Spain will play its first EuroCup final against England this Sunday, arriving with the feeling that they are the team that has played the best football in the tournament. This isn’t just a subjective opinion; the team has tamed the statistics that often lie behind successful campaigns. Every indication noted during the group stage has been reinforced through two challenging knockout matches: first against the determined host, Switzerland, and secondly against the always formidable Germany.
Coached by Montse Tomé, this squad has accelerated every statistic related to women’s football in Spain at breakneck speed. With the victory over Germany, Spain has extended its unbeaten streak to nine matches in major tournaments. Their last loss came during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand against Japan (4-0) on July 31, 2023. For 724 days, the players have won every match they’ve participated in. During that World Cup, to become champions, they decisively defeated Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and England. In this EuroCup, their successes include victories against Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, totaling nine consecutive wins. Previously, it took the national team 26 matches to secure eight victories, none of them in succession during major tournaments.
A Scoring Storm
In the World Cup, after one additional round (the Round of 16), they scored 18 goals and conceded 7. In Switzerland, Spain stands out as the team that leads the scoring charts with 17 goals over five matches and only three goals conceded. Only England, another finalist, is close behind with 15 goals, having achieved two significant victories in the group stage against the Netherlands and Wales. The 14 goals scored by Spain during the group stage this time set a competition record.
Although the competition’s Golden Boot is held by Esther González with four goals, Spain’s attacking threat comes from multiple directions. Up to 10 different players have scored — with five players netting goals in a single match — bringing them close to a record held by the English since 2022, which saw eleven different scorers in a tournament and as many as six celebrating in one match.
Thus far, Spain accounts for 16.34% of the 104 goals witnessed in Swiss stadiums, a record scoring tally for the Euro, and they are also the team with the most shots on goal, totaling 123 attempts. At the forefront is Clàudia Pina, who has taken ten shots, delivered 27 corner kicks (the most), and scored once.
The offensive pressure that suffocated the German team led to the late goal by Aitana Bonmatí in the 113th minute of extra time, which became the latest goal scored by Spain in major tournament history and tied her with Jenni Hermoso as the top scorer in knockout phases, both with three goals.
Possession, Passes… and Patri Guijarro
Spain’s torrential gameplay is rooted in their possession. No other team holds the ball as much as Spain, boasting a remarkable 67%, with an average of 620 passes per match, of which 89.2% are successful. In this context, Patri Guijarro shines brightly. Throughout this Euro, she has completed 416 passes, and in the semifinal against Germany, she achieved 143 passes at first touch and recorded nine successful long passes to exploit gaps in the German defense. “Patri sees passes and spaces where others don’t,” noted Vicky López recently. Having returned to the national squad for the Paris Olympics, it took her a year to find her groove, but she has now become essential for Montse Tomé.
Against Germany, she became one of only two players in history to deliver 100 passes and regain possession over ten times in a knockout match during a World Cup or EuroCup. The only other player to achieve this was Danish footballer Katrine Pedersen in the Euro 2013 tournament.
Moreover, Patri Guijarro exudes balance. Spain is the third team, following Germany and England, in terms of ball recoveries, at 211. In the semifinal alone, she made 12 interceptions. “This team has matured,” Tomé remarked before last Wednesday’s match in Zurich. This maturity also mirrors their ranking as the third team that commits the most fouls, totaling 58, only trailing England (64) and Germany (65).
Furthermore, in recent matches, despite facing several attempts against them, the return of Cata Coll, showcasing impressive saves, has led Spain to secure two clean sheets — a crucial statistic as tournaments progress into elimination phases. Notably, Spain is recognized as the least conceded team in this EuroCup, with a total of only three goals against.