Euro 2025: Spain team guide – have things finally settled for the World Cup winners?
The 2022 European Championship sparked a crisis in Spanish football.
The team went to their debut Euros with certain expectations, including a hope of winning their first competition or, at least, going far. But they were eliminated in the first round of the knockout stages by England in extra time. It proved to be the last straw for many players.
Advertisement
The reckoning was less about losing to England — the eventual winners — and more about Spain's best generation of footballers being let down by a coach who could not help them in certain matches. While off the field, the players felt that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) did not support them enough or provide them with the professional tools that other countries had.
It sparked the 'Las 15' movement, with 15 players refusing to return to play for the RFEF until conditions changed. Only three of the 15 played in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which Spain won. That final was marred by the non-consensual kiss from Luis Rubiales to Jennifer Hermoso during the celebrations. It also ended with the dismissal of the then-coach, Jorge Vilda, along with Rubiales.
Who is the manager?
Montse Tome was Vilda's assistant coach and, following his dismissal, she was appointed head coach in September 2023. Her first roster was limited by players protesting Rubiales' non-consensual kiss.
Advertisement
At her first press conference, ahead of the UEFA Nations League qualifiers against Sweden and Switzerland in September 2023, Tome said she had spoken to all of the players who had declared themselves ineligible as a group. But the players said they had not spoken to the coach.
As a result, RFEF and the team's captains met for a long meeting that lasted until the early hours of the morning. The result was a restructuring of the federation.
Over time, tensions have settled, but Tome is a coach that many still see as part of Vilda's staff. Despite her saying 'I am not Jorge Vilda' on several occasions, Tome has not managed to fully win the trust of the dressing room and her future with the team after the Euros is uncertain.
How do they play?
Spain play in a style very similar to Barcelona. In a 4-3-3 formation, they want to dominate the ball, be offensive through possession and position, and get a lot out of their midfield while playing out of defence.
Advertisement
In terms of selection, the defence and midfield are set, with perhaps the only question mark being whether Olga Carmona or Leila Ouahabi will play at left-back.
Up front, there is an excess of attacking options. Mariona Caldentey has been playing as a right-winger, Esther Gonzalez has returned to the national team in fine form, having scored four goals in the last three games, and Real Madrid's Athenea del Castillo is also in the mix.
Another big question is whether Salma Paralluelo or Claudia Pina will play on the left wing, as both have been selected in the squad. Pina has had a great season, but Spain seem to prefer her as a substitute.
Who are their most influential players?
The midfield trio of Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas is the key to Barcelona's — and Spain's — success. Mariona Caldentey, of Arsenal, provides a bonus to this setup.
Advertisement
Caldentey was the Women's Super League (WSL) player of the season and won the Champions League with Arsenal, playing a key role in the final win over Barcelona, her third consecutive Champions League title. Although it is not her ideal position, Tome plays Caldentey as a right-winger.
Guijarro has returned to defensive midfield after two years playing in the attack, and this is where she shines most. The 27-year-old organises the team, provides balance between attack and defence, and is the compass for her side.
Bonmati was considered one of the top players in the Champions League, but she did not have her best season in Liga F. The 27-year-old still has the ability to shine in big games and is the one who sets the tempo for the team.
Putellas is back to form after an ACL injury suffered the day before the start of Euro 2022, which prevented her from performing at her prime in the World Cup and the following season. This season in Liga F, she has been Barcelona's top assist provider and second-highest goalscorer behind Ewa Pajor. The 31-year-old gives the team vision and is a player who tends to make good, quick decisions.
What is their biggest strength?
An ability to link up well. The World Cup winners know how to play an attacking and entertaining style of football thanks to the talent of one of the best generations of players the national team has ever had.
Advertisement
It also helps that the core of the team is made up of Barcelona players, who are used to playing together.
What weakness might other teams be able to exploit?
Teams that sit back in a defensive block are Spain's biggest weakness. Due to their attacking style of play, they can leave themselves exposed at the back and can be hurt by quick counter-attacks.
Any notable absences?
Jennifer Hermoso and Misa Rodriguez. Both were singled out by Tome for what she considered to be bad behaviour that did not help the team after the Olympic Games, where the team failed to collect a medal.
