Spain the stars as Women’s Euro 2025 heads into knockouts

ZURICH – Spain have lived up to their billing as the team to beat at Women’s Euro 2025 as the world champions prepare to take on hosts Switzerland in the quarter-finals on July 18, with a potential final with England on the horizon.

The most talented squad at the tournament, Spain rattled in 14 goals, including four for leading scorer Esther Gonzalez, on their way to topping Group B and remain red-hot favourites to win their first European crown.

Alexia Putellas has bolstered her claim for a third Ballon d’Or Feminin as the shining light of a Spain team who have sprinkled stardust over the competition.

The Barcelona star scored three goals and set up four more in Spain’s three group games as she brought her sparkling club form to her national team.

Putellas told AFP last week that she is “enjoying” the tournament after roaring back to her best form last season, following an injury nightmare which began with an anterior cruciate ligament injury tear just before the start of the last Euro in 2022.

“It was a tough time, like any injury that any athlete has if it’s serious. They leave you with those lessons and you savour every moment,” she said.

“Maybe when you enter a cycle of competing, competing, competing, you don’t stop to appreciate everything. But I’m enjoying every day here at the Euro.”

The stars seem to be aligning for Spain, who also have current Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmati fully match fit, after she started her first match of the tournament in the 3-1 win over Italy on July 11.

Her chances of playing in Switzerland briefly looked in doubt when she was struck with a bout of viral meningitis days before Spain’s opening group match against Portugal.

But she recovered quickly enough to feature in the 5-0 hammering of the Portuguese and the following 6-2 beating of Belgium before making the starting XI for Italy.

“She did a good job coming off a difficult situation, and she was really looking forward to starting some games,” said Spain coach Montse Tome.

Spain also have had a full week to prepare for their clash with their Swiss hosts, which will be played on July 18 in front of a passionate crowd in Bern.

However, for all that Spain are free-flowing and full of goalscoring dynamos, they can be got at, as shown in matches against Belgium and Italy, who both created a series of opportunities against the high Spanish defensive line.

Among the teams standing in La Roja’s way to the title are England and Sweden, who face off in a blockbuster quarter-final on July 17 in a replay of the Lionesses’ thumping 4-0 last-four victory on their way to winning the last Euro.

England and Sweden are on the other side of the knockout draw from Spain, who will face either Germany or dark horses France in the semi-finals if they get past the Swiss. AFP