With a strong 5–0 win against Portugal and a 6–2 win over Belgium, Spain’s women’s national team is showing just how powerful they are in this year’s UEFA Women’s Euro.
So, what makes them so strong?
We looked at the data — and the numbers tell the full story.
Match 1: vs Portugal (5–0 Win)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| xG Total | 4.20 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Shots | 22 |
| Pass Accuracy | 88% |
| Shots Blocked | 3 |
Spain completely controlled the game with smart passing and dangerous attacks.
Key Points:
- Many High-Quality Chances: Spain created lots of good opportunities to score.
- Great Finishing: They scored almost as many goals as expected (xG), showing strong shot accuracy.
- Few Defensive Stops: Portugal blocked only 3 shots, so Spain had many clean chances.
Match 2: vs Belgium (6–2 Win)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| xG Total | 2.99 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Shots | 33 |
| PSxG Accuracy | 2.22x |
| GK Goals Prevented | -1.81 |
Against Belgium, Spain took more shots, even though each shot had a lower chance to score.
Key Points:
- Many Shots, Lower Quality: The team took 33 shots, but the xG was only 2.99.
- Sharp Finishing: Spain scored more than expected, showing great focus and accuracy.
- Belgium’s Mistakes: The goalkeeper had a goals prevented score of -1.81, meaning she let in goals that should have been saved. (PSxG(Post-Shot Expected Goals):2.85) (PSxG Accuracy: Goals / PSxG = 6 / 2.85 ≈ 2.11)
🔸This means Spain’s players scored more than 2 times the number of goals expected based on the quality and placement of their shots — a clear sign of clinical finishing and composure under pressure.
Key Player: Alexia Putellas
One of the biggest reasons for Spain’s success is Alexia Putellas, who controls the midfield and connects defense and attack.
Performance Comparison:
| Metric | vs Portugal | vs Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Pass Completion (%) | 86.4 | 87.8 |
| Key Passes | 6 | 6 |
| Assists | 0 | 2 |
| Take-on Success (%) | 100 | 90 |
| Touches | 76 | 104 |
| Cumulative Progressive Distance (m) | 149 | 238 |
What Makes Her Special:
- Excellent Passing: She completed nearly 88% of her passes, including long and short passes.
- Creates Chances: 6 key passes in both matches, plus 2 assists vs Belgium.
- Carries the Ball Forward: She moved the ball up the field a lot — 238 meters vs Belgium!
- Strong Ball Control: 100% dribble success vs Portugal, 90% vs Belgium.
- Plays Full Games: She played the full 90 minutes in both matches, keeping control throughout.
Alexia Putellas had an even bigger impact against Belgium, helping the team attack more while staying solid in midfield.
Conclusion
Spain’s women’s team plays with smart strategy and strong teamwork. Against Portugal, they focused on high-quality chances. Against Belgium, they kept the pressure with many shots.
At the center of it all is Alexia Putellas — a player who passes well, defends strongly, and helps move the game forward.
She is a big reason Spain is a top favorite to win Euro 2025.
About Me
Hi, I’m Marina Kim (Eunji), a sports data content creator learning and sharing football stories through data.
- Tools: Python, pandas, matplotlib
- Data Source: fbref.com
- Github: https://github.com/k-eunji/spain_strong
I’m open to new opportunities in sports data and content creation. Let’s connect if you’re interested!
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