Spain played a strong European championship, but lacked a lot in the final against England. After the final whistle, world footballer Aitana Bonmatí symbolically stood for the disappointment of the team.
When Aitana Bonmatí was honored as the best player of the tournament after the European Championship final against England (2: 4 after penalty shootout), the world footballer could not be happy about it. With funeral male she crept to Uefa President Aleksander Čeferin and took the trophy against the trophy. The same procedure was given again with the entire team when it picked up the silver medals.
England shows how Spain is to crack
It should have been the tournament of Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas and Co. – and it was almost. Spain played confidently and without loss points through the group phase (14: 3 goals) and for many already looked like the safe European champion. In the final, however, the favorites missed a lot of what she had previously awarded.
Aitana Bonmati could not look forward to her individual award understandably.
“I’m a bit shocked”said Bonmatí after the game. “Sometimes it’s all or nothing in football. And today we have nothing.”
England already showed what it takes to crack the world champions – and what Germany had been missing in the semi -finals: the Lionesses attacked early, forced mistakes and hardly allowed anything on the opposite side. There was hardly anything from the joy of play that Spain had awarded in the previous five games.
Spain does nothing out of superiority
Although the leading goal of Mariona Caldentey was played out, the superiority between the goal in the 25th minute and the half -time whistle did not make Spain. And was superior in the further course of the game, but inexplicably harmless.
“I felt that we had earned more. We had a lot of chances, but didn’t hit”According to captain Irene Paredes, who pointed out that the opponents from England had a much harder way to the final. “You suffered a lot until you were in the final.”
As in the previous games, Spain had a lot of possession – but Bonmatí and her colleagues didn’t make anything of it. Goal scorer Esther González, Scorer Queen Putellas – England hardly let them develop and fought a big fight.
“We were better today”according to Bonmatí, with which she was quite right. “But sometimes it is not just about playing better in football. “
Spain continues to wait for the first European Championship title
In the end, it almost worked out: Beth Mead was curious in the second attempt in the penalty shootout, but Spain could not use the advantage. Mariona, Bonmatí and Salma Paralluelo awarded the point that the best team of the tournament in a playful way had to watch the English women celebrate.
Spain remains unfinished in women’s football: the country has never been able to get the European championship title. Nevertheless, Bonmatí announced that he also wanted to appreciate the silver medal at a little distance. “You can’t always win,” said her conciliatory conclusion.