Spain showcased remarkable prowess as they effortlessly overcame Belgium with overwhelming superiority. Under the guidance of Montse Tomé, the Spanish team outperformed Belgium, who had previously defeated England, the reigning European champion, at the same stadium, Den Dreef in Leuven, just two months ago. Spain will now face England on Tuesday in Barcelona to compete for a place in the semifinals of the Nations League.

From start to finish, Spain controlled the game, leaving Belgium with no chance to counter. The Belgian team struggled to seize the ball from Spain's dominant squad, which kept them confined to their own area. The only flaw in Spain's performance was their lack of precision in capitalizing on numerous scoring opportunities. Esther González netted the first goal in the first half, skillfully finishing a brilliant pass from Mariona Caldentey with her left foot. Yet, the match wasn't sealed until González scored again in the second half, followed by Athenea del Castillo and Alba Redondo completing the rout.

Tomé's message was clear with her starting lineup, featuring eight players—seven from Barça and one from Arsenal—who were starters in Lisbon's Champions League final just six days ago, along with Esther, who played the full 90 minutes with Gotham in the Concacaf Champions Cup final last Sunday. Despite knowing that the crucial match against England was on the horizon, Tomé prioritized defeating Belgium. Meanwhile, England had a convincing victory over Portugal at Wembley.

From the outset, Tomé's strategic gamble paid off as Spain exhibited exceptional football in the first half. Belgium struggled to string together five consecutive passes and failed to challenge Cata Coll, who didn't even need to make a dive. Spain fired 19 shots and took five corners in the initial phase, but only succeeded in scoring through Esther, who has been in top form since rejoining the team last April after a year's absence.

Despite Spain's total dominance, the halftime score was modest. Spain excelled in pressing immediately after losing possession, thwarting Belgium's counter-attacks—the same tactic that had previously troubled England in Leuven and Spain in Valencia. Under the leadership of Barça's midfield trio—Patri Guijarro as pivot, Aitana Bonmatí, and Alexia Putellas in the interiors—assisted by the outstanding Mariona, who played from the right flank, Spain moved the ball with speed and effectiveness to dismantle Belgium's defense.

Nicky Evrard managed to deflect shots from Caldentey, Claudia Pina, and Ona Batlle, while Esther, Olga Carmona, and Alexia came close to scoring with attempts that narrowly missed or were blocked. González, the Gotham striker, closed the match with her second goal, taking advantage of a rebound in the area, and became the fifth top scorer in Spain's history with her 34th goal before Athenea and Redondo each added to the tally. In the final moments, De Caigny scored from a lateral cross in a play where Cata might have done better.

Esther has scored four goals in the three matches since her return in April, emerging as a strong candidate for the number nine position in the national team for both the Euro and next Tuesday's crucial clash against England at RCDE Stadium. A draw will suffice for Spain to advance to the final four of the tournament and continue defending the title they secured last year in the Nations League.