WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2023
Spain’s Jenni Hermoso reacts to the “tough” defeat against Japan: “I know that people are waiting for Spain to get things wrong”
The Pachuca forward spoke after Spain’s final World Cup Group C game, where they were thumped 4-0 by a relentless Japan side.
Spain and Pachuca striker, Jenni Hermoso, spoke to the press in the aftermath of Spain’s shock defeat to Japan in the final game of Group C at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Spain, one of the favourites to lift the trophy, were crushed 4-0 by a ruthless Japan team that scored time after time on the counter attack.
Every player and the coaching staff have all been criticised heavily over the following days, with the possession-heavy style questioned as well as the mentality of the side that has suffered emotionally during the past year. Jenni, however, was keen to move on from the defeat and politely told those who do not wish to support the team just what they do with their time.
Jenni reacts to the Japanese performance: It was tough, something that we didn’t expect, perhaps. It was a result we didn’t imagine would happen, but that’s football. Just the other day we were talking about it, a 5-0 win [to Japan] against Zambia didn’t feel like enough [of a result]. The game the other day is for us to move on from and work hard on the mistakes we made.
The feeling of disappointment after losing: I have repeated a lot the idea that we weren’t world beaters before and we’re not terrible now. I know that people are waiting for Spain to get things wrong, for bad results to come. I’d say that football’s like that, you can’t win all the time. You have bad moments and this is a World Cup. Japan had a fantastic game, they played their game plan well and absolutely everything went well for them. Our hope is still intact and you can’t throw everything in the bin just for one loss.
The criticism that Spain have received: I think that there are people who are waiting for Spain to fail. I think there are. After everything that happened... there are a lot of people. If you go on social media... Me, honestly, I don’t have any of them. I don’t even look at social media. But we know they’re waiting for us to fail. Everything we’ve tried to fight for to be here today and get as far as we can and there are still people who are happy when we get bad results. I’ll tell them that if they don’t want to support us, they can go. What’s good for us is the support from all the people who follow us in Spain.
On making it to the next round: After showing that side of ourselves against Japan, the opponents will obviously work on those weak points that they think we have. Switzerland can do something tactically similar to what Japan did against us. It’s another world, it’s the Round of 16. As they’ve said about us, we only have one bullet. We are preparing the game in the same way as we have done before.
The feeling of pain the day after the defeat: I was hurt, it was a tough defeat. During the game a lot of things come in and out of your mind. You try to get back into it and you see that you can’t. For Japan to have just 20% of the ball and score 4 against you, that hurts. And losing in that way. In the moment I felt a lot of pain, a lot of sadness. Honestly I haven’t lost hope. I still keep on thinking about how we are in the next round. You have to move on and look forward. Sometimes football hurts.
Spain will not face the USWNT until at least the semi-finals: There is nothing that relieves or comforts us at all. [The World Cup] is game by game. In the end, everyone’s just waiting to play their game and move on through to the next round. How can we think about the other teams when we could go out? Now we have to focus on Switzerland.
How Spain are preparing for the next game: We are working on what we did poorly as well as on what we can do to the opponent. You have to be objective and analyse well so you don’t do the same things again. It was a very tough defeat. I’m one of those people who, when the bad times arrive and you have a bad result, I get more competitive. Spain are still here. Spain haven’t left in any moment. As I said, we had two good games and we weren’t the best in the world. Now we’re not the worst in the world either. We keep working in the same way. The group is together and prepared to play against Switzerland in the best way possible.
Whether the defeat serve as a learning experience: Japan played a perfect game. Everything they trained beforehand worked.We lacked width and depth, as well as attacking where and when we should have. We weren’t dejected or destroyed, but seeing how well they did things, it was tough for us to find that moment that Spain usually do.
On whether there was a mental block against Japan: Physically we came into the game really well. We came into it as prepared as always. We don’t want it to happen again.
How did Spain disconnect mentally after the defeat: It’s always good to clear your head, it’s a lot of time together 24/7. I don’t think anyone is going to give up, we are still fighting for a dream, training with the same desire.