Spain will play at the Olympic Games for the first time after securing qualification on Friday night.
The 3-0 win over the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the women’s Nations League in Seville was enough to secure the reigning world champions their place in Paris.
Goals from Jenni Hermoso, Aitana Bonmati and Ona Batlle earned Montse Tome’s side a comfortable victory in front of a record 21,856 crowd at the Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.
“I took charge in a difficult moment that nobody wanted and we took a step forward,” said Tome, who took over in September following the Luis Rubiales scandal.
“We are proud of the work we have done. This team deserves to play an Olympic Games after all the prior generations who fought for it and came up short.”
In the other semi, France’s 2-1 win over Germany booked them in a spot in Wednesday’s final.
12 teams will play in the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Games.
Five of those places will go to 2022 CONCACAF Championship winners United States, 2022 Copa America finalists Brazil and Colombia and CONCACAF play-off winners Canada alongside hosts France.
New Zealand have qualified from the Oceania Football Confederation with the five remaining places going to two Asian Football Confederation qualifiers, and two Confederation of African Football qualifiers as well as the winner of Wednesday’s Nations League third-place game between Germany and the Netherlands.
Great Britain missed out on qualification for Paris when England finished behind the Netherlands in their group on goal difference back in December.
(David Ramos/Getty Images)
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