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The Moment That Changed the Women’s Euro Final: The Inexplicable Substitution of Alexia Putellas
With the score tied and the title on the line, Montse Tomé made one of the most controversial decisions of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro Final: substituting Alexia Putellas in the 71st minute. A move that continues to spark debate among fans, media, and football experts.
The Substitution That Shifted the Game
Spain had dominated much of the match, even after England equalized shortly before the 70th minute. In a moment of confusion, the coach decided to replace Alexia Putellas with Claudia Pina, a talented player but lacking the experience and leadership that the two-time Ballon d’Or winner brings to these crucial moments.
The decision nearly paid off—Pina came close to scoring with a powerful shot that was stopped by an incredible save from Hannah Hampton. However, the game went into extra time, where Spain remained superior, only for the title to be decided in a penalty shootout. At that critical point, the absence of Alexia became even more noticeable.
A Decision Difficult to Defend
The numbers behind Putellas during the tournament are undeniable. She was the top assist provider with 4 assists, the second-highest scorer with 3 goals, and the player who created the most chances (19). She was involved in 40% of Spain’s goals, and made history as the only player ever in the Euro to record 2 goals and 2 assists in the same match. She also endured the highest number of pressures from opponents (307) while maintaining an 87% pass accuracy under those conditions.
Throughout the 2024-2025 season, Putellas tallied 28 goals and 21 assists between club and country, becoming the all-time top scorer for Barcelona Femení with 212 goals. Simply put, she is the type of player who can change the outcome of a match at any moment, even when not at her peak.
Social media reactions were immediate and harsh. Many consider it a tactical error to remove the most decisive player of the tournament, especially when the match could have been won before penalties. On television, the image of Alexia on the bench next to Montse Tomé became a symbol of a decision that will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Football is judged by results, and after the loss, Tomé may face consequences beyond the pitch. With the dream of the triple crown slipping away, one question remains: why take off Alexia Putellas when Spain needed her the most?
