Spain captain sends ominous warning to Lionesses ahead of Euro 2025 final
Spain captain Irene Paredes isn't feeling the pressure ahead of Sunday's Euro 2025 final against England. Instead, the centre-back sees the game as an opportunity for her and her team-mates to write a new chapter by following their 2023 World Cup win with another major title.
"We have a team that [has] played important games and tournaments,' Paredes said. 'We know how to manage that and those emotions that sometimes arise.
'We are a team who don't see this game as a pressure but as an opportunity to continue writing history, do something big and to show ourselves and let people enjoy.'
Spain beat England in that 2023 World Cup final, while the two teams exchanged victories in the Nations League earlier this year. Montse Tome has been in the dugout for those last two matches, and Spain's manager shares skipper Paredes' feelings about the opportunity this team has in Basel.
"I don't think about pressure,' Tome said. 'I think during the whole tournament we have been writing history - getting to the semis and the final for the first time [at the Euros], beating Germany for the first time.
'We have been accomplishing objectives and that's the reason we're here. Our first objective was to play six games and that's the case.
'England are defending the title, they are the current champions, we will compete and we will enjoy the game. Of course we want to win."
England have made use of their full squad during their run to the final, with super-subs Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang digging them out of trouble on more than one occasion. Spain have strength in depth as well, though, with the likes of Salma Paralluelo and Athenea del Castillo ready to make a difference when called upon - including in the semi-final against Germany, when Del Castillo got the assist for Aitana Bonmati's extra-time winner.
"It's a final. We know it's a complicated game against a big national team and the current champion,' Tome added. 'We played twice against them this year, we know it will be hard.
'For the team, I have 23 players. If we feel we have to change something we can use all 23 players. This is something we have been doing since the beginning. They are all ready. 'If we need them, they are available."
England might have needed penalties in their quarter-final against Sweden and extra-time against Italy in the semis, but Paredes believes Sarina Wiegman 's team are in the final on merit. "England are one of the best national teams in the world. They deserve to be in the final,' she said.
"We played against them several times. They made us suffer, we did the same so it will be a balanced game. All the respect for them."
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