Spain Stays on Podium at U20 Women's Euros, Defeats Belgium 81-59 for Bronze

Spain's U20 Women's team returns from Lithuania with a well-deserved bronze medal at EuroBasket. Only powerhouse France proved too much in the semifinals, while Belgium couldn't contain the team basketball of Rubén Burgos's squad, which grew stronger throughout the tournament.

16 medals in 23 editions. That's Spain's record at the U20 Women's EuroBasket, their signature category. With the 2026 bronze, they've now won five consecutive medals (13 in the last 14 tournaments). An absolute dominance that has continued with the 2006 generation led by head coach Rubén Burgos.

The first medal of summer 2026 came from Klaipeda, Lithuania, in a tournament where Spain only lost to France, a team with enormous potential. It's worth noting that this 2006 generation was missing its two biggest stars: Iyana Martín and Awa Fam, two world-class players.

And without them, the U20 Women's team became a cohesive unit, with solid defensive work and many offensive weapons. They struggled in the group stage, but all four teams in their group advanced to the quarterfinals, and two of them (Spain and Israel) reached the podium.

In the bronze medal game, Belgium also fell victim to Spain's team basketball. They hung tough until midway through the third quarter, when they closed to a dangerous 46-44, but Spain responded thanks to the talent of its players (Marta Alsina, Inés Sotelo, and Anais Rodríguez shone today) and the commitment of a generation eager to finish their development stage with another podium finish.

Sotelo finished with 21 points, hitting an impressive 3-of-4 from three-point range; Anais Rodríguez posted 14 points while dominating the paint and dishing out 5 assists; Marta Alsina had a spectacular second quarter, finishing with 14 points and leading the charge when needed. But Gina García also impressed with her talent, Carla Osma was crucial in many games, Aina Cargol brought intensity, Irene Noya did solid work near the basket, Mireia Jurado showed her shooting touch, Mireya Sanz demonstrated her commitment, Inés G. Monje provided leadership, Paula Salinas offered versatility, and Lucía Martínez showed responsibility.

It's the second bronze medal, after 2023, in a record that includes ten golds and four silvers.