The BBC's handcrafted Euro 2025 animation hits the net

The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 begins in Switzerland on Wednesday (2 July), and the BBC is building excitement for the tournament with a wonderfully vibrant animated ad. Names Will Be Made takes a surprisingly handcrafted approach, using claymation to capture the visceral energy and passion of the sport.

The 40-second animation takes place in a stadium in the Swiss Alps and features a fantasy team of current footballing greats. Dramatic visual metaphors are used to highlight particular players' strengths in a bid to reduce the fame gap between men's and women's football (see our guides to the best animation software and the best laptops for animation for your own work).

UEFA Women's EURO 2025 - Names Will Be Made - Official Trailer – BBC - YouTube

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Each player was hand-sculpted from clay with painstaking detail. Jess Fishlock of Wales becomes a scorching fireball, Lucy Bronze of reigning champions England turns into defensive fortress, and Aitana Bonmati of Spain is proclaimed the GOAT of women's football.

BBC Creative created the animation with Blinkink , the same studio that worked on that mesmerising 14-hour ad for Britbox. The piece was directed by Nicos Livesey.

BBC Creative's creative director Jess Oudot said the campaign's aim is to "champion female stars in a way that feels just as confident and playful as the men’s game.” I'd say it achieves that, and it could even appeal to viewers who don't have an interest in football at all.

For more animation news, don't miss the controversy over Marge's death in The Simpsons and how the Rogue Trooper movie could change the future of cinema. Also check out hilarious references used for Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters.

For more claymation gems, see our roundup of adverts made by Aardman.