There is an inevitability about Spain. Whether it’s the confidence of scoring 14 goals in the group stage, the adversity this squad has overcome in the last three years or having two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati and superstar Alexia Putellas running the show, their victory against Germany in the Euro 2025 semifinal on Wednesday felt unavoidable.
The worst part for Germany is that their 1-0 Euro semifinal loss in extra time very easily could have ended in victory.
Chances a plenty for Germany
Despite the injuries, suspensions and tired legs, Christian Wück’s team pushed Spain hard. Aided by the outstanding Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany’s defense stood tall in the face of Spanish possession. After the half-hour mark, Germany had 39 passes to Spain’s 219. But Klara Bühl and Giovanna Hoffmann had the best chances to score. Spain had their moments, too, but Germany’s game plan was working.
The problem with game plans is that they only work if you eventually deliver, but the longer the game went on, the more chances Germany missed, and the larger a Spanish victory loomed.
When Bühl curled a free kick narrowly wide with five minutes left, the feeling it just wasn’t going to be Germany’s night became nearly impossible to shake. When Carlotta Wamser couldn’t find a way past Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll in stoppage time at the end of the 90 minutes, Germany’s misfortune looked all but sealed.
“One small mistake, one small moment where we didn’t pay attention, it hurts,” goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who said it was her fault the goal had gone in, told ARD afterwards.
And that’s all it took. With both sides tiring and penalties on the cards, a poor clearance from Sydney Lohmann opened the door for Spain. A quick pass found Bonmati, who, spotting the near post open, squeezed the ball past Berger, who had been expecting a cross.
“It’s so bitter to lose the game so near the end as a result of a stroke of genius,” Christian Wück said afterwards.
Genius is the word. Afterwards, Bonmati admitted to having studied Berger’s tendency to move away from the near post. The attention to detail is one thing, but drawing on it in the 113th minute of a Euro semifinal is quite another. When you consider that she joined the Spain squad later than planned because she was in a hospital bed three weeks ago battling viral meningitis, her performance is even more remarkable.
On a night when Germany worked tirelessly to shut her down, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner had the final word. Bonmati scores, Spain win and will face England in a rematch of the 2023 World Cup Final.
Heartbreaking end for Germany
Christian Wück had said his side would have to suffer a lot. Germany’s men’s captain, Joshua Kimmich, sent his support ahead of the semifinal, saying: “Even if Spain have played a good tournament, they haven’t played you yet.” And Germany’s sporting director, Nia Künzer, said the team had already proven it could compensate for red cards and injuries. But for all the resiliency this team has shown, and all it did suffer, the one thing the players couldn’t compensate for was Bonmati.
For Germany, there is no disgrace in losing to Spain in the semifinals of a tournament that has done nothing but boost the status of the women’s game. Germany’s win over France will be remembered as one of the great nights in their history, and the support this team has gathered over recent weeks is quite remarkable.
Indeed, head coach Christian Wück even talked about this being the beginning of a journey for a young Germany team. He called for an improvement in youth football, getting more players active in the Bundesliga and for this team learning more on how to handle spells of possession in these big games. It was a short, impassioned speech about where the game in Germany can go after this tournament. It was full of solid reasoning and hope about the future, in particular Germany’s chances of challenging for the World Cup title in Brazil in two years. But in the immediate aftermath of a game like this, it was a little drowned out by the disappointment of how close Germany had come and yet how far away from genius they are.
Edited by Sean Sinico
