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Women’s National Team

Montse Tomé: "This team has the ability to go all the way"

After revealing the list of the 23 players selected for the European Championships in Switzerland, the coach spoke to the media in the Luis Aragonés Hall
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Tue, 10/06/2025 - 20:23

From the Ciudad del Fútbol and after announcing the names of the 23 internationals to play in the EUROS in Switzerland from 2 to 27 July, Montse Tomé took questions from the media present, beginning by congratulating the players included in the squad: "Congratulations to the 23 footballers we are taking to the European Championships. They have done an incredible job. It’s not easy to choose. There are eight people who have helped me with this task. It was difficult, but I am happy with our choices, despite remembering those who have been with us this year, who cannot be here now but could easily be. Thanks for their effort in helping us become better. Also to the players who have been injured, like Inma, Tere or Laia. We send them encouragement, strength, and ask them to keep working."

Montse and her coaching staff drew up the list with the support of all the clubs, whose collaboration she praised: "A word for the clubs, for the great work they’ve done to help us with information on the players. We’ve built a great working relationship to gather all the information we need, and we’ve felt a collective desire to win. That’s why I want to thank the clubs that have helped us."

"The team has the ability to go all the way, I feel it, the team feels it, the players feel it. The goal is to go all the way, we compete to win." With this energy, the coach expressed herself while speaking about the mix of experience and youth in her team, something Montse has great confidence in: "I see the group as one with many options, with players like Alexia with many caps. We have both things, experience with players who have won big tournaments and also with their clubs internationally, and the younger ones, who we enjoy working with. I have no doubts, none at all. We have a very capable group."

The standards are incredibly high in women’s football nowadays, which is why it is so difficult to make each squad selection, Montse stated: "We haven’t just been working this year, it’s been a year and eight months since we took charge of the team and we’ve been working with the idea of building a team, and that takes time. We’ve assessed them based on their talent and on what the team needs to compete. Every squad announcement has been tough. It’s hard to talk to a player and tell her she is not being called up, like Sheila, who’s been with us a lot. If it were 24, she would have a place, which is why it’s so difficult, and we thank them all for their efforts in being part of this journey, and if they come back in the future, they will contribute."

The team is in a good place and united, reflected Montse, ahead of the big dream of the EUROS in Switzerland: "We have a great team, they trust each other on and off the pitch. That’s what a team is – where players from different clubs coexist, which isn’t easy. Each camp is just ten days and everything moves very fast. They bring ambition, talent, desire and effort. Our job as leaders of the group is to create cohesion, to make them feel we are in this together and that we will give everything for the next challenge, which is super exciting and important. I feel we’re in a good moment as a group."

One of the players who is also in good form is Claudia Pina, for whom Montse had these words of praise: "I see everything I need in Claudia, she’s in very good form, she’s had a spectacular year with many goals. What’s great about the England match was that she was given a different role and she interpreted it perfectly, her attitude was incredible and that’s the example we want from everyone." She also highlighted one of the captains, Alexia: "Alexia is pure and raw competition, she’s hungry… She's a leader in the group because she transmits all of that feeling. She competes to win. She hasn’t had an easy time but she knows what she wants. She’s had a very good year. We want to take care of her and learn from her. She gives us so much to the group."

In the forward line, Montse will also count on Cristina Martín-Prieto: "There’s been a lot of competition. She is a goal machine, she has always come away with us with a great attitude. We’ve followed her a lot in the Portuguese league. She plays a very specific role but we feel she’s earned the right to come, she’s fought a lot, and now she’s getting the reward after playing for many clubs. It’s not that we’ve just noticed her now, it’s just now that we believe she can help us."

And those weren’t the only forwards the coach spoke about; she also commented on Esther González: "I’d describe Esther as a box player, she moves very well in the area. She’s given us a lot since she came back. We like her because she works very hard defensively. This is another area where football has evolved. We need all eleven players to be connected, to score goals but also to press. It’s part of the collective effort and Esther gives us that."

Montse’s final message was clear: "We’re aiming to go all the way. Our minds are focused on what Spain can do. Teams are preparing more and more to stop us. We don’t compete with fear – we have no fear – we compete with desire."

 

Watch Montse Tomé’s press conference again

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