Spain left with more questions than answers after Olympic heartbreak

While no Women’s World Cup champion has ever won Olympic gold in the same cycle, if any team looked capable of doing so heading into Paris 2024, it was Spain.

They clinched the World Cup 12 months ago in Australia, beating 2022 European champions England in a dramatic final in Sydney last August. But the aftermath of that triumph was marred in controversy due to the actions of former RFEF president, Luis Rubiales.

He was suspended less than a month after the final against England, and Spain manager Jorge Vilda was sacked shortly after, to be replaced by his assistant Montserrat Tome. Yet, despite the raging storm off the pitch, the players kept producing one on it as they comfortably qualified for the Olympics by winning the inaugural Women’s Nations League back in February, and they also booked their place at next summer’s Euros in Switzerland.

Spain entered this summer’s Olympic games as one of the favourites to win gold, alongside the USA and hosts France. Tome’s side beat Japan, Brazil and Nigeria to finish top of their group and progress to the knockout stages, but in the quarter-finals, things started to unravel.

12 minutes had gone at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon on Saturday when Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez fired Colombia in front, leaving Spain stunned. Leicy Santos made it two shortly after half-time, but Spain had just enough in the tank to put themselves back on level terms by the end of the game, courtesy of goals from Jenni Hermoso and Irene Paredes.

Spain ultimately went through after winning a penalty shootout 4-2, but the warning signs were already there. A few days later, this time in the semi-finals against Brazil, they found themselves trailing early doors once again.

Brazil doubled their advantage before the break and scored a further two goals in the second half, meaning two late goals from Salma Paralluelo wasn’t enough for Spain to mount any form of a comeback to keep their Olympic dream alive. Instead, they will battle for bronze against Germany after the USA won the other semi-final match earlier in the day.

What could have been a history-making tournament for Spain has ended in heartbreak, even if a medal is still up for grabs. So, with less than 12 months to go before the 2025 UEFA Women’s European Championships kick off in Switzerland, there is plenty they need to solve if they’re to continue their habit of sweeping up silverware wherever they go.

Is Tome the right fit?

A lot of the criticism for Spain’s shortcomings at this Olympic games has been levelled at the manager, Tome. While she’s been in charge of the team for less than a year, expectations are still sky high and they simply haven't been met.

Squad sizes for the Olympics are much smaller than most competitions, and she’s certainly looked to utilise the players she has available, but it’s the timings of her changes that have come under the most scrutiny. In the semi-final against Brazil, Tome rested both Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro, and they were brought on as second half substitutes, but those changes arguably came too late in the game as they were already trailing by more than one goal.

It seems the sheer talent of the squad alone hasn’t been enough to get Spain over the line and supporters are starting to question the 42-year-old’s tactical capabilities and capacity to guide them on the biggest stage. With a another major tournament on the horizon, a decision needs to be made that could make or break the team’s hopes of adding a European title to their armour.

Spain will need to bounce back

As is often the case in sport, a winning attitude can be one of the driving factors behind success. Winning breeds confidence and confidence makes it easier to keep winning, which allows that cycle to continue. The challenge is how teams respond when the cycle is broken and the air of invincibility diminishes.

After Sarina Wiegman took charge of England in 2021, the Lionesses went on an astounding 30-game unbeaten run that ended a couple of months before the 2023 World Cup in a friendly against Australia. It was only a minor setback, however, as England went on to reach the final of the tournament, despite some questionable performances. The know-how and belief saw them get over the line, even when momentum appeared to be shifting against them in games.

Therefore, it was arguably the defeat in the final against Spain that inflicted the most damage. In the months that followed, England looked a shadow of the team that dominated games in the early days of Wiegman’s reign. 

Performance levels dropped and for the first time in a significant period of time, England looked beatable. Opposition teams finally had their number and it’s taken several months for them to return to form, and there is still plenty of work to be done before the Euros next summer.

For Spain, as an inquest is opened into what went wrong in the knockout games at the Olympics, the rest of Europe will be watching on to see how they respond to such a significant setback.

Spain have problem others have avoided

In the wake of missing out on qualification for the Olympics late last year, the disappointment among the England and Team GB squad was palpable. Yet, it didn't take too long for the silver lining to emerge.

The sheer number of games and competitions in the women's game is becoming unsustainable and the consequences are starting to appear on the pitch. It's fair to say the quality on show at the Olympics has been minimal and players look laboured, and it seems they're running out of steam.

For the likes of England, Sweden and the Netherlands, a summer off could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The emotional and physical toll a major tournament takes on those involved cannot be understated, and the impact was evident as England struggled to bounce back after their own World Cup heartbreak last year.

When the European Championships get underway in July next year, it will certainly be interesting to see how those who didn't compete in the Olympics and had a summer off fare compared those who did.

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