Manchester United's defeat to Chelsea in the 2025 Women's FA Cup final was a hard one to take.
Don't Be so Hard on Yourself by Jess Glynne blasted through the Wembley speakers as the United players climbed the steps to the Royal Box to collect their runners-up medals.
It felt like a fitting message to the Reds who gave absolutely everything in an effort to make it back-to-back FA Cup triumphs.
Chelsea had the ascendancy and necessary momentum when Sandy Baltimore converted a penalty at the end of the first half, before substitute Catarina Macario's header and another from Baltimore sealed their victory late in the second.
Keeping reading as we look back on four key talking points and observations from our third consecutive final appearance in this competition...
Football is brutal
United are so close to besting Chelsea that it hurts.
Back in November, it was a solitary penalty that decided our 1-0 WSL defeat at Kingsmeadow. In the return fixture at Leigh Sports Village less than three weeks ago, the Reds deserved more from the game when a second-half set-piece handed Chelsea another 1-0 win, which also sealed their sixth consecutive league title.
Had those two games against Chelsea feasibly finished 1-0 in our favour, and all other results remained the same, United would have been top of the WSL – above Chelsea – with two games of the league campaign left to play at the end of April. That's how fine those margins are.
Here, United started the brighter and looked more likely to score first through the opening quarter of the game. This wasn't a 3-0 game and that scoreline doesn't tell the whole story of this latest encounter. A first-half penalty and a second half set-piece were ultimately the difference, before a late third after United's spirits had been broken.
Just shy of a new world-record attendance
When United met Chelsea at Wembley in the final two years ago, the 77,390 in attendance was a new record for a domestic women's football match anywhere in the world.
That record still stands - just.
There were 74,412 fans inside Wembley this time round, just shy of the record. But with 76,082 also watching last season when United thrashed Tottenham to lift the cup, all three finals that the Reds have been involved in have had attendances north of 74,000.
Prior to United reaching the final for the first time, the Women's FA Cup final record attendance had been 49,094 from Chelsea's victory over Manchester City, in May 2022. A huge part of the spike in numbers since has been down to England’s success on the international stage at Euro 2022, but that growth has clearly been sustained, and no doubt aided further by United fans making their voices heard inside Wembley.
Chelsea's formation
Chelsea have typically lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation this season, but the Blues rolled out quite a different kind of system for the conclusion of their WSL campaign against Liverpool last weekend. Seemingly trialled in that game in preparation for facing United, a 3-1-4-2 was seen again here, suggesting it was at least in part intended to counteract United's particular threats.
With a back three, which could quickly be switched to a back five, and Keira Walsh screening just in front, it was so tough for United to find a foothold and play.
A season we can be proud of
Even with defeat in the final and having to give up the FA Cup won in such style 12 months ago, this remains a campaign that Manchester United can be proud of.
With the loss of several senior players last summer, off the back of what had been a disappointing fifth-place league finish, others have risen to the fore this season.
It's been 12 goals off the bat from Elisabeth Terland and a marvellous second year for Hinata Miyazawa after injury hampered her debut season. Phallon Tullis-Joyce has scooped a shared WSL Golden Glove in her first season as a starter, Maya Le Tissier has been superb in her first as captain, turning just 23 years of age last month. We've seen the return of Gabby George from a long-term absence, the emergence of Anna Sandberg, the experience Dominique Janssen has brought and Grace Clinton's outstanding maiden season in the United first-team after building her experience on loan.
Three consecutive FA Cup final appearances is a huge achievement in itself and, ultimately, United have been beaten at Wembley by the team that has completed an undefeated domestic treble and dominated English football for a solid decade. Our third-place WSL finish means we'll be back in the Champions League next season, with all the excitement that comes with that, and the optimism that this team's journey is still only just beginning.