If it was anyone else in the world, you might wonder whether she really meant it. If it was anyone else in the world, though, Spain probably wouldn’t have even been in that position to score. As it is, the world champions are in their first ever women’s European Championship final, thanks to the genius of Aitana Bonmati.
It wasn’t just about the ingenuity, but the intelligence. Aitana later said that Spain had been studying Ann-Katrin Berger’s movements and how the goalkeeper stepped away from her near post. The playmaker put it exactly where she needed for a 1-0 win over resolute Germany, exactly when it was needed – minutes from the end of extra-time.
So, England face up to a repeat of the 2023 final, from a moment that no other player could possibly hope to repeat. Or maybe even imagine. Even before Aitana drilled the ball inside Berger’s near post, there was the mercurial quality of the turn.
You could actually say Germany had due warning, even if it’s almost impossible to predict what a player as good as this will do. Aitana had nevertheless foreshadowed it with the assist for the crucial goal against Switzerland in the quarter-final. She had let the ball roll through her legs to flick it in for Athenea del Castillo. Here, Aitana turned and went on and helped herself.
England are going to have to watch for that, except you never know when it’s coming. That’s the joy of a player like this.
Just look at Berger, and the symbolism of beating the best goalkeeper of the tournament so far. The German had stopped everything up to then, a series of shots on target. For this match-winner, she couldn’t even see it coming.
Berger even pointed to her right, just before Aitana shot to her left.
Maybe the biggest giveaway before Aitana’s own words was that she never even looked for a runner. She knew what to do. She also did it when it mattered most.
How Spain needed it.
Berger’s commanding performance had played into a growing Spanish frustration, where a visible angst was undercutting their play. They weren’t pressing with the same intensity or anywhere near as high up the pitch. They weren’t even passing the ball with the same vigour.
Fortified by Berger, the Germans looked so assured in defence. All of Carlota Wamser, Janina Minge and Rebecca Knaak stood up so well, among others.
It looked and felt like a slow descent to penalties, which might literally have played into Berger’s hands.
Only deepening the potential psychological angst of that, there was the fact that Spain had never beaten Germany. Ever.
You could sense that being a factor as the game wore on, not to mention Spain’s comparatively poor knockout record. It remains a remarkable thing to say about world champions, but this was only their sixth ever victory outside a group stage.
They began to make some strange decisions in those stretched final stages of the 90, and then extra-time. That extended to the substitutions, and particularly the removal of Claudia Pina, or the choice of Salma Paralluelo over Vicky Lopez.
Except, in some ways, such debatable flaws only further emphasise Spain’s strength. Even if they haven’t got the right mix, or the formation doesn’t quite work, they just have so many different players that can hurt you.
And at the centre of it is always Aitana, able to produce something like that.
It’s going to be an immense challenge for England, but Sarina Wiegman can perhaps point to some elements of encouragement from the game.
Germany gave the best blueprint yet (an admittedly common theme) for how to face Spain. They stopped them like no one else. They almost won it at the end of the 90, too, forcing Cata Coll into a double save that was arguably the equal of anything Berger offered.
It looked like Klara Buhl’s deflected shot was going to drop into the net like a falling leaf, only for the goalkeeper to claw it away before showing incredible reflexes and strength to immediately get up and block Carlotta Wamser’s effort.
That was a moment every bit as important as Aitana’s goal, even if it will naturally be overtaken in the collective memories of this semi-final.
There was a lot to take in, which is another element. Spain had to go the distance, and to the very end of extra-time, and that with one day less to prepare than England.
Except, in all of that, and a performance that was understandably their least convincing of the tournament so far, they still created a series of chances. They still showed a resolve to match England’s. They still showed their genius, as well as the special quality of their star player.
No matter anyone’s opinion on whether the goal was meant, there’s no disputing its meaning.
The world champions are in their first ever European Championship final, for a grand showdown with England.
A moment like that only makes it even more of a match to savour.
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