The Our Futbol Podcast is proud to be collaborating with FUTBO13RA® to bring readers coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games – Women’s Soccer Tournament. You can download the FUTBO13RA® Guide: Paris 2024 PDF here.
The honeymoon that the Spanish team is currently experiencing seems to have no expiration date. After winning the world title in August of 2023, the Nations League arrived and with it came two other reasons to celebrate.
After an almost perfect performance in the group stage, La Roja defeated the Netherlands 3-0 at home in the semifinals. This victory not only catapulted them to the finals (which they would also eventually win), but also gave them their ticket for the Olympic Games.
The 2024 Olympic Games will be the first of its kind for those led by Montse Tomé, who initially took the reins of the team on an interim basis as a result of the dismissal of Jorge Vilda, whose departure occurred amidst the embarrassing incident involving the former director of the Spanish federation Luis Rubiales at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final Awards Ceremony.
“We deserved to be in the (Olympic) Games, for all those who fought and couldn’t, those who lived those moments of mud,” Montse Tomé stated immediately after securing their qualification. “It is very good that now these players can enjoy it. They have done a great job and we are very satisfied.”
Tomé has a personality that is very calculated. Her days leading the Spanish team from the bench have been characterized by the patience she has shown when making decisions. We may not be looking at the most passionate technical director, but her victories support her work and this summer she will look to extend La Roja’s winning streak.
As a player, she was part of Oviedo Moderno, where she played for more than 14 years at different stages of her career. However, her best years were spent at Levante U. D., a club that saw her become champion in the 2007-08 season, and at F. C. Barcelona, which she joined in 2010.
In 2018 she obtained the UEFA Pro License to be able to become a coach and two years later she took charge of the Spain U17 team and in 2022, won the U17 World Cup championship in India.
The Spanish team’s most powerful weapon is its offense and how they use their high press strategy to force their rivals to commit reckless fouls and to easily block attempts to play from the back.
Thanks to her 4-3-3 formation, Tomé has been placing a lot of the responsibility on Aitana, Aleixandri and Hermoso to open the field when attacking and to help pinch back the team when it comes to removing danger from their goal. Because of this structure, it is very common to see any of the midfielders transitioning the ball to their fullbacks (Olga or Batlle) in very favorable positions to create dangerous chances.
Captain: Irene Paredes
“I always say favoritism is a label that goes well with the press. Yes, I can understand that people expect good results from us [in the Olympics], that they respect us perhaps more than before and want to beat us because of our latest results,” Captain Irene Paredes told FIFA.com. “It is a new championship. We start from scratch and everyone wants to win.”
Paredes has proven to be a key figure for both the national team and FC Barcelona. Although these teams have an extremely talented midfield, her presence has been essential to give solvency to the front line, making good decisions with the ball and winning individual duels when required.
The Spanish captain already knows what it is to be a champion in her country and abroad. At the domestic level, she’s won four Spanish leagues, one with Athletic Bilbao in 2016 and three with FC Barcelona in the last three years, on top of winning two back to back UEFA Champions League (Women’s Champions League) titles. At the international level, it doesn’t get bigger than being World Cup Champion at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the UEFA Nations League title earlier this year.
In addition to her great work on the field, Paredes is also aware that beyond the great moment that women’s soccer is experiencing around the world, the players also have the responsibility of opening doors and carving out a better foundation for girls, teenagers and women who are about to debut at the highest level.
La Roja is a very solid and well-equipped team. Collective pressure and solidarity make the path to success easier but even the biggest of teams can be surprised during tournaments.
Player to Watch: Aitana Bonmatí
Aitana Bonmatí has quickly become THE driving instrument within Tomé’s team. When it comes to prominent athletic archetypes, Aitana herself does not have an imposing physique but this has played immensely in her favor given her center of gravity helps her have excellent control of the ball with both legs and allows her ability to change direction be a skill worthy of envy.
She has won so many titles with F.C. Barcelona including five league titles, six Queen’s Cups, four Super Cups and she lifted the UEFA Champions League (Nations League) trophy three times with the club.
At the youth national team level, she won the U17 Championship in 2015 and another with the U19 squad in 2017. Like Paredes, Aitana was also instrumental in winning the World Cup title in 2023 and the UEFA Nations League earlier this year.
Her dribbling style and unbeatable field vision mean that Aitana is always thinking about the next play, in the purest La Masía fashion.
There is no doubt that the recent results make Spain the top favorite to win the Olympic gold medal, but labels will disappear once the tournament starts and results become the deciding factor.
This golden generation will have to take the field and confirm its title as the best team on the planet by first making their way through Japan, Nigeria and Brazil.
What time does Spain play at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Spain’s Match Schedule in Group C
Thursday July 25
Spain vs. Japan | 8:00 AM PST | 9:00 AM CDMX | 10:00 AM CST | 11:00 AM EST | Stade de la Beaujoire
Sunday July 28
Spain vs. Nigeria | 10:00 AM PST | 11:00 AM CDMX | 12:00 PM CST | 1:00 PM EST | Stade de la Beaujoire
Wednesday, July 31
Brazil vs. Spain | 8:00 AM PST | 9:00 AM CDMX | 10:00 AM CST | 11:00 AM EST | Stade de Bordeaux
This has been edited from its original version which can be found on the Futbo13ra website here.
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