What is their strongest starting XI?
How have they performed over the past 12 months?
The last Olympic Games were the first time Spain's women had played in the Games, and they were left disappointed.
Advertisement
The players expected the organisation to be on a par with the European Championship or the World Cup, but what they found surprised them. The players felt far removed from what the Olympic Games were about, spending little time in the athletes' village.
'Did I take anything away from the Olympics? The shirt, nothing else,' Caldentey explained in her book, released earlier this year.
On a sporting level, it didn't end as they had hoped either. They started as favourites, but Brazil beat them 4-2 in the semi-finals. They then lost 1-0 to Germany in the bronze medal match.
After the Olympics, Spain drew with Italy and Canada (both 1-1). Since then, they have scored 30 goals in eight games and conceded 10. They collected seven wins and only one defeat (1-0 at Wembley against England in February).
Advertisement
They beat the Lionesses 2-1 in their last game in Barcelona, which gives them confidence for what lies ahead.
What are they expected to achieve at these Euros?
Spain and England have been locked in a battle since Euro 2022, and if the two teams meet in the knockouts, it could be quite the rematch.
The fact that Spain won the last match in Barcelona, which qualified them for the Nations League semi-final, gives them a boost of confidence. But the memory of the match played at Wembley remains fresh in their minds, as does the fact they have always found it difficult to beat the Lionesses.
The group they have been drawn into is manageable: Portugal, Belgium and Italy. They faced the first two opponents in the first phase of the Nations League, beating Portugal 7-1 and 4-2 over two matches. They beat Belgium 5-1 and 3-2 over their two fixtures. In October, they drew 1-1 with Italy, the only opponent who could complicate things.
Advertisement
Many are focusing on the semi-finals, where they could face England, though the teams from northern Europe also command a certain amount of respect.
Did you know?
In Spain's last starting 11 against England in the Nations League, which will likely be the one Tome will use for the Euros, nine of the 11 players were from Barcelona or had played for the club at some point.
Laia Aleixandri played in the club's youth teams and Mariona Caldentey played there until last summer when she signed for Arsenal. Carmona signed with Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in June.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Spain, UK Women's Football, Women's Euros
2025 The Athletic Media Company
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Barcelona star's sale is back on track
A member of the attacking ranks at La Liga heavyweights Barcelona is inching towards the exit door once more. That's according to transfer insider Santi Aouna, who points towards Ansu Fati as the player in question. Advertisement The name of wide-man Ansu has of course been an altogether prominent one in the headlines in Catalunya's capital over recent weeks. This comes after widespread confirmation was forthcoming that the out-of-favour Spaniard had been identified as a leading transfer target on the part of Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco. Talks, in turn, have long been opened between the respective boards at the Camp Nou and Stade Louis II. Recent days had seen it suggested that negotiations had hit something of a roadblock, as the parties struggled to find common ground on the terms of a deal. As alluded to above, though, if the latest word stemming from the media is anything to go by, then the transfer now appears to be firmly back on track. Advertisement As per a report from Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato: 'The Spanish champions – seeing that no offers were arriving for their protégé – have decided to reconsider their stance (on the terms of a sale). Since then, discussions are moving in the right direction, as we can tell you that they are currently moving towards a loan with Monaco partially covering Fati's salary.' Conor Laird – GSFN
CNN
3 hours ago
- CNN
Carlos Alcaraz beats Jiří Lehečka to retain Queen's Club title and cement status as Wimbledon favorite
French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz successfully defended his Queen's Club title with an enthralling 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 win over Jiří Lehečka, cementing his status as the favorite for Wimbledon. The victory extends the Spaniard's winning streak to a career-best 18 matches and secures his fifth title of 2025. But Alcaraz didn't have it all his own way against a player that has already beaten him this season. After clinching the second-set tie break with a booming ace, Lehečka must have been feeling confident of a repeat of their meeting at the Qatar Open in February. However, Alcaraz soon showed why he is the defending Queen's and Wimbledon champion, finding another gear to break Lehečka early en route to a dominant third-set performance. It's that mental resilience that makes Alcaraz such a daunting opponent, as Jannik Sinner found out in the French Open final when the Spaniard came back from two sets down to clinch the title in the longest Roland Garros final in history. 'I came here with no expectations at all,' Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. 