Honestly, if you watched the Spain women's national team lift the World Cup in 2023 and thought, "Okay, they've made it," you only saw half the movie. It’s 2026. Spain is currently sitting at the top of the FIFA rankings—literally No. 1 in the world as of early this year. But the road from that chaotic night in Sydney to right now has been anything but a straight line.
They win. A lot. But they’ve also spent the last two years purging the ghosts of an old system that almost broke them. You’ve got a team that can pass any opponent off the pitch, yet they spent most of 2024 and 2025 essentially rebuilding their entire identity from the dugout up.
The 2025 Reset: From Montse Tomé to Sonia Bermúdez
The biggest shocker for most fans was the sudden coaching carousel. After Jorge Vilda was sacked in the wake of the Rubiales scandal, Montse Tomé stepped in. She did the job. She won the inaugural Nations League in 2024. She got them to the Euro 2025 final. But after a heartbreaking loss to England on penalties in that final last July, the federation decided "good" wasn't "world-beating" enough.
They didn't renew Tomé's contract.
In her place, they brought in Sonia Bermúdez. If you follow Spanish football, you know Bermúdez is royalty. She won nine league titles as a player. She coached the U-19s to a fourth consecutive European title. Basically, the RFEF stopped looking for "safe" choices and went for the person who actually knows how the new generation of Spanish talent thinks.
It was a bold move. Some called it harsh on Tomé, but the results spoke for themselves quickly. Under Bermúdez, Spain immediately turned around and won their second consecutive Nations League title in December 2025, beating Germany 3-0 in the final. It felt like the "Bermúdez effect" was real. The players looked... happy? Which, given the history of this team, is a massive victory in itself.
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You can't talk about the Spain women's national team without talking about FC Barcelona. It’s the engine room.
- Aitana Bonmatí: The woman just won her third consecutive "The Best" award. Three. In a row. She is the undisputed heart of this team.
- Alexia Putellas: At 31, everyone thought her best years were behind her after the ACL injury. They were wrong. She had seven goal involvements in Euro 2025 alone.
- Salma Paralluelo: The speed. It’s terrifying for defenders. She’s only 22, but she’s already a veteran of the big moments.
But here is the thing: Spain’s reliance on the "Barça way" makes them predictable to a very specific type of opponent. When they ran into England in the Euro final, the Lionesses didn't try to outplay them. They just suffocated them. They made it ugly.
The lesson from 2024 and 2025 was that Spain needed more "bite." That’s where players like Laia Aleixandri (Man City) and Ona Batlle have become so vital. They bring a physical edge that the pure Tiki-Taka purists sometimes lack.
What Really Happened with Jenni Hermoso?
This is the part that still gets people talking. Jenni Hermoso is the all-time leading scorer for this team. She’s a legend. But in 2025, she was conspicuously absent from major squads, including the Euro 2025 roster.
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The official line from then-coach Montse Tomé was that it was a "sporting decision."
A lot of people didn't buy it. You don't leave out a player of that caliber just for "sporting" reasons when she’s still performing at a high level. It felt like the final vestige of the "Rubiales era" fallout—a desire by the federation to move past the faces associated with the 2023 drama, even if those faces were the victims.
However, with Sonia Bermúdez now in charge for the 2026 cycle, the door isn't exactly slammed shut, but the team has clearly moved toward a younger, faster front line with Vicky López (only 19!) and Clàudia Pina taking up the mantle.
The "Invisible" Numbers That Actually Matter
If you want to know why Spain is the best, look at the possession stats. It’s mind-boggling. In their recent Nations League run, they averaged 65.84% possession.
Their passing accuracy? 88.5%.
For a women’s international side, those numbers are historically high. They don't just win; they starve you. They make you chase the ball until your lungs burn, and then they sub on a 19-year-old track star like Salma to finish you off.
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But they aren't perfect. Their defense can be... shaky. They conceded 0.67 goals per match on average in 2025. That sounds low, but against top-tier opposition like the USWNT or England, they have a tendency to switch off during set pieces. It’s their Achilles' heel.
What’s Next for La Roja?
The goal now is the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Spain is the defending champion, but they are also a team that feels they have a point to prove. Losing the Euro 2025 final hurt. Missing the podium at the 2024 Olympics (finishing 4th) hurt even more. They have all the talent in the world, but they are still learning how to be "tournament killers"—the kind of team that wins when they aren't playing well.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are following the Spain women's national team heading into the 2026-2027 cycle, keep your eyes on these three things:
- The Bermúdez-Iturregi Partnership: This joint coaching model is new for Spain. Watch if the tactical shifts become more flexible than the rigid 4-3-3 they've used for a decade.
- The Youth Integration: Vicky López is the "next big thing." If she starts starting over established veterans, it’s a sign that the transition to the next generation is complete.
- Defensive Consistency: Watch Irene Paredes. She’s 34 now. She’s still the captain and the rock, but Spain needs to find her successor fast if they want to survive the high-press attacks of the North American teams.
Spain is no longer the underdog story. They are the giants. And as any football fan knows, being the giant is much harder than being the giant-killer.