England are notorious for almost winning something but not quite getting over the line. Think of the 2024 and 2020 men’s Euros finals. Players are heartbroken after the hard slog of a relentless tournament schedule. But how does an international team stay connected and pick themselves up if the result does not go their way? Some of the players and coaching staff of the England Cerebral Palsy football team, who lost their European final to Ukraine in 2025, share their experience.

Before delving into the team’s story, cerebral palsy football is a seven a side game with no offsides and two 30 minute halves.

“Growing up as a child you have a dream to play for England and to do that is amazing, but to do it with 20 other lads who have cerebral palsy that have overcome different challenges means we have created special bonds and friends for life,” Harry Baker, England striker for the cerebral palsy team says.

The team was in a good position with Andy Smith, then head coach of the England cerebral palsy team, putting the players through some trying tests before the tournament.

Smith says: “We had some mainstream players come into training camps who would replicate what world class players in our game look like and when we started this, there were a few tough camps where lads were not getting much success but they were challenged but as they got used to it, the lads fed back that those mainstream players played a huge part in getting us tournament ready.” 

Despite the tough start, Baker says: “Going into the tournament, we were in a really good place as we have had the same players for a long time and had been tested after playing Holland and that was an eye opener as we got a bit of a schooling.” 

The squad were not only in a good place on the pitch but off it too with the European Championships taking place in Loughborough. That good feeling carried over into the first game of the tournament as the squad could not have asked for a better start with a 10-0 win over Northern Ireland.

Baker says: “We went into the Northern Ireland game quietly confident but we had to make sure we supported each other and prepared properly.”

On reflection of the game, Duncan Gilchrist, the cerebral palsy goalkeeper coach says: “We were really in charge of that game and we were never really in trouble.” 

“Some people might have been worried about squad depth but the Northern Ireland gamed filled us with confidence, from then we knew no matter what team started a game we would get goals and throughout the tournament, goals came from all over the place and that made our confidence so high as so many people pitched in with goals.”

After the perfect start, morale could not have been higher.

With the relentless nature of tournament football, the squad could not take their foot off the gas with Ukraine inflicting the squad’s first loss followed by the final group game against Spain with the winner going through to the semi finals. Gilchrist says it was “the toughest game to plan and get ready for”, with Smith adding, “from a coaching team perspective, everything we did leading into the tournament was literally ripped up and we decided to change our style of play on the day”.

Baker says: “The whole camp was nervous and you could feel the anxiety in the air against Spain… I noticed during the game I was questioning myself about the decisions I was making.”

Despite the nerves, the team stuck together and a 2-1 win saw the team go through despite, as winning goal scorer Baker says, “the pressure was huge but we rode the storm.”

Gilchrist says: “Being able to do something that we had not really worked on leading up to the tournament as a team was really important and from a coaching point of view we were up until the early hours figuring it out!

“It gave us as a team a real insight into the level of depth we had to go and get that result.”

Smith said: “Even though they got back into the game, we outfought them and we surprised them as it was a brave decision and credit to the team for being as fit as they were.”

A semi final against the Netherlands awaited the squad. This was a real test, after England had played them before heading to the tournament and lost two and drew two games.  This time, the roles reversed with England coming away as 3-0 winners, with Baker believing “we blew them out of the water.”

Gilchrist says: “To get past them in such a convincing manner showed firstly tactically how well the players were prepared but also physically and technically how good the players were so to get to the final was really good.”

Smith was impressed too as he says: “We made them look ordinary when they are anything but that. We were brilliant and that showed maturity from the players.”

During these long tournaments, players spend almost every second of every day with each other, so how do they make sure the team’s bond remains strong?

“We had darts tournaments, table tennis, Xbox’s and a pool table so the lads could be together or you could go off in a little group if you needed time with certain people but we were very lucky everyone got on.”

With morale still high after reaching their second final in two years, Ukraine were the other finalists, so all attention turned to ensuring the team stayed connected to win the competition.

Gilchrist says: “It was the second time the squad had got to a final but there was a really different feel around the squad this time. We were really willing to go and try and win and were really competitive.” 

England went 1-0 down only for Baker to score the equaliser and this only added to “the genuine belief that we felt we could have won”, he says

However, with Baker injured, the team went a man down and conceded whilst he was off with Ukraine scoring a third in the second half.

Despite the result, Smith felt his England side were the better team and highlighted the togetherness of his side as he says, “The lads knew they competed with the best team in the world and were closer than we have ever been and  that gave the lads lots of confidence. afterwards.”

“I think there were mixed emotions after the game, everyone was quite dejected and it is difficult to take as you don’t know how many finals you are going to get to so it was obviously tough, but it is a moment to be proud of.” 

Gilchrist agrees with Baker as he says: “It was a real mix of emotions at the end, I think there was a mix of disappointment but also pride that the lads had pushed a difficult Ukraine team really far.”

So, another England team that almost won, but how does a team react and try to stick together after giving everything?  

The squad could have easily lost motivation after coming so close but it provided more fire to fuel their ambitions for the World Cup this October in the USA.

“On reflection, we were obviously disappointed but we were also happy to get one step closer to Ukraine again.” Gilchrist says.

Baker adds: “It would be good for us as a team to win a medal but we have just got to go and perform, play our best and take care of ourselves to try to make a statement as a squad on the world stage.” 

Reflecting now after taking a step back, Smith says: “The new manager is settling in brilliantly and is taking them to another level and I have already seen the impact he is having through the way he works and is taking the squad to the next level.”