Spain are loving life in the inaugural Women's Nations League
The world champions top the group having won their opening four League A Group 4 games.
Spain have made a blistering start to their first ever Women’s Nations League campaign.
Four wins from four games, 16 goals scored and just three conceded, their place in the semi-finals is all but assured with their final two games against Italy and Sweden still to come.
It seems the positive momentum generated from the World Cup win in terms of on the pitch performance has been carried into this condensed campaign and they will be one of the favourites to win the whole tournament when the semi-finals and final roll round in February.
The tournament will help to determine Olympic qualification and Euro 2025 seeding, so Spain will want to win it to have the best chance of tasting further glory in those tournaments.
Their first fixture of the campaign away to Sweden came just over a month after their historic World Cup win against England in Australia and was the most dramatic for a number of reasons.
Their first game with a star over their badge was overshadowed by the off-field controversy of the fall-out from the World Cup win which saw Luis Rubiales eventually reisgn and Jorge Vilda dismissed.
New boss Montse Tomé called up players who had decided they would not play for Spain until the required changes were made, but after many discussions, many decided to stay in camp and protested with a banner before the game with the phrase “se acabó” to highlight the need to implement further changes.
These two teams had met in a fiery and entertaining encounter in the World Cup semi-final and the repeat was an equally intriguing game at the Gamla Ullevi.
Spain were far from their best in Gothenburg and fell behind to Magdalena Eriksson’s goal on 23 minutes.
Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic gifted Spain a route back into the game as she fumbled a long-range effort from Athenea del Castillo into the net.
Spain were much improved in the second half and went ahead through Substitute Eva Navarro. They would be ahead for just five minutes however, with Lina Hurtig firing home an equaliser.
There was still time for late drama, with Amanda Ilestedt sent off for fouling Amaiur Sarriegi in injury time. Mariona Caldentey converted from the spot to give Spain a hard-fought win.
Next up was a return to Spain for their first game on home soil since the World Cup win, and the 14,194 fans at the Nuevo Arcangel stadium in Cordoba were treated to a stellar display.
Spain outclassed Switzerland, with Lucia Garica giving them the lead early in the first half, before a brace from Aitana Bonmati either side of the break gave them a commanding lead.
Substitutes Inma Gabarro and Maite Oroz extended their advantage with two further strikes on a night when a new attendance record was set for women’s national team.
Last month they edged Italy 1-0 at the Stadio Arechi to make it three wins from three.
It was all about Jenni Hermoso that evening in Salerno, as she came off the bench to net an 89th minute winner in her first game for Spain since the World Cup final and the ensuing scandal with Rubiales.
They followed that up with their finest performance of the campaign, a 7-1 thrashing of Switzerland in Zurich.
Oihane Hernandez gave Spain the lead after four minutes, which Alexia Putellas doubled seven minutes later.
Spain were ruthless in the second half scoring a further five goals. Maria Mendez netted soon after the restart, with Putellas, who was back to her best for her country in this game, netting her second and Spain’s fourth from the penalty spot.
Alayah Pilgrim scored a consolation for the hosts before Athenea del Castillo bagged a brace with Maite Oroz completing the route.
Spain will now aim to end an incredible year on a high with two wins in their final group games, both coming at home, to assure top spot in the group.