Spain have been the best side in the Euro 2025 group stage. But that doesn't mean they'll win it

New York Times

3 days ago

Spain's 3-1 win over Italy in Bern confirmed their position as Group B winners, maintained their 100 per cent record at Euro 2025, and also gave themselves the weakest knockout stage opponents in the quarter-final.
The reigning world champions have been, without question, the best side in the group phase of the competition. But, of course, the best group stage side doesn't always end up winning it.
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And that feels a particularly pertinent sentiment in Bern, scene of the greatest example in football history of the group stage kings falling short. At the 1954 World Cup, Hungary were clearly the best side in the group stage, defeating West Germany 8-3 and South Korea 9-0. It seemed unlikely anyone else would win the competition. It was even more unthinkable that one of their group stage opponents would do so. But somehow it was West Germany who beat them in the final, here at the old Wankdorf Stadium, 3-2, in the so-called Miracle of Bern.
This was Spain's least impressive group stage display. They were playing at half-pace throughout much of this match, with manager Montse Tome having rotated her side and leaving out key players in attack and the full-back positions. Spain simply needed to avoid defeat, which was briefly on the cards when Elisabette Oliviero opened the scoring against the run of play. But this produced a frenetic four-minute spell of Spain dominance, which ended when Athenea del Castillo played a one-two with Alexia Putellas and then fired into the top corner, for possibly the goal of the tournament so far.
It was a sudden, blatant demonstration of Spain's ability to go through the gears when required, almost a warning sign for future opponents not to dare going ahead. In the second half, a low shot from the magnificent Patri Guijarro put Spain ahead, before the rested — and somewhat missed — Esther Gonzalez came off the bench to belt home a rebound from a yard out, meaning she leads the golden boot standings on four goals. Tellingly, her closest challenger — albeit without everyone else playing three matches — is her teammate Putellas.
Spain's quality in possession throughout this group stage has been phenomenal, significantly superior to anything they produced at the 2023 World Cup, when they used possession to control the match, but lacked penetration. The understanding between the attackers, particularly with the use of quick one-twos and quick triangles to get in behind opponents, has been marvellous to watch, and also highly effective.
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It's not an exaggeration to say this is significantly in advance of anything the women's game has seen before — the closest thing is probably the football played by Japan during their first four matches at the World Cup two years ago, which included a 4-0 destruction of Spain, incidentally. They too played flowing combination football, with a seamlessly revolving cast popping up in goalscoring positions. There's a place in football for direct attackers dominating through one-on-one duels, as France showed in their 2-1 victory over England. But the greatest football teams always advance the game with their combination play, and this Spain belong in that category.
Tome's XI for this contest was a little more direct than previously, with Salma Paralluelo up front and offering speed in behind — although that wasn't particularly effective against a deep Italian defence — and Del Castillo bringing dribbling quality from the right. But these players are likely to be used from the bench in the knockout stage, alongside Vicky Lopez, who started the tournament in the side but is now a reserve due to the return of Aitana Bonmati. The only question about Spain in the final third is whether Bonmati is at her best after her recent illness. The reigning Ballon d'Or winner hasn't looked as sharp as her attacking colleagues.
The caveat to all this praise is that Spain, more so than before, do give opponents chances. Italy repeatedly launched quick breaks that should have progressed into more promising situations. They found it relatively simple to get in behind Spain, even if a couple of their chances were probably offside, and VAR would have intervened if the ball had ended up in the net. Tome seems to accept this issue as a consequence of the way her side plays, although you suspect she'll be working on the side's offside line in training before the knockout stage, as this might prove Spain's most useful form of denying opponents from getting through on goal.
Like when they won the World Cup two years ago, Spain's first knockout stage contest will be against Switzerland. They were 5-1 winners in Auckland in 2023, although it's clear that Switzerland, with home advantage, are a more fearsome prospect than two years ago.
Then again, so are Spain. They are likely to break Swiss hearts back here in Bern on Friday, and going down to this magnificent Spain side might be a dignified way for the hosts to exit. But who knows? As 1954 shows, in Bern, miracles can happen.