No, Christian Wück didn’t seem really satisfied over the past few days. The first training sessions in the gray of November on the DFB campus in Frankfurt didn’t go to the national coach’s liking.
The Franconian repeatedly interrupted the exercises and asked the players to communicate more. And once the 52-year-old shouted across the area: “What’s the problem? What’s important is that you stay in possession of the ball!” Someone wanted to sharpen their senses before the two Nations League finals against Spain – the first leg on Friday (live on the audio stream from 8:30 p.m.) in Kaiserslautern, the second leg on Tuesday (live on Das Erste from 6:00 p.m.).
Losses of the ball against this opponent ultimately have fatal consequences. Nobody can put their opponents in a stranglehold like the Spaniards, who can circulate the ball with somnambulistic security.
“We have to assume that we won’t have much possession of the ball again this time. We want to narrow down the spaces and then use them.”says Wück.
Christian Wück speaks almost reverently
When he presented his EM analysis in late summer, deep respect for Spain’s achievements was evident in many passages. The national coach was still under the impression of the European Championship semi-final (0:1 nV), in which his team had fought bravely but still deserved to lose. Because: “The Spanish don’t think about a lot of the basics of technology: they just do it with the one-touch combination game.”
The fact that most of them have been playing together at FC Barcelona for many years makes it easier. The shared experiences at the junior tournaments also helped to automate the processes. Already at the 2023 World Cup “La Roja” the benchmark. But the final success against England (1-0) in Sydney was quickly overshadowed by the kissing affair surrounding scandal president Luis Rubiales.
The missed European title cost Montserrat Tomé his job
But that didn’t stop the ensemble from winning the first edition of the women’s Nations League against France (2-0) in Seville in February 2024, while Germany was happy to win the last Olympic ticket in the game for third place against the Netherlands (2-0).
Actually, victory at the 2025 European Championship would have been the logical triad, but the favorites somewhat underestimated England’s resilience, willingness to make sacrifices and also their luck in the game. Many players seemed heartbroken after losing the final in Basel on penalties. The culprit was quickly found: Montserrat Tomé, the coach, who seemed strangely aloof and even in a bad mood throughout the tournament. There had previously been constant reports of disagreements with the 43-year-old.
Jennifer Hermoso is back
Before she became head coach, she was a youth coach and assistant to national coach Jorge Vilda, who also had to resign in the wake of the kissing scandal. Her role was always controversial as she was one of the co-signers of a letter supporting Rubiales – her relationship with the affected striker Jennifer Hermoso was considered strained. In this respect, it is hardly surprising that her successor Sonia Bermúdez promptly appointed Hermoso again. The 35-year-old is one of nine (!) strikers in this exquisite squad.
During her introduction, Bermúdez emphasized how excited and proud she was about this task. The 41-year-old played 61 international matches (34 goals) between 2008 and 2019. She still knows the times when qualifying games against Germany, like in March 2012 in Mannheim, ended with a 5-0 defeat. She promised to continue the philosophy and understanding of the game that she embodied as a player: “an offensive, fast and technically demanding football”.
Her goal is not only to be successful at major tournaments such as the World Cup or the European Championships, but also to further increase the overall level of women’s football in Spain. “I know the responsibility that this job entails.” Expectations have risen sharply in the recent past because so much of the systematic development work has been going in the right direction.
The only thing that isn’t world class is the goalkeepers
Perhaps apart from the goalkeepers, where Cata Coll always has some fluctuations, the squad is world class in all areas. Whether in the full-backs with Ona Battle and Olga, in the center of defense with Irene Paredes or in the midfield with the clockmakers Aitana Bonamti (World Player of the Year 2023, 2024 and 2025) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and 2022). Three forward rows could also be deployed at the front, the selection is now so large. Esther Gonzalez stands out, who, together with Ann-Katrin Berger, has just won the US championship for Gotham FC.
If there is a weakness for the Spanish team, it is their efficiency in finishing. And a certain carelessness that at some point the playful superiority results in goals. When opponents defend very consistently, like not only the English in the 2025 final, but also the Germans in their success in the second European Championship group game in 2022 (2-0), unrest sometimes spreads – and the bastion crumbles. However, the Spanish opponent is not allowed to make any mistakes, which in turn explains why Christian Wück threw a tantrum on Monday.