'I just came to play good tennis and try to get used to the grass as soon as possible.' The five-time grand slam champion is now 27-1 since a surprise defeat to David Goffin in the first round of the Miami Open in March, a run that has seen him claim four titles in three months. His only defeat in that time came to Holger Rune in the final of the Barcelona Open. While Alcaraz is rightly considered a clay-court specialist, he is proving to be just as adept on the faster grass and now boasts a 25-1 record on the surface since 2023, including the Queen's title last year and back-to-back Wimbledon triumphs. Alcaraz's attention now turns to Wimbledon, which begins on June 30. While Sinner and Novak Djokovic will likely be the biggest threat to the 22-year-old's crown, Alcaraz will be unquestionably the man to beat in SW19.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
U.S. flag football players want to end the 'us vs. them' narrative with NFL
U.S. quarterback Darrell Doucette, right, scores a touchdown against Australia during the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) Darrell Doucette didn't mean any disrespect. All the U.S. flag football star wanted to do in an interview that went more viral than any of his numerous highlights was to fight for his sport. So when he told TMZ in 2024 that he is 'better than Patrick Mahomes' at flag football for his IQ of the sport, the generally soft-spoken Doucette wasn't trying to issue any challenges. Watch the two-time world champion throw touchdowns, catch them, snap the ball and play defense all in the same game and it's clear he prefers to let his game speak. Advertisement 'It wasn't about me vs. them,' said Doucette, who is known in the flag football world by his nickname 'Housh.' 'It was about flag football, putting eyes on this game.' With preparations ramping up for the 2028 Olympics, flag football just wants its respect. Respect for the sport that is no longer just a child's stepping stone to tackle football. Respect for its established players who have already won every tournament there is and have eyes for more. U.S. wide receiver Isabella "Izzy" Geraci runs with the ball during a game against Australia at the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) 'It's not your mom's flag football anymore,' said Callie Brownson, USA Football's senior director of high performance and national team operations. Flag football has graduated out of backyards and into the Olympics, where the sport will debut in L.A. More than 750 athletes from 10 countries from the youth level to senior national teams gathered at Dignity Health Sports Park last weekend to preview the Olympic future at USA Football's Summer Series, where the U.S. men's and women's national teams played friendlies against Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan. Advertisement The sport's growth domestically and internationally came in part through major investment from the NFL, and the league could play a major role in the Olympics: NFL players are allowed to participate in Olympic competition. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was among the NFL stars who immediately took notice as the NFL most valuable player said he would 'absolutely love' to play if given the opportunity. Doucette loved hearing the conversation. The New Orleans native grew up playing the sport when seemingly no one else bothered to care. To hear NFL players taking an interest now? It feels like all he ever wanted. 'We're welcoming those guys,' Doucette said. 'We don't have no issue with it. We just want a fair opportunity. We want those guys to come out and learn because there's things that we're going to need to teach them ... and there's things that they can teach us. They can teach us how to run routes and how to cover and do other different things. So it's not us vs. them or them vs. us. It's us together as one teaching each other.' U.S. wide receiver Ja'Deion High evades an Australian defender during the USA Football "Summer Series" at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) Olympic flag football is played with five players per side on a 50-by-25-yard field. Teams have four downs to reach midfield and four more to score from inside midfield. The basic tenants of offensive football remain the same from its tackle counterpart: throw, catch, run. Advertisement But players don't juke the same way their tackle counterparts can, wide receiver Ja'Deion High said. When the former Texas Tech receiver was learning the sport, he was stunned when defenders still pulled his flag after what he believed were his best moves. He had to learn flag football's unique hip dips and flips to keep his flags away from defenders. The adjustment on defense could be even more difficult. Defenders cannot hinder an opposing player's forward progress. The NFL's most mundane hand-check would draw a penalty in flag football. 'The athletic ability [of an NFL player], I'm not questioning,' said defensive back Mike Daniels, a former cornerback at West Virginia. 'But the IQ aspect, the speed of the game is completely different.' USA Football, the governing body of U.S. flag football responsible for selecting the national team, has not outlined how NFL players will fit into the tryout process for the 2028 Olympic cycle. But with the Games scheduled for July 14-July 30, the one-week flag competition could overlap with the beginning of NFL training camps. Even preparations to learn the new sport and practice its unique schemes would take valuable offseason time away from NFL players. U.S. wide receiver Laval Davis, left, attempts to catch a pass as an Australian player defends during the USA Football Summer Series on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley was ready to burst into patriotic song at the mention of representing the United States in the Olympics, but when reminded that he might have to miss part of training camp for it, he backed off immediately. He spoke directly into a video camera to assure Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh that the job that pays him $5.4 million on a four-year rookie contract is all he needs. Advertisement USA Football has remained in contact with the NFL about how to integrate professionals, said Brownson, who worked for the Cleveland Browns for five seasons, including three as the assistant wide receivers coach. With the Games still three years away, USA Football is focused on keeping doors open to all prospects and offering educational opportunities for potential players to become familiar with flag football. "The cool thing about our process is when you come out to trials, there is no name on the back of your jersey,' Brownson said. 'You get a number and you have the same opportunity to try out as the person next to you. ... We'll just be excited to have the best team that we could but I always do and will always stand up for who we currently field. 'They're the best flag football players in the world, both men and women, and they deserve their flowers, too." The U.S. men's national team is the five-time defending International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world champions. Since Doucette made his national team debut in 2020, the U.S. men are undefeated in international tournaments with gold medals at two world championships (2021, 2024), the 2022 World Games and the 2023 continental championship. U.S. wide receiver Amber Clark-Robinson scores a touchdown against Australia at the USA Football Summer Series at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times) Led by quarterback Vanita Krouch, the women's team is 33-1 in the last six years. The U.S. women have won three consecutive IFAF world championships and the 2023 continental title while finishing second at the 2022 World Games. Advertisement Krouch has become an international flag football star after a four-year basketball career at Southern Methodist. Examining talent transfers from other sports has helped strengthen the USA Football athlete pipeline as the organization researches the best qualities for flag football. Baseball and softball players who can whip passes from odd arm angles can thrive in a game that features multiple quarterbacks. The U.S. national teams have former basketball, soccer and track and field stars. The sport values agility and elusiveness. While the NFL's 40-yard dash is the premier test for speed, it may be less valuable in flag football, Brownson said. The perfect flag football player combines that straight-line speed with quickness. Read more: Rams players and coaches like the idea of competing in flag football at L.A. Olympics Advertisement "There's such an art and a craft and a different style of dance that we do,' Krouch said. 'I say tackle football is like hip hop, krump dancing. ... We ballet dance. It's finesse, it's clean, it's creative." The quarterback served as an offensive coordinator in the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl, the first version of the All-Star game to feature a flag football format. Leading the NFC team to victory, Krouch loved sharing flag football's unique route combinations. She noticed how the NFL's best showed their respect for her sport by enthusiastically learning the different nuances. The Pro Bowl experience was one of many surreal moments for Krouch in her nearly two-decade career of playing flag football. From playing in a local league, the 44-year-old has become a multi-time gold medalist. She never thought this sport she sometimes teaches in her elementary physical education classes could become this big. U.S. defensive back Laneah Bryan, left, tries to pull a flag off an Australian player during the USA Football Summer Series on Sunday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times) The announcement that flag football would officially debut in the 2028 Olympics brought it to even greater heights. No question Krouch wants to play in the Games. Advertisement But the competition at tryouts every year gets 10 times harder, two-time national team member Ashlea Klam said. The 19-year-old plays flag football on a scholarship for NAIA-level Keiser University and recognizes no one is guaranteed a spot each year as the talent pool grows. It will be even more difficult to make the 10-person Olympic roster. As each year's tryouts get more competitive, Doucette sees his hope for the sport coming true. He knows the better prospects are a sign that more people are paying attention to flag football. If in three years at BMO Stadium, the eyes are fixated on another quarterback leading the United States at the Olympics, Doucette will consider that still mission accomplished. "No matter if I'm a part of the team or not, I will still be around the game,' Doucette said. 'That's my goal is still to be there, in general, no matter if I'm playing or watching." Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
