Ella Toone on her goal that 'kept England's Euro 2022 dream alive' | OneFootball

Ella Toone is still on cloud nine after playing a crucial role in England’s Euro 2022 fairytale.

In their quarter-final clash against Spain, a second half goal from Esther González looked set to end the Lionesses’ dreams, but late heroics from Ella Toone completely changed the narrative of the match.

The Manchester United superstar sat down with GiveMeSport Women to relive the iconic moment she produced perhaps the most important goal of the tournament.

"When the ball landed to me, my thought was obviously just 'get it in the net,'" Toone reflected, unable to hide her grin of pride as she took us back through the incredible summer.

"It was a crucial goal at that time, I mean, if that hadn't gone in, we might have been going home. So it was amazing that I was in the right place at the right time and the celebrations were just mad after that.

What happened in the England vs Spain game?

England had breezed through the group stages after finishing top of the table with maximum points, 14 goals scored and zero conceded.

Toone had yet to get herself on the scoresheet, but she had been saving her first goal of the tournament for a show-stopping moment in the knockouts.

After a goalless first half, the deadlock was finally broken through González, who slotted home the opener in the 54th minute.

The pressure mounted as the clock ticked down.

England pushed to find a way through but Spain had almost every player back, desperate to defend their lead and secure their place in the semi-finals.

The Lionesses played a patient game, gradually applying pressure with their build-up play.

With just six minutes left until full-time, the ball was floated into the box, and guided along by Alessia Russo's head, to the feet of Toone.

Without a second glance, the Man United star threw herself towards the ball and poked it beyond Sandra Paños to net the crucial equaliser.

Toone's effort was enough to force a nail-biting period of extra time and grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Georgia Stanway then completed the emphatic comeback with a stunning 95th minute strike to send England into the semis.

Video: Watch Ella Toone's crucial Euro 2022 goal in these England vs Spain highlights

How did England respond to winning Euro 2022?

The Lionesses ended an agonising 56-year wait for silverware to be brought back to England.

A mammoth crowd of 87,192 fans packed out Wembley to watch Sarina Wiegman's side play out one of the country's most iconic sporting moments in history.

Toone popped up again with the opener against Germany in the final but Lina Magull's equaliser forced another nervy showdown in extra time.

After 110 minutes on the pitch, England found their winner through Chloe Kelly, who stamped England's name on their first ever major trophy.

Toone admitted the feeling of being the European champions was still hard to describe even months after the historic trophy lift at Wembley.

"It's unbelievable, and I don't get bored of people saying it either," she laughed. "It was a special summer and something that we've all dreamed of. Those memories will stick with us for a long time."

Despite still not being able to wrap her head around the magnitude of England's achievement, Toone admitted the team remained "quietly confident" in their ability to win the tournament.

"We all knew how good the team was and how far we could go. The more we played together and the more results we had, the more confident we got. So by the time we got to the final, I think everyone knew that we were going to bring it home."

"The fans were amazing throughout the tournament and to sell out Wembley in a home Euro final was unbelievable.

It took a while for their success to really sink in.

Demi Stokes recently told GiveMeSport Women that the Lionesses were "in a bubble" throughout the tournament and were very much mistaken when they thought they could just "go back to their normal lives" after lifting the Euro 2022 trophy.

Toone echoed this sentiment and admitted it was like a whole different world after they emerged from the tournament as champions.

"We were definitely in our own little bubble and we didn't really have contact with the outside world. But as soon as we'd finished the tournament, we'd walk into past someone in the street — even now — congratulating you and saying how proud you made the nation was really special.

"So we were in our own bubble and then we were released into the wild afterwards," she laughed.

England are still yet to register a single defeat under Wiegman and look on track for a thrilling World Cup campaign in 2023.