‘firm Steps Forward’: Irene Paredes Praises Spain’s Progress Before Euros Final

Irene Paredes feels Spain person surgery down barriers for women successful their nine since lifting nan World Cup 2 years agone but nan Euro 2025 finalists still person activity to do.

Spain person reached their first women’s European last and are hoping to animate much alteration astatine home, pinch 3.3 cardinal viewers watching their semi-final triumph complete Germany.

Before 2023’s World Cup last triumph complete Sunday’s opponents, England, Paredes had said: “Many of america person grown up reasoning that playing shot was not our place. At that time, that’s really I felt. Since then, patient steps person been taken forward. That measurement of reasoning is disappearing from society.

“We person to support opening doors and normalising situations. At that time, aft nan property conference, pinch nan victory, galore walls were torn down. There is still activity to beryllium done, but we are connected nan correct track.”

In nan aftermath of nan last successful Sydney, Spain’s triumph was soured erstwhile nan Spanish Football Federation’s Luis Rubiales kissed nan Jenni Hermoso connected nan lips without her consent. Rubiales was recovered blameworthy of intersexual battle successful February and nan condemnation upheld successful June.

Spain’s caput coach, Montse Tomé, said she was gladsome to now beryllium discussing shot matters alternatively than nan Rubiales furore. “We are a team, they are players that person been fighting, working, pinch power and now they are capable to attraction power connected football,” she said.

“I tin beryllium present and reply questions astir shot – this has changed. This intends a batch to me. It shows nan alteration we are getting. Right now, for each nan effort I deliberation nan squad deserves [to be] winning. In nan elite shot world it’s not ever nan lawsuit [that you win] but we’ll do everything to try, tomorrow.”

They hit England successful a Nations League fixture successful Barcelona successful June, though they did suffer 1-0 astatine Wembley successful February. Tomé has drawn lessons from those matches. “I expect a balanced crippled against a squad that is bully successful attack, they person a very powerful attacking line, successful midfield they besides person a precocious level and they’re very tin successful defence.

“For these reasons, we person to [apply] pressure. From nan Wembley [game], I felt we deserved more, we had nan ball, we had moments. From nan crippled successful Barcelona, nan first half was rather balanced, but past we overcame them because we put tons of unit connected to England,” she said.

“But England are very competitory – they showed during nan tourney sometimes, moreover if they don’t play very well, they extremity up winning. We cognize it will beryllium hard.”

Tomé, who has been successful complaint of nan nationalist broadside since September 2023 and is overseeing her first awesome tourney arsenic nan caput coach, confirmed she has a afloat squad of 23 players disposable for nan last astatine St Jakob Park.