After the tension, the smile. After the vindication, the joy. With the fist raised before the match as a gesture of struggle and a lot of hugs after the match. The players from Spain and Sweden came together to take pictures of themselves folded in a planned vindictive act in the prolegomena of the game in Gothenburg. The twenty-two displayed a banner that read “It’s over.” And below, in English: “Our fight is the global fight” (Our fight is the global fight). Likewise, the Spanish women wore a kind of bracelet with the slogan “It’s over”.
Then what began was the good football of Spain, crowned with victory. At the end of the game, on the grass, the coach, Montse Tomé, could not hide her satisfaction despite the face that revealed the suffering not only of the ninety minutes. “The players have managed to find each other on the field, which is where they feel best. They have dignified the profession they enjoy so much. I felt happy for them”.
When asked about his mood, he commented: “It was my debut in a difficult week, but I had confidence in my work. I thought I could focus our energy on football. The first days of concentration did not allow us to be focused on football, but I did not feel pressure but a desire to show what we have worked on. It is a great triumph and they deserve the best”, he added.
Already at the press conference, Tomé praised Alexia Putellas: “I have seen a different Alexia. An Alexia that she enjoyed and I am very happy for her. She is one of the players who have been the most active these weeks and she seems like a professional to me”, he assured. The first to go through the microphones was Athenea del Castillo, the author of the 0-1. The Cantabrian forward of Real Madrid wanted to value the victory above all: “The team has emptied itself and we gave our best. It’s one of those victories you like, the ones to win at the last minute. We are happy because we are finally playing again, which was what we all wanted. Now to continue in this line and to think about the next match”.
The striker also commented “that we have all experienced difficult and sleepless days. The situation was very complicated. Some did not want to come and others did [this was their case], but we have shown that we are a real team and that we want to represent our country in the best way possible, which gives you an extra desire. We were very tired, but this is about fighting”.
