On Wednesday, for the first time since the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, England and Spain will meet again. Both have had an eventful 18 months since that historic night in Sydney, when La Roja beat the Lionesses 1-0 to avenge their quarter-final defeat at the 2022 European Championship and win a first major tournament. Yet, despite some incredible obstacles, it will be the world champions who enter this encounter as favourites to prevail again.
Matters on and off the pitch have provided serious challenges for Spain, the kind that would derail most teams. Yet, they continue to look like the side most capable of dethroning England at this summer’s Euros, with Wednesday’s meeting – before June’s rematch – a particularly notable chance to prove as much.
That is not to say Spain are perfect. There are some areas of weakness in this team, the kind of which contributed to them being 2-0 down on Friday to a Belgium team they thrashed 7-0 last April. But an eventual 3-2 win in that game, courtesy of a goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time from a player making just her second senior international appearance, served as a reminder of just why La Roja will go into Wednesday’s game – and this summer’s Euros – as the favourite.