In the midst of the crowd and the roar of the crowd, football remains unyielding. Jenni Hermoso returned to national duty for this Nations League window, and her presence already changes the dynamic. The Madrid forward, a veteran of Spain’s World Cup-winning campaign and a trusted figure in the locker room, stepped back onto the field and brought a calm confidence that the team had been missing. The moment she rejoined the action, the mood shifted as if a weight had been lifted from the squad. Hermoso entered the pitch in the 68th minute and immediately helped tilt the balance, nudging the score toward a 0-1 lead that had eluded Spain since kickoff. She faced a chorus of noise and debate with a composed smile, proving that football is where she thrives.
The Italy clash marked the third group-stage fixture of the Nations League for Spain. Montse Tome, who had just begun her tenure as coach, guided a squad whose Olympic chances remained strong, with Hermoso back in the fold under his leadership. The atmosphere around the team was resolute and measured; the coaching staff emphasized control and unity. Yet on the field, the game posed simpler challenges in theory than they did in practice, with moments of miscommunication and pressure interrupting fluid play at times.
Alexia’s thread of craft
The opening hour unfolded with a gray, methodical tone. Energy felt evenly matched, and buildups grew heavier as Italy settled into a disciplined defense. Spain needed the spark gifted by its midfield maestro, Alexia and her partner Aitana, to sew together attacks from the center of the park. The most dangerous Spain chances flowed from Hermoso’s teammates at times, but Giuliani in the Italian goal stood firm, denying the hosts on several close opportunities.
⚽️ Action swirled—shots, saves, near-misses—yet the scoreboard remained stubbornly blank until a crucial moment arrived. Hermoso collected the ball in the penalty area and found the back of the net, giving Spain the lead in the closing minutes. The goal arrived with Spain pressing for a decisive finish and added a new sense of urgency to the match.
@La1_tve
I 0-1 I 88′#PlayFightAndWin Hey #UWNL pic.twitter.com/m5aTzEByEa
— Spanish Women’s Football Team (@SEFutbolFem) 27 October 2023
Desperation grew, and the need to close out the game intensified. Spain’s momentum became fragile, and the team sometimes sacrificed continuity in pursuit of a decisive breakthrough. The second half mirrored the challenges of the first: Italy pursued counterattacks while Spain maintained possession, seeking the breakthrough that would seal the result.
Perfect unity
Then Hermoso took the field again for Spain, the Madrid forward returning to the national team uniform after a period of public attention and internal review. Tome gave him a guiding role, and the decision to bring Hermoso back was finalized only after careful planning and dialogue with the federation’s staff. The atmosphere around the squad brightened as she stepped onto the pitch, the moment underscoring the team’s resilience and readiness to rise above the noise. Hermoso, who has been central to Spain’s World Cup triumphs, demonstrated again why she remains a pivotal figure in the squad.
She entered in the 68th minute with Spain clinging to a fragile lead and a renewed sense of purpose. The goal-scorer’s influence was immediate: she created chances, demanded the ball, and pressed with the precision that makes her one of the game’s most reliable attackers. After a quick sequence following a setup by Alexia, Hermoso almost doubled the advantage with a close-range chance that tested the Italian goalkeeper. The group celebrated with fervor, sharing a mix of relief and exhilaration—proof that the team’s resolve could outwait the noise surrounding them. Hermoso later reflected that there is no better way to return to form than by delivering a victory for her team. Her smile returned as she nudged the ball into a familiar position at her feet and looked toward the bench, ready for more.
“Something had to go down in the end and a goal went down.”
➡ “We are taking three very important points.”
– Jenni Hermoso and the Spanish Women’s Football Team, Play Fight and Win Hey UWNL pictorials
— Spanish Women’s Football Team (@SEFutbolFem) 27 October 2023
The match underscored how a single moment of brilliance can transform the narrative around a team and restore momentum in the face of pressure. Fans and analysts alike watched a narrative unfold: one player’s return, a coach’s steady hand, and a squad’s collective effort to convert a tense, hard-fought game into a timely victory. In a campaign defined by resilience, Spain demonstrated a capacity to stay composed, seize opportunities, and press through adversity—an outcome that matters as much as the scoreline itself. The event stood as a reminder that football is as much about character as it is about technique, and that the best teams keep answering with performance when the noise grows loud.