EURO 2025: How Spain have grown since their Olympic debut at Paris 2024

A year on from their tremendous 2023 World Cup victory, you could be forgiven for backing Spain as the favourites to clinch women’s football gold at Paris 2024.

They had proven themselves to be the best team in the world beyond any doubt, so topping the Olympic podium—even on their Games debut—didn't seem far-fetched.

Instead, they showed that even ‘perfect’ teams still have growing to do.

A semi-final loss, followed by a narrow 1–0 defeat to Germany in the bronze-medal match, saw their quest for more titles come to a sudden halt.

“We compete to win and it hurts when that doesn’t happen, but that’s sport,” said head coach Montserrat Tomé after losing out on a place in the final.

“Some you win and others you lose – now we have to react.”

React is exactly what they did – and in some style too.

In the 14 games Spain have played since that defeat to the Germans, they’ve suffered just one defeat (to England), drawn twice, and won 11 — including three a UEFA Women’s EURO 2025.

Their form speaks for itself, so much so that Olga Carmona believes the Olympic outcome might be different if the Games were played this summer.

“I think if Spain had to play the Olympic Games this summer, we would do much better,” she told the media.

They will have to wait until LA 2028, which Carmona says is very much in their sights, to put that debate to bed.

For now, their focus is on becoming European champions for the very first time.

Click here to read article