Pre-tournament favourites Spain sent a loud message to the rest of Europe with a ruthless 6-2 dismantling of Belgium to seal their passage into the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 quarter-finals. But this wasn’t just a procession. For a brief period in Leuven, Belgium gave the world champions something to think about.
La Roja, who had steamrolled Portugal 5-0 in their opener, looked ready to repeat that feat when Vicky López nearly struck inside the first three minutes. Instead, it took a moment of genius from Alexia Putellas to break the deadlock. The Spanish captain used the outside of her boot to bend a shot into the far corner—a finish of class and precision that set the tone.
But Belgium refused to roll over. Less than two minutes later, Justine Vanhaevermaet met Tessa Wullaert’s corner with a towering header to level the match. For a moment, Spain looked rattled. Esther González and Irene Paredes both spurned chances, with the latter volleying wide from a difficult angle. But Paredes would soon make amends in emphatic fashion, crashing home a bullet header from a corner to restore Spain’s lead.
Belgium clung on until half-time thanks to a heroic goal-line clearance from Jill Janssens, and they punished Spain’s profligacy when Hannah Eurlings equalised early in the second half. Originally flagged offside, the goal was awarded after VAR revealed Eurlings had timed her run perfectly before slotting past Misa Rodríguez.
That would be as good as it got for Belgium. Spain’s response was immediate and ruthless. Putellas slipped in González, who beat the offside trap and calmly finished to make it 3-2. The Belgian defence, already under siege, began to unravel. Mariona Caldentey was quickest to react to a scramble in the box, slotting home a fourth, before Salma Paralluelo rattled the crossbar.
Claudia Pina added more shine to the scoreline with arguably the goal of the night—shifting the ball onto her right foot before curling a sublime effort into the top corner from distance. But the final word belonged to Putellas. Her second of the night came via a delicate flick after a slick move, a moment that epitomised her vision and technique.
Spain’s six goals not only equal their all-time scoring record for a single Women’s EURO tournament—they also underline their attacking depth. From Putellas’ leadership to the contributions of Caldentey, González, and Pina, Montse Tomé’s side look every bit the tournament heavyweight they were tipped to be.
Belgium, meanwhile, are left hoping for a favour from Portugal in the late kick-off against Italy. Without it, their EURO 2025 journey will come to a painful halt.
Alexia Putellas deservedly earned Flashscore Player of the Match, but this was a collective statement from a side whose ambitions stretch far beyond the last eight.
