It is no coincidence that the Princess Eleanor has chosen a match of the women’s soccer team as her first official trip abroad. Sport has always been linked to her father, the Rey Felipe VI, and to the entire royal family, always present at major sporting events. The 16-year-old was the star of the Brentford Community Stadium box accompanied by her sister, the Infant Sofia, 15 years old, a self-confessed football fan who also plays as a defensive midfielder in an amateur team in Madrid.
Their Royal Highnesses were supported by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubialesas well as the Minister of Culture and Sports of the Government of Spain, Miquel Iceta, and UEFA women’s football boss, Nadine Kessler. The German chatted animatedly with Leonor, surely to explain the European plans to grow this sport in Europe, a major challenge that is bearing fruit.
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This is the second time that the Princess of Asturias and the Infanta attended a football match. Leonor de Borbón did it on April 27, 2016 with her father at the Vicente Calderón stadium to watch the first leg of the Champions League semifinals between Atlético de Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Spain once again had the public on their side, cheering non-stop, with a practically full stadium with 16,041 spectators. That this team falls in love was seen when the Red bus arrived at the stadium, with hundreds of fans receiving the players to cheers. Without a doubt, an expectation at the height of the decisive duel for the pass to the quarterfinals at stake.
Another ‘Princess’ shone on the pitch: Athena of the Castle. The youngster from Real Madrid, who was making her debut in the starting line-up, was incisive in attack and provided that cheekiness and fluidity that Vilda was looking for. She had the best danger plays and was up to the task to earn a spot on this team. The Cantabrian has grown older and Spain has a great future with her. “Being able to be here is a dream,” she pointed out upon her arrival.
However, the party lacked brightness, it lacked light. Spain did not convince. And it had to be Marta Cardona who unblocked the tie in the 90th minute to tie a necessary victory to raise the morale of ours. They won but they did not convince, although this time the changes did have an effect and they won to go to the quarterfinals.
Spain got into the top eight of the tournament for the fourth time in its history, after the 1997 editions, when it reached the semifinals, and those of 2013 and 2017, when the quarterfinals were its top. Now watch out for England, the next opponent and a real steamroller. The last time Spain and England met was in February of this year with a 0-0 result in the Arnold Clark Cup. It’s time to get rid of your fears because everything is still open.