Spain, of steel and legend, champion of the Nations League

192 days ago a big bang occurred, from which a World Champion Spain was born, but also a steel team made up of women willing to claim their feat, live it and resist.. For them, for all, for all. They had waited their entire lives to have a brilliant place in football and they put on their armor to fight for much more.. They had to prove that they deserved everything, convince that it is as fair as it is necessary and, above all, win.. Demonstrate once again that they are the best footballers to add to their legend by lifting the first Nations League, breaking new ground in continental achievements, and dreaming of another feat in Paris. [Narrative and statistics: 2-0]

It wasn't easy, it wasn't difficult either.. Nobody in La Cartuja saw for a moment that the trophy could escape. Like Sweden or the Netherlands, the intractable France was a puppet in the hands of the Spanish whose plan turned out almost perfectly.

Slow burning, it was difficult for Montse Tomé's team to find the spark in the area, but they settled in to live nearby with all the comforts. They didn't leave a second for doubt. The game started with Athenea challenging Karchaoui and with Mariona, with her half-drops the genius and mischief of this team, hunting down a bad serve from goalkeeper Peyraud-Magnin. She looked for Aitana to take out the compass and give Salma Paralluelo the first opportunity of the game. If against the Netherlands the Ballon d'Or shined little, with the French in front it grew bigger. He appeared to disturb the front line and cause a headache for Hervé Renard's bench.

Spain had the match under control, testing which was the crack in the French that was going to lead to the goal but also tying them up.. France had to focus on blocking the Spanish game, forgetting to rush Le Sommer and Katoto. Tomé insisted that putting pressure on the rival was an essential and non-negotiable job and his players complied to the letter, with Laia Aleixandre reigning in the central circle and Codina and Paredes becoming a wall.

Under that control Jenni Hermoso appeared, it is true that less than expected. Her job was to feed Salma, but the Aragonese woman was well watched by De Almeida and Henry and it was difficult to overcome them.. It took Spain 20 minutes to make use of another of its virtues, personalized in Olga Carmona. The World Cup scorer, who saw how her grandmother carried the final ball to the grass, appeared to fine-tune her crosses and use her set-piece strategy. The first goal could have come from that booklet, with a corner from Salma that Irene Paredes headed just past the post.

The score was not tilted in favor of the World champions because the magic had not yet appeared. They showed the danger along the banks, but they darkened when stepping into the area. Jenni Hermoso couldn't get close enough and Aitana, always pursued, couldn't get close enough either. . So much so that they tried to drive the French Mariona and Athenea crazy by changing bands.. But the one who found the way, again, was Olga Carmona. He rode to the baseline and, without even having to raise his head, took a telegraphed cross that Aitana, appearing from the second line, only had to push into the back of the goal.

Spain had no rival and the French, desperate, gathered together looking for how to react.. The blow could have been greater if, on the edge of half-time, the header that Laia Alexandri connected had not escaped by an inch into the side of the net.

Lock on the goal

It was almost impossible for France to continue being knocked out in the second half. Hervé Renard adjusted his players and danger began to appear, although very timidly. La Cartuja saw Diani and they stepped into the area without getting anything that would worry Cata Coll. Spain, which conceded goals during qualifying, which was surprised by Italy, conspired and closed this final phase. And from there, it always grows.

He did it when, this time from the left lane, Ona Batlle appeared to break the French. His low cross to the penalty spot was sent to the back of Mariona's goal in a fair reward for his brilliance in Spain's engine room . The victory over the French team escaped Salma, who quickly looked for a one-on-one with the French goal being offside.

Tomé refreshed the team, which did not spare a single newton of strength, and tried to speed up his Renard, but the game was already languishing. For France it was impossible to avoid defeat while in Spain Salma was still searching for her goal, in another duel with the goalkeeper who served her Mariona, and looking to the future with Vicky López's second game.

Before she was present, all of them safely crossed the champions' catwalk and Irene Paredes, with the bracelet that contains a stony leadership, raised a premiere trophy to the sky of Seville. Spain is already surrendered at the feet of these women, who shattered its glass ceiling and have no rival to stop them.