Alexia Putellas is approaching the upcoming Women’s European Championship with renewed determination—and a sense of unfinished business.
Three years ago, Spain’s star midfielder was forced to watch Euro 2022 from the sidelines after tearing a knee ligament on the eve of the tournament in England. It was a brutal blow for both Putellas and her team, which fell to England in the quarterfinals.
But as Spain prepares for Euro 2025 in Switzerland, Putellas says she feels stronger than ever, both physically and mentally.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s a competition that I had in my sights after the injury I suffered just before the start of the last Euro,” she said. “I’ve been preparing for this moment for a long time and I want to enjoy it.”
Returning Stronger Than Ever
A two-time world player of the year, Putellas was in the best form of her career when she suffered her left-knee injury during a training session just days before Spain’s Euro 2022 opener. The setback kept her out of action for nearly a year.
Since returning, however, she has worked to evolve her game, even as other Spanish stars have risen to prominence—most notably Aitana Bonmatí, herself a two-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“Without a doubt I’m a better Alexia,” Putellas said. “I know myself a lot better, I know my qualities, I know what I have been working on. In the end, all the suffering makes you evolve as a person and as an athlete. I’ve learned to manage the bad moments a lot better, as well as the good moments.”
Focused on Team Success
Putellas, 31, is once again a contender for the world player of the year award after a stellar season that saw her help Barcelona win the domestic treble and reach another Champions League final.
Still, she insists that individual accolades are secondary to her main goal.
“The individual award is not something too important for me,” she explained. “But it would show that you’ve done something good and, from where I’m coming from—from the lowest of the lowest after the injury—it would give some value to the effort that was put into the recovery. We’ll see, but the most important thing is to win the Euro.”
Challenges and Expectations for Spain
Spain enters the tournament with high expectations but also some uncertainty. Bonmatí, the team’s other superstar, was hospitalized with viral meningitis just days before Spain traveled to Switzerland. She was released on Sunday to rejoin the squad, but it remains unclear how much she will be able to contribute.
Spain’s Euro 2025 campaign kicks off Thursday against Portugal. The team will also face Belgium and Italy in Group B. Spain’s best result at the Women’s European Championship came in 1997, when it reached the semifinals.
But the team has grown into one of the world’s elite in recent years. Spain won its first Women’s World Cup in 2023, followed by victory in the inaugural Women’s Nations League in 2024. At the Paris Olympics, Spain narrowly missed out on a medal, losing to Brazil in the semifinals and to Germany in the bronze-medal match.
Aiming for History in Switzerland
Putellas knows lifting the Euro trophy won’t be easy, but she believes Spain has what it takes.
“It’s never easy to win a Euro,” she said. “We need to have maximum respect toward the other nations. There are great teams participating. But we have a lot of faith in our team, and if we give our best we will be that much closer to winning.”
For Putellas, the upcoming tournament is more than just a chance at a title. It’s an opportunity to complete her comeback story—and to lead Spain to its first European Championship triumph.