As 16 of Europe’s best national teams began to convene a month ago in Switzerland, it was hard not to envision Spain collecting winners’ medals in Basel as the Women’s Euro came to a close. Two years removed from their statement-making Women’s World Cup win, they remained one of the world’s best teams thanks to the collective of elite attacking talent they boast and the entertaining style of play that has led both Spain’s men’s and women’s teams to success. Their spot in Sunday’s Women’s Euro, the first time La Roja had gotten that far in the competition’s history, was no surprise, and neither was the fact that Mariona Caldentey gave them the lead 25 minutes in.
Spain’s coronation, though, never came.
Instead, in a dramatic finale to the Women’s Euro, the champs were England, who benefited from Alessia Russo’s 57th equalizer and two saves from Hannah Hampton in a penalty shootout to win back-to-back titles. The Lionesses may have been the reigning champions, but on Sunday, they played the role of plucky underdogs perfectly by ceding possession to Spain and carving out their opportunities whenever they could. Conceding in the first half was no bother for England, who fell behind in four of their six games at the Euro and only held the lead for four minutes and 52 seconds in the knockout stage. The champions also took zero shots in 30 minutes of extra time, waiting it out for a penalty shootout that ultimately benefited them, even if they missed two spot kicks of their own.
It was a gritty and unglamorous way of winning, not exactly befitting of a team whose strength is an attack complete with dynamic players like Russo and substitute Michelle Agyemang, the breakout star of the Women’s Euro, who will also leave Switzerland with the Best Young Player award.
Head coach Sarina Wiegman, though, was vindicated for picking an ugly approach to counter Spain’s preferred free-flowing style. Unpredictable as Wiegman’s choice may have been before the competition started, it was a decision several other elite managers before her have made with a trophy on the line, and an uninspiringly easy one in some ways. That is a reality of tournaments, though, and it is just as easy to make the argument that the onus was on Spain to have a strategy to combat such a predictable trick.
The World Cup winners may have cruised to the semifinals, but coupled with their extra time win over Germany on Wednesday, Sunday’s defeat to England showcased that they are a one-note team right now. Spain can perform at the peak of their powers when the situation favors them, which may be true for most teams, but at their best, it is hard not to classify them as a cut above the rest. Once they get their midfield going, the results are exquisite – they can outpass anyone, and their impressive attacking talent means putting the ball in the back of the net comes as little issue. That was definitely the case during the first half on Sunday, when they outpossessed, outpassed, outshot and outscored England, the game mostly going according to plan.
Wiegman and company correctly identified, though, that a disruption to Spain’s passing patterns would be crucial in their victory. Albeit to a lesser extent than an understaffed and ultradefensive Germany, the Lionesses found a way to keep La Roja in their own half more often than they like and forced more long balls out of an opposition whose bread and butter is a shorter, more clinical pass.
Finally finding the defensive resolve they had lacked all tournament long, England limited Spain to just five shots on target from 22 total attempts and looked for the times they could exploit their opponent’s untested defense. That strategy was especially on display in extra time, when the Lionesses did not register a shot of their own but limited La Roja to zero shots on target and less than one expected goal from five attempts.
Defenders Leah Williamson and Jess Carter were particular standouts in Basel on Sunday, each a personification of the mettle that defined their title-winning run in Switzerland more than anything else. The pair rewarded Wiegman for her trademark in-game tactical incision, especially Carter, who returned to the lineup after being dropped for Esme Morgan in the semifinal win over Italy. Carter’s performance is especially laudable after what has likely been a challenging week – the two-time European champion was on the receiving end of racist abuse on social media, but has had the public support of her teammates and opponents alike at the competition and delivered a career-best performance on Sunday.
It was one of the final surprises in a tournament full of them, a list that includes Italy’s first appearance in the semifinals since 1997 and the Netherlands‘ group stage exit, a unique but resounding feeling of imperfection that might be one of the competition’s most lasting legacies. As a new batch of record attendances and viewership figures created a new chapter of women’s soccer’s undeniable upward trajectory, it has created the right type of on-field chaos.
At the Women’s Euro, the power dynamics shifted a little bit, be it up-and-comers Italy getting the better of historic powerhouses Norway or England getting revenge two years after losing the World Cup final to Spain. There is a prevailing sense of imperfection, too – a few teams had their moments, but no one looked like the perfect package, this is especially true for a pair of finalists whose weaknesses were almost just as clear to see as their strengths.
It perfectly encapsulates an unpredictable tournament and offers a unique sense of excitement as the countdown to the 2027 World Cup officially gets underway. If Spain had run away with the whole thing, they may be the favorites two years from now in Brazil, but head coach Montse Tome and company certainly have room for improvement, while England join a long list of flawed championship-winning teams. There are so many other exciting uncertainties with two years to go, too – the U.S. women’s national team are ushering in a new generation of talent with 2027 in mind, while hosts Brazil are doing the same and will no doubt target a statement-making showing in South America’s first Women’s World Cup. The pressure is on each of them to live up to the billing, as well as the teams on the cusp who will be equally ambitious to make the trip to Brazil count.
Two years after the most competitive World Cup in the history of the women’s game, it is clear that the on-field product is trending in the right direction – even if it is a weirdly imperfect one.
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