Alexia Putellas is revelling in her phenomenal start