All in for the win

Spain and Switzerland face each other for the first time in the final stage of a European Championships and they do so tonight in Bern, with a place in the semi-finals at stake. The Spanish national team aim to keep their dreams of lifting the only title still missing from their collection and come into these quarter-finals after achieving a clean sweep of victories in the group stage, having scored 14 goals against Portugal, Belgium and Italy, and with the tournament’s top scorers in their ranks in Esther González and Alexia Putellas.

Up against them, Switzerland. The host nation qualified in dramatic and historical fashion for this round by snatching a draw against Finland in stoppage time. The Swiss thus became the fifth consecutive country that, as tournament hosts, have reached the knockout rounds of a Euros. The previous two host nations, the Netherlands in 2017, and England in 2022, went on to win the tournament at home. That’s why this is such a major challenge, but: “this team is destined to make history”, said Montse Tomé in the pre-match press conference.

The battle for a place in the semi-finals heads to the great sporting stage that is the Wankdorf Stadium, the two teams who have faced each other thirteen times before in friendlies and qualifiers, but never in a final stage of a European Championships. Of those meetings, 8 went Spain’s way, two ended in draws, and three were won by the Swiss. In the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the national team beat Switzerland 5-1 before going on to earn the star above the Spain badge on their shirts.

That is not the most recent meeting, as they crossed paths again since 2023 in the qualifiers for the 2024 UEFA Women’s Nations League, which Spain ended up winning in Seville. The results were 5-0 and 7-1. Facing Switzerland in a tournament qualifying round has, so far, always resulted in a happy ending for the Spanish national team. True, this time it will be a different setting, with the whole country behind the opposition during their home Euros, but in the words of Aitana Bonmatí: “we have experience playing in these types of matches and in these atmospheres with the crowd against us. It’s in these big games that teams grow.”

The team led by Montse Tomé came through the group phase of the competition brilliantly and will now look to reach the semi-finals for the second time in their history, after making it that far in their debut in 1997. Now, in their fifth Euros appearance, the national team have their sights set on the next round after a run of eleven wins in their last twelve international matches. Tonight, Spain can continue making history, keeping our European dream alive.