Spain’s flair vs Germany’s steel: Nations League final confirmed

Sports · Wainaina Mark · October 29, 2025
Spain’s flair vs Germany’s steel: Nations League final confirmed
Alexia Putellas was on the scoresheet to help send Spain to the UEFA Nations League final. PHOTO/Getty
In Summary

La Roja swept past Sweden 5-0 on aggregate, the tie effectively settled by a dazzling first-leg performance in Málaga where Alexia Putellas and Clàudia Pina each netted braces.

A blockbuster final is lined up as Spain and Germany prepare to battle for the UEFA Women’s Nations League crown, setting the stage for a clash between reigning world champions and a German side that ground out a gritty, old-school win to reach the showpiece.

Spain wrapped up with style under new coach

Sonia Bermúdez’s opening act as Spain coach was emphatic.

La Roja swept past Sweden 5-0 on aggregate, the tie effectively settled by a dazzling first-leg performance in Málaga where Alexia Putellas and Clàudia Pina each netted braces.

A quieter 1-0 in Gothenburg, Putellas’s 40th goal for her country, completed a comfortable passage to the final and handed Bermúdez immediate momentum.

Off the pitch, the weekend brought emotional returns.

The recalls of Mapi León and Jenni Hermoso signalled not just selection headlines but a healing of ruptures that had haunted the national setup.

Bermúdez’s voice and her player-first communication have already resonated with the squad, and the early returns suggest Spain are both tactically sharp and emotionally steadied.

Youth and experience in balance for La Roja

Spain’s squad is a layered cast of world-class veterans and eager teenagers.

The established stars,  Putellas, León, Hermoso, Paredes, still carry clout, but Bernúdez has begun to thread youth into the fabric, handing minutes to players such as 17-year-old Clara Serrajordi and 19-year-olds Vicky López and Lucía Corrales.

With the second leg at Atlético Madrid’s Metropolitano, Spain will not only chase silverware but the chance to lift it in front of a potentially record home crowd.

Germany’s textbook pragmatism propelled them through

Germany’s path could not have been more different. After a slender 1-0 first-leg win in Düsseldorf, they endured a nervy 2-2 draw in Caen but did just enough to eliminate a talented French side.

The Frauenteam once again demonstrated the trademark efficiency that has made them a European constant: clinical finishing, robust defending, and an ability to thrive in tight, tactical scraps.

France enjoyed the bulk of possession and chances, but Germany’s ruthlessness turned opportunity into outcome. Nicole Anyomi and Klara Bühl delivered the decisive moments, and the result reinforced a recurring pattern,  Germany find a way to frustrate and overcome Les Bleues in big fixtures

Styles set up an irresistible final

This final promises contrast and drama. Spain bring fluid, high-possession creativity, world-class midfield orchestration, and the confidence of global champions. Germany counter with structured discipline, clinical transition play, and the mental edge of repeatedly prevailing in knockout tussles.

Tactically it’s a chess match; theatrically it’s a blockbuster — Spain’s artistry versus Germany’s machine-like efficiency

What’s at stake

Beyond the trophy, bragging rights and momentum heading into a crowded international cycle hang in the balance. Spain can consolidate their status at the summit of the women’s game and further embed Bermúdez’s new era.

Germany can bolster the psychological ascendancy they seem to hold over top rivals and remind Europe that their hunger for silverware is undimmed.

The two-legged final will test squads, tactics and temperament, and it should provide everything fans crave: high skill, tactical battles, and moments of raw drama.

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