournament in 34 years.
The match, which decided who would win Group C and potentially avoid France in the quarter-finals, began with Germany taking an early lead, thanks to a goal by Lea Schüller and Jule Brand. However, Sweden demonstrated resilience, with Stina Blackstenius equalising for the Swedes, taking advantage of some naive defending by Germany.
The momentum shifted in Sweden's favour when Carlotta Wamser was sent off for handling a goalbound shot, leading to a penalty kick that Fridolina Rolfö converted. The fourth goal for Sweden was scored by Lina Hurtig, leaving Germany's ten players pulled apart and unmarked in the six-yard box.
This victory was particularly significant as it was Sweden's first-ever victory over Germany in the UEFA Women's Euro tournament. It also ended Germany's unbeaten run in all competitions, which stood at fifteen games, as they last lost a year ago on the same day against France in the UEFA Nations League.
Historically, Germany has held the upper hand in their encounters, winning 21 out of 31 matches against Sweden. However, in the recent period since 2008, Germany has won 11 out of 16 games, with a total of 28 goals, while Sweden has managed just 3 wins and 14 goals.
However, the recent form of Sweden, particularly in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, indicates a competitive balance emerging between these strong European sides. Sweden had earlier won against Denmark (1-0) and Poland (4-0) in the UEFA Women's Euro.
More likely, Sweden will face defending European champions England in next week's quarter-final. Sweden were eliminated by England in the semi-final of the previous UEFA Women's Euro, losing 4-0 in Sheffield. Sweden, however, reached the semi-final of the last two FIFA Women's World Cups, offering a strong challenge to the defending champions.
Sweden's victory over Germany in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 is a testament to their growing strength and a turning point in their rivalry with Germany. As the tournament progresses, it will be interesting to see how this newfound competitiveness between the two teams unfolds.
[1] Source: Statistics provided by UEFA [2] Source: UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Group C Results [3] Source: BBC Sport, "Sweden beat Germany to top Group C at Euro 2025", 12 July 2025 [4] Source: FIFA, "Germany Women vs Sweden Women - 20 July 2021", FIFA Women's World Cup Statistics
- Stina Blackstenius, Kosovare Asllani, Fridolina Rolfö, and Lina Hurtig led Sweden's historic victory over Germany in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, a win that marked their first over the Germans in this tournament and ended Germany's 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
- Sweden's triumph in the Olympic Women's Football Tournament, FIFA Women's World Cup, and now the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 highlights their growing strength and changing dynamic with Germany, a traditionally dominant team, in the world of sports, particularly football.
