World Cup: Spain's centurions realize long held dreams

Spain's three most senior players, Alexia Putellas, Jennifer Hermoso and Irene Paredes may have worried that their chance of winning the World Cup would pass them by.

The trio, the only female players to have won more than 100 caps for La Roja, endured challenging build-ups to the tournament with their participation in the competition in Australia and New Zealand touch-and-go up right until the final moment.

Putellas' return from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she suffered in July 2022, was understandably far from smooth, as she struggled to regain the form that won her back-to-back Ballon d'Ors.

Meanwhile, defender Paredes, though not one of the 15 players to write an email to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) calling for the conditions under head coach Jorge Vilda to improve, voiced her support for the players actions on social media and relinquished her international captaincy role in the process.

And, with Hermoso having left Barcelona after falling out of love with football there were doubts from the player that it would be a feeling that would ever return, let alone allow her to be in the mental space to play the sport at the highest level on the global stage.

Despite all the hurdles the three players had to overcome, they sit on top of the world with World Cup winners medals — a thought that seemed impossible just a few months ago.

"We tried for so many days to imagine what it is like to be world champions but we couldn't," Hermoso said after the final whistle. "It is difficult to describe. it is a huge joy. I am so proud of this team. We showed that can fight as well and suffer."

Putellas' struggles cannot take shine off victory

As a woman of few words who trapses through mixed zones offering nothing more than a brief smile to journalists, Putellas far preferred to have her efforts on the pitch do her talking.

Although many felt the team's chances leading into the World Cup hinged on their taliswoman's return and skill, with fans believed Putellas' return to the team was far more important than the rest of the 15 players who were out in the cold.

"Alexia and I have played together for so long," Hermoso told DW about her former Barcelona teammate. "To be living in this moment with one another, it is so special."

The 29-year-old proved to only make a minimal impact and spending so little time on the field during the World Cup was a difficult pill to swallow for a player that is obsessively strict with her own exceptionally high standards.

Putellas made no effort to hide her frustrations during the tournament from the sidelines, throwing a water bottle centimeters away from the bench, after being substituted in the 46th minutes against Zambia.

Prior to her injury, the dynamic midfielder played like the ball was glued to her boots, but the technically gifted individual, having had to re-learn how to walk, run and control the ball, spent most of the tournament struggling to keep up with the pace of the game and unable to provide the pinpoint accuracy so accustomed to her, to release Hermoso or Paralluelo.

But, the leader within her saw her constantly corral and encourage her team, something all the players craved, according to Hermoso.

"We know how special Alexia is, how special she is for the team and how special this win is for her," she explained.

Hermoso's journey back to falling in love with football

For Hermoso, playing at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand seemed impossible just 12 months ago.

Despite, being Barcelona's all-time leading goalscorer, having netted 181 times in 224 appearances, she found herself searching for a way out from the team she has supported since childhood.

At the end of the 2021-22 season, following a tumultuous season off the pitch with the Barcelona fans directing much vitriol towards her, the forward moved to Mexican club Pachuca on a free transfer.

"The road to this point was really hard," Hermoso told DW through tears. "I had to go to Mexico just feel like a player again. To bring back my love and passion for football."
"So many people in Spain were talking and still talk about me, who I am, how I play. I've demonstrated to those people that even though I am 33 years old, I am still capable of being a good player."

Head coach Vilda kept his faith in Hermoso to be adaptable between leading the line for La Roja and dropping into midfield to accommodate teenager Salma Paralluelo, who was name Young Player of the Tournament.

"Jenni had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders," Vilda said. "I have known Jenni for more than 15 years, she came here as the best version of her, she has given everything she can at 33 years of age, and I am so proud of her."

Vilda's decision paid off as Hermoso, who is also Spain's all-time leading goalscorer with 51 goals, scored three times during the tournament and set-up Paralluelo's winning goal against 2019 finalists Holland in their tightly-fought 2-1 extra time win.

"Life is composed of moments," Hermoso reflected. "There was a moment where I had to leave the best team in the whole world. This moment now, it is the one I have been waiting for, for so long."
At 32, Paredes also knew to lift a trophy with Spain time was not in her favor, and she faced a difficult decision when the RFEF came out in support of Vilda as opposed to the players who had expressed concerns.

Despite the Barcelona captain not being one those to send an email, her inclusion in the side was unclear, having made herself unavailable for selection until April 2023.

For Vilda, the experienced center-back's reintroduction into the team was one that required little thought.

When asked about Paredes return after Spain's friendly against China in April, he told DW: "She is a great player and has been for a long time, of course I am very happy to have her with us. We do not think about the past."

Paredes was the only outfield player to play every minute of the World Cup, and it was her calm head, decisiveness in the air and robustness against striker's that helped her marshal Spain's back line.

"It is a dream," Paredes told DW. "It’s been very hard but we knew it was possible. These moments are historic for Spanish football. It's difficult to put it into words but it means everything."