Spain continued their dominance of world football in Seville on Wednesday night, breezing past France to become the inaugural Women’s Nations League champions. Goals by Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey secured a 2-0 victory in front of more than 32,000 at La Cartuja who saw Montse Tomé’s side pick up another major trophy on the back of their World Cup success last summer.
Tomé was delighted with her side as they swept past an opponent considered one of the best in Europe. “I have a group with very experienced players and with new young players coming up,” she said. “They have a winning mentality and we can see that we can get the maximum potential out of them.
“We have a very good present and future. These players have just won the World Cup, now this. It was an opponent we had never beaten before.”
There was a sense of inevitability about this victory for Spain despite their poor record against France in recent years. In spite of everything La Roja have been through off the pitch – Jorge Vilda, Luis Rubiales, the lack of support from the Royal Spanish Football Federation – there has been unstoppable resolve from their players on it: a determination to show the world the glittering array of talent they possess, their unbreakable will to win, and the strength of character to make things better for those yet to come.
From front to back Spain are lined with stars, with Tomé relying on many of the familiar faces that brought success last summer, and she kept the same lineup that had swept the Netherlands aside 3-0 in the semi-final.
The France manager, Hervé Renard, also stuck with the same 11 that had started in their victory against Germany on Friday. They came into this encounter as the only League A side left unbeaten this campaign but knew they had a battle on their hands. The midfield stalwart Amandine Henry earned her 100th cap, a feat that once looked unlikely after falling out with previous management.
As the game got under way in front of a raucous home crowd, Spain dominated proceedings and gave France little opportunity to get into their attacking groove.
Bonmatí was naturally at the centre of everything. For Barcelona or Spain, the focus is drawn immediately to the diminutive figure at the heart of the midfield, and once again she was a puppet master pulling strings. Her commanding presence coupled with the strong running of Olga Carmona and Paralluelo enabled the hosts to control possession and push Renard’s team back.
Their domination led ultimately to chances with Spain carving out five in the first half to France’s zero. Paralluelo was at the centre of things when her driven effort was deflected narrowly wide before another forced Pauline Peyraud-Magnin into her first save. The precision of Spain’s set pieces were also causing defensive issues. With France unable to deal with them aerially, Paredes sent a thumping header crashing on to the crossbar.
It was predictably from the left that Spain’s breakthrough came. Carmona, the scorer of the World Cup-winning goal, turned provider as she skipped into space with time to pick her cross. Bonmati was there, as she so often is, to guide the shot home, wheeling away in front of Spain’s jubilant fans.
France had to do something differently in the second half to disrupt the rhythm that Spain were enjoying. They started to press higher upfield with Kadidiatou Diani trying her best to test Carmona with her pace. It led to their first attempt of the evening, a drive from Élisa De Almeida that flew wide.
Just as Renard’s side looked to be in the ascendancy, however, Spain doubled their lead in the 53rd minute. This time it came from the right side when Ona Batlle found Caldentey in the middle of the box to sweep it home with precision.
France threatened on occasion but rarely with any final touch as the game came to its conclusion. Renard cut a disappointed figure, knowing full well his side have to improve if they are to succeed at Paris 2024. “We didn’t play a good game against a team that are world champions and flying high,” he said.
“They’ll be the team to beat at the Olympics. It won’t be easy. We are going to have to keep improving, learn lessons and keep moving forward.”
As the whistle blew, the Spanish bench sprinted on to the pitch with a deafening roar echoing around the stadium. La Roja had once again made history, an indomitable, unstoppable force with the Olympic gold now firmly in their sights.
