‘Scandalous’ Spain’s biggest flaw may not even matter

An indication of fallibility, before an exhibition of overwhelming strength. Belgium illustrated that you can actually do something against Spain, only for the world champions to show that there’s almost nothing you can do when they get going.

- MIGUEL DELANEY

Spain 6
Patellas (22, 86), Paredas (39), Gonzales (52), Caldentay (61), Pina (81)

Belgium 2
Vanhaevermaet (24), Eurlings (50)

And they really got going here. The last 40 minutes of this 6-2 win over Belgium formed by far the best spell of football in Euro 2025 so far. The exquisite and intricate interchanges around the box were even crowned by a sublime long-range strike from Claudia Pina, as if to remind just how many ways Spain can hurt you.

It also made it 10 goals in two games, before Alexia Putellas made it 11, with so many more evidently to come.

“They have become so much more efficient,” Belgium manager Elisabet Gunnarsdottir said, ominously for the rest of the tournament. Even more ominously, manager Montse Tome said they “have to get better”, in relation to the two conceded.

Spain’s shift in gears coincided with the Belgians making it 2-2, illustrating Gunnarsdottir’s team had made them angry. You evidently don’t want to make them angry... or step out, or sit back too deep, or allow Aitana Bonmati on the ball, or allow Pina a long shot. And that’s before you even get to the resurgent Putellas, the ingenuity of Mariona Caldentey, the finishing of Esther Gonzalez, the guile of Vicky Lopez...

“This is the good thing Spain have,” Tome added. “So many players of this quality.”

Putellas described her teammates’ quality as "scandalous".