Spain do not seem to know how to play a Women’s Under-19 EURO without lifting the trophy at the end. They have won all five editions since the competition returned in 2022. The generations, the players and the head coaches have changed, but the outcome has not. In Sarajevo, against the Germany side that had long set the standard at this level, a goal from Irune Dorado turned another final into Spain’s eighth title.
It took some time for the match to begin looking like a Spain game. Germany started strongly, competed aggressively for every ball and tried to prevent Spain from moving it quickly. For a few minutes, they succeeded. Spain could not establish possession and Germany imposed the kind of final they had envisaged: physical, uncomfortable and with every touch placed under pressure.
They also created the first major opportunity. Felicia Sträßer met a corner with a point-blank header at the far post, but Laia López produced a superb save on the line. Her intervention kept Spain level before they had fully settled into the match. Germany would not come as close to scoring again.
Spain soon understood that they should not compete on Germany’s terms. They moved the ball quickly, broke forward after regaining possession and forced the German players to chase passes rather than bodies. Two fast Spanish attacks were enough to make Germany retreat. From that moment, the final changed hands.
Rosalía began to find space on the left, Alba Cerrato repeatedly threatened the space behind the defence and Elene Gurtubay found room to shoot. Celia Segura and Ainoa Gómez supported the attacks, while Irune sustained the pressure and kept Spain’s possession moving. Germany had begun by pressing Spain high up the pitch but ended the half pinned around their own penalty area.
Only Janne Krumme kept Spain’s dominance from being reflected on the scoreboard before the break. The German goalkeeper raced out to deny Celia when she was close to going through, stopped Rosalía and held her side together as the Spanish chances accumulated. Sometimes it was Krumme; on other occasions, Spain lacked precision with the final touch. They were finding almost everything except the goal.
The interval did little to change the picture. Germany again began with intent, but Spain already knew how to dismantle their pressure. Alba Cerrato won the ball high up the pitch but sent her shot over with only Krumme to beat. Gurtubay was denied by the goalkeeper once more. Rosalía broke through the lines with a nutmeg and turned every appearance on the left into a threat.
The goal had been coming for far too long when Irune arrived.
Rosalía delivered the ball into the area following a corner and Irune Dorado appeared from deep, exactly where Germany did not expect her. She did not take a touch. She met it first time with her left foot and sent the ball into the net. After an hour of dominance, Spain had finally found the one chance Krumme could not stop.
The goal also captured Irune’s performance. She had won the ball back, pressed and helped Spain through the most physically demanding stages of the match. When the final called for a run from midfield, she was the player who occupied the space. She did not need to control every move to decide the most important one.
Germany tried to respond with substitutions and set pieces, but Spain did not retreat into their own half to protect the lead. They continued to attack. Alba again raced towards Krumme, Rosalía came close to scoring an extraordinary goal after beating two defenders and Gurtubay almost added the second. Even Irune went looking for another from outside the area.
Laia was required to intervene only once more, palming away a corner during the closing stages. The rest of the match unfolded near the German penalty area, between Spain’s determination to settle the contest and Germany’s inability to regain the control they had enjoyed during the opening minutes.
Spain ended the final in the same way they had dominated it: with the ball, inside the opposition half and forcing Germany to defend. The scoreline was narrow. The difference on the pitch was not.
Spain now have eight titles, two more than Germany, and have won every edition held since 2022. Five consecutive finals, five victories. The extraordinary thing is not simply that they have reached this point. It is that, after winning so much, Spain continue to play every final as though they still have to earn their place.
The fifth is golden too. And it bears Irune Dorado’s signature.
