Latest news with #JenniHermoso
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Firm steps forward': Irene Paredes praises Spain progress before Euros final
Irene Paredes feels Spain have broken down barriers for women in their society since lifting the World Cup two years ago but the Euro 2025 finalists still have work to do. Spain have reached their first women's European final and are hoping to inspire more change at home, with 3.3 million viewers watching their semi-final victory over Germany. Before 2023's World Cup final victory over Sunday's opponents, England, Paredes had said: 'Many of us have grown up thinking that playing football was not our place. At that time, that's how I felt. Since then, firm steps have been taken forward. That way of thinking is disappearing from society. 'We have to keep opening doors and normalising situations. At that time, after the press conference, with the victory, many walls were torn down. There is still work to be done, but we are on the right track.' In the aftermath of the final in Sydney, Spain's triumph was soured when the Spanish Football Federation's Luis Rubiales kissed the Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent. Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault in February and the conviction upheld in June. Spain's head coach, Montse Tomé, said she was glad to now be discussing football matters rather than the Rubiales furore. 'We are a team, they are players that have been fighting, working, with energy and now they are able to focus energy on football,' she said. 'I can sit here and answer questions about football – this has changed. This means a lot to me. It shows the change we are getting. Right now, for all the effort I think the squad deserves [to be] winning. In the elite football world it's not always the case [that you win] but we'll do everything to try, tomorrow.' They beat England in a Nations League fixture in Barcelona in June, although they did lose 1-0 at Wembley in February. Tomé has drawn lessons from those matches. 'I expect a balanced game against a team that is good in attack, they have a very powerful attacking line, in midfield they also have a high level and they're very capable in defence. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'For these reasons, we have to [apply] pressure. From the Wembley [game], I felt we deserved more, we had the ball, we had moments. From the game in Barcelona, the first half was quite balanced, but then we overcame them because we put lots of pressure on to England,' she said. 'But England are very competitive – they showed during the tournament sometimes, even if they don't play very well, they end up winning. We know it will be hard.' Tomé, who has been in charge of the national side since September 2023 and is overseeing her first major tournament as the head coach, confirmed she has a full squad of 23 players available for the final at St Jakob Park.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Firm steps forward': Irene Paredes praises Spain progress before Euros final
Irene Paredes feels Spain have broken down barriers for women in their society since lifting the World Cup two years ago but the Euro 2025 finalists still have work to do. Spain have reached their first women's European final and are hoping to inspire more change at home, with 3.3 million viewers watching their semi-final victory over Germany. Before 2023's World Cup final victory over Sunday's opponents, England, Paredes had said: 'Many of us have grown up thinking that playing football was not our place. At that time, that's how I felt. Since then, firm steps have been taken forward. That way of thinking is disappearing from society. 'We have to keep opening doors and normalising situations. At that time, after the press conference, with the victory, many walls were torn down. There is still work to be done, but we are on the right track.' In the aftermath of the final in Sydney, Spain's triumph was soured when the Spanish Football Federation's Luis Rubiales kissed the Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent. Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault in February and the conviction upheld in June. Spain's head coach, Montse Tomé, said she was glad to now be discussing football matters rather than the Rubiales furore. 'We are a team, they are players that have been fighting, working, with energy and now they are able to focus energy on football,' she said. 'I can sit here and answer questions about football – this has changed. This means a lot to me. It shows the change we are getting. Right now, for all the effort I think the squad deserves [to be] winning. In the elite football world it's not always the case [that you win] but we'll do everything to try, tomorrow.' They beat England in a Nations League fixture in Barcelona in June, although they did lose 1-0 at Wembley in February. Tomé has drawn lessons from those matches. 'I expect a balanced game against a team that is good in attack, they have a very powerful attacking line, in midfield they also have a high level and they're very capable in defence. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'For these reasons, we have to [apply] pressure. From the Wembley [game], I felt we deserved more, we had the ball, we had moments. From the game in Barcelona, the first half was quite balanced, but then we overcame them because we put lots of pressure on to England,' she said. 'But England are very competitive – they showed during the tournament sometimes, even if they don't play very well, they end up winning. We know it will be hard.' Tomé, who has been in charge of the national side since September 2023 and is overseeing her first major tournament as the head coach, confirmed she has a full squad of 23 players available for the final at St Jakob Park.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'A different world' - Spain's transformation after World Cup fallout
The last time Spain played in the final of a major tournament, it was a watershed moment for the country. Not only did they win their first major women's trophy, but the players were about to find themselves at the centre of a sexism scandal. Instead of celebrating their historic World Cup victory in 2023, when they defeated England 1-0, Spain's triumph was overshadowed by controversy. But nearly two years later, La Roja are preparing to play the Lionesses once again in Sunday's Euro 2025 final. What has unfolded in the meantime? And how different has this tournament been for Spain? How did we get here? Just as Spain were getting ready to lift the World Cup trophy, Luis Rubiales - the country's football federation president - kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips. It was a kiss that Rubiales said was consensual, but Hermoso said was not. What followed was a storm of criticism, widespread protests and a court case that found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault. Hermoso said the incident had "stained one of the happiest days" of her life. In the immediate aftermath, 81 players - including all 23 World Cup winners - said they would not play for Spain again while Rubiales was in charge. "It was a difficult period for the Spanish players," England midfielder Ella Toone said on Friday. "What they did in the World Cup, for that [the Rubiales incident] then to be the main talking point, I think was really tough for them and was something they shouldn't have had to go through." The boycott only ended almost a month later when Spain's football association, the RFEF, promised "profound changes" following a lengthy meeting with players and government officials. 'A different world' Speaking to BBC Sport last month, Amanda Gutierrez - the president of players' union Futpro - explained that the RFEF promised to improve the players' working conditions and provide equal access to the same resources the men's side had. But have those changes been evident at Euro 2025? "It's a different world," Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague said. "The players are saying 'we only have to worry now about playing', so that's completely new." Spain's performances have certainly reflected that attitude as they defeated Portugal, Belgium and Italy by a combined score of 14-3 in the group stage. Montse Tome's side then saw off a stubborn Switzerland side in the quarter-finals, before scoring an extra-time winner against eight-time winners Germany to reach their first European Championship final. Spain played 120 minutes in their semi-final and played a day later than England, but former midfielder Vicky Losada said their mental resilience will help them overcome their lack of recovery time. "Knowing them, straight after the game against Germany they will be thinking about doing anything they can to be ready for this game," Losada told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily. "They have 24 hours less to recover but the mental strength of the girls, because of their experience, because of all they have won, is massive. "The players on the team are winners. For a lot of them, the only major tournament they are missing is the Euros. They know they have one opportunity." Sara Alcaraz Guiterrez, a reporter for national Spanish radio, said this is the first tournament since the 2023 World Cup where she hasn't had to "speak about the federation and what is happening inside". "The players are more relaxed because they know everyone in Spain is speaking just about the Euros. It's like 'finally'." Final preview: England v Spain The kiss that shook Spanish & global football Spain's ex-football boss Luis Rubiales fined for World Cup kiss 'Tome cannot do any better' Former coach Jorge Vilda may have delivered World Cup glory to Spain, but he will be remembered in a negative light by some for his role in their triumphant run. The head coach, who was booed by some fans after the final, had survived a player revolt before the tournament and was viewed as one of Rubiales' closest allies. By his side on the touchline was Montse Tome, his assistant coach who became his successor a few weeks after the World Cup final. There were concerns about her appointment, with many viewing it as a continuation of the previous regime, while she had no previous experience as a head coach. With Tome at the helm, Spain won the inaugural Women's Nations League in February 2024, but their fourth-place finish five months later at the Paris Olympics was deemed a failure. However, their journey to the Euro final, and the unity within the squad, seem to have changed perceptions of the former Spain midfielder. "She cannot do any better in terms of results," said Balague. "She's not friends with them [the players]. She's not supposed to be either. "You hear her talk and she makes a lot of sense. She's got a clear idea of how to maximize the potential. "She's not a representative of the previous regime, but she was present. Even if that's in the back of the mind of anybody, you look around and it's a completely different place. So I don't think there is a lot of hard feelings about where she's been, because she's been quite fair." 'The players want to move on' Not only is Sunday's final in Basel an opportunity for Spain to win their first European crown, but it's also a chance to celebrate achieving a major trophy without a cloud of controversy hanging over them. "It's something external that happened at the time," Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas said. "Now we're focused on giving our best to win this title. We're not thinking about celebrations or non-celebrations; we're only thinking about being prepared and doing well so that we can get closer to our goal." The culture within the Spanish camp also appears to have changed drastically from the World Cup in 2023, when they arrived in New Zealand with a divided squad amid a backdrop of unrest around then head coach Vilda. "The things have changed," Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati added. "There's a very healthy and united group. We can see that on the pitch. We all agree on this." Spain's Euro 2025 squad includes 11 World-Cup winning players, although Hermoso was not selected by Tome. Balague explained: "They want to move on, and it makes sense," "The players I've spoken to, they all have mixed feelings. They [Rubiales and the RFEF] took the celebrations away from them, but they changed our society and the way we think about women's football, and also women in society. "They have advanced society. Nobody will give them a trophy for that." Former Lionesses forward Ellen White was part of Sarina Wiegman's side beaten by Spain in the 2023 World Cup final, but said this group of Spanish players deserve their moment in the spotlight. "The controversy was so horrible. I felt for the whole team after the World Cup final," White told BBC Radio 5 Live. "They weren't able to celebrate and have that monumental moment. "This final brings them the chance to create absolute history. Enjoy it, have nothing else to think about and if they were to win to just bask in the absolute joy of winning a tournament together as a group of individuals. And hopefully the whole of Spain will be celebrating what they have done. "They deserve this. They have worked so hard and it would be an absolutely amazing moment for the whole team." The kiss that shook Spanish & global football Spain's ex-football boss Luis Rubiales fined for World Cup kiss 'They had biggest moment of their careers stolen' - what next for Spain?
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'A different world' - Spain's transformation after World Cup fallout
The last time Spain played in the final of a major tournament, it was a watershed moment for the only did they win their first major women's trophy, but the players were about to find themselves at the centre of a sexism of celebrating their historic World Cup victory in 2023, when they defeated England 1-0, Spain's triumph was overshadowed by nearly two years later, La Roja are preparing to play the Lionesses once again in Sunday's Euro 2025 has unfolded in the meantime? And how different has this tournament been for Spain? How did we get here? Just as Spain were getting ready to lift the World Cup trophy, Luis Rubiales - the country's football federation president - kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the was a kiss that Rubiales said was consensual, but Hermoso said was followed was a storm of criticism, widespread protests and a court case that found Rubiales guilty of sexual said the incident had "stained one of the happiest days" of her the immediate aftermath, 81 players - including all 23 World Cup winners - said they would not play for Spain again while Rubiales was in charge."It was a difficult period for the Spanish players," England midfielder Ella Toone said on Friday."What they did in the World Cup, for that [the Rubiales incident] then to be the main talking point, I think was really tough for them and was something they shouldn't have had to go through." The boycott only ended almost a month later when Spain's football association, the RFEF, promised "profound changes" following a lengthy meeting with players and government officials. 'A different world' Speaking to BBC Sport last month, Amanda Gutierrez - the president of players' union Futpro - explained that the RFEF promised to improve the players' working conditions and provide equal access to the same resources the men's side have those changes been evident at Euro 2025? "It's a different world," Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague said. "The players are saying 'we only have to worry now about playing', so that's completely new."Spain's performances have certainly reflected that attitude as they defeated Portugal, Belgium and Italy by a combined score of 14-3 in the group Tome's side then saw off a stubborn Switzerland side in the quarter-finals, before scoring an extra-time winner against eight-time winners Germany to reach their first European Championship played 120 minutes in their semi-final and played a day later than England, but former midfielder Vicky Losada said their mental resilience will help them overcome their lack of recovery time."Knowing them, straight after the game against Germany they will be thinking about doing anything they can to be ready for this game," Losada told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily."They have 24 hours less to recover but the mental strength of the girls, because of their experience, because of all they have won, is massive."The players on the team are winners. For a lot of them, the only major tournament they are missing is the Euros. They know they have one opportunity."Sara Alcaraz Guiterrez, a reporter for national Spanish radio, said this is the first tournament since the 2023 World Cup where she hasn't had to "speak about the federation and what is happening inside"."The players are more relaxed because they know everyone in Spain is speaking just about the Euros. It's like 'finally'." 'Tome cannot do any better' Former coach Jorge Vilda may have delivered World Cup glory to Spain, but he will be remembered in a negative light by some for his role in their triumphant head coach, who was booed by some fans after the final, had survived a player revolt before the tournament and was viewed as one of Rubiales' closest his side on the touchline was Montse Tome, his assistant coach who became his successor a few weeks after the World Cup were concerns about her appointment, with many viewing it as a continuation of the previous regime, while she had no previous experience as a head Tome at the helm, Spain won the inaugural Women's Nations League in February 2024, but their fourth-place finish five months later at the Paris Olympics was deemed a their journey to the Euro final, and the unity within the squad, seem to have changed perceptions of the former Spain midfielder."She cannot do any better in terms of results," said Balague. "She's not friends with them [the players]. She's not supposed to be either. "You hear her talk and she makes a lot of sense. She's got a clear idea of how to maximize the potential."She's not a representative of the previous regime, but she was present. Even if that's in the back of the mind of anybody, you look around and it's a completely different place. So I don't think there is a lot of hard feelings about where she's been, because she's been quite fair." 'The players want to move on' Not only is Sunday's final in Basel an opportunity for Spain to win their first European crown, but it's also a chance to celebrate achieving a major trophy without a cloud of controversy hanging over them. "It's something external that happened at the time," Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas said."Now we're focused on giving our best to win this title. We're not thinking about celebrations or non-celebrations; we're only thinking about being prepared and doing well so that we can get closer to our goal."The culture within the Spanish camp also appears to have changed drastically from the World Cup in 2023, when they arrived in New Zealand with a divided squad amid a backdrop of unrest around then head coach Vilda."The things have changed," Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati added. "There's a very healthy and united group. We can see that on the pitch. We all agree on this."Spain's Euro 2025 squad includes 11 World-Cup winning players, although Hermoso was not selected by explained: "They want to move on, and it makes sense," "The players I've spoken to, they all have mixed feelings. They [Rubiales and the RFEF] took the celebrations away from them, but they changed our society and the way we think about women's football, and also women in society."They have advanced society. Nobody will give them a trophy for that."Former Lionesses forward Ellen White was part of Sarina Wiegman's side beaten by Spain in the 2023 World Cup final, but said this group of Spanish players deserve their moment in the spotlight."The controversy was so horrible. I felt for the whole team after the World Cup final," White told BBC Radio 5 Live. "They weren't able to celebrate and have that monumental moment."This final brings them the chance to create absolute history. Enjoy it, have nothing else to think about and if they were to win to just bask in the absolute joy of winning a tournament together as a group of individuals. And hopefully the whole of Spain will be celebrating what they have done."They deserve this. They have worked so hard and it would be an absolutely amazing moment for the whole team."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rubiales forced kiss could drive Spain on in Euro 2025 final: England's Toone
England's Ella Toone admits Spain may have extra motivation going into Sunday's final of the Women's Euro 2025 after their World Cup triumph two years ago was overshadowed by events at the end of the game in Sydney. Spain beat England 1-0 in 2023 to win the Women's World Cup for the first time, with Olga Carmona scoring the only goal of the game. However, the headlines later were dominated by the forced kiss by former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales on player Jenni Hermoso. Rubiales was eventually fined 10,800 euros ($11,670) for sexual assault in February this year. "It was a difficult period for the Spanish players and I think for what they did in the World Cup, for that to then be the main talking point, was really tough and something they shouldn't have had to go through," Toone told reporters in Zurich on Friday. "They should have celebrated what was an amazing tournament for them." Toone played in the World Cup final and is now hoping England can avenge their defeat that day, as well as repeat their victory in the final of the last European Championship in 2022. "Both of us want to win obviously -- they have their reasons, we have ours and I think it is going to be a very tough game," said the 25-year-old Manchester United midfielder. "We have so much respect for them and the quality they have, but we also believe in ourselves, that we can really step up." England have made a third consecutive major tournament final off the back of two heart-stopping victories in the knockout rounds in Switzerland. After coming back from two goals down late on to beat Sweden on penalties in the quarter-finals, they defeated Italy 2-1 in extra time in the last four. The Lionesses were trailing in that game in Geneva until Michelle Agyemang's 96th-minute effort forced extra time. Chloe Kelly then converted the winner in the 119th minute as penalties loomed. "I think we have it in us all individually and as a team that we want to fight, not stop running," said Toone, who scored England's first goal when they beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley in the Euro 2022 final. "You have seen that in games where sometimes you might feel like we are down and out and it is 90-odd minutes and then someone comes on and we take that moment. "We are competitive and we know what it takes to win and that is what has got us to a third consecutive final." as/nf
