Football General Manager
- Walsh offers insight into Spain‘s strengths
- England target back-to-back European titles
- Patience and control vital against possession-dominant side
England are preparing for a tough Euro 2025 final showdown against reigning world champions Spain. The Lionesses’ opponents boast a world-class midfield led by Ballon d’Or winners Bonmati and Putellas. Walsh, who spent two-and-a-half seasons at Barcelona, knows several Spanish stars personally and has shared an inside scoop on how Sarina Wiegman’s side can get their revenge for the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
Speaking to The Times Walsh said: “I’ve been asked several times in the last few years about them. They are incredible footballers.
“The Spanish are one of the best possession teams in the world. Aitana’s an incredible player, but if you try to nullify her, Patri’s been one of the best players at this tournament. So you can focus on Aitana, then you’ve got Patri, Alexia and Mariona [Caldentey].”
Speaking about Bonmati’s goal against Germany, Walsh added: “The way she let the ball go through, most players in that position wouldn’t even think about shooting and automatically cross. But I’ve played with Aitana a lot and know that she’s always thinking about things that other players don’t. She will have looked where the ‘keeper was and tried to place it. It was a fantastic goal.”
When questioned about how England can win the Euro 2025 final against La Roja, Walsh claimed that ‘patience’ and grit will be pivotal, with Spain expected to hold possession through the major parts of the game.
Walsh said: “It’s about being patient when we don’t have the ball, not panicking and not getting frustrated. We just have to be comfortable defending.
“The English mentality has been going through all our games, and that’s not going to change in the final. If anything, we’re going to be more proud to be representing our country. One thing I would take from the previous games against Spain is that we’ve not been as confident as we could be on the ball. That’s also one of our strengths. We’ve got unbelievable players on the ball. We need to take more pride in that and keep the ball for longer periods.”
England will aim to retain their European crown when they face Spain in Basel on Sunday, July 27. Walsh is expected to anchor the midfield and guide her side with the knowledge gained during her time training with most of the Spanish midfield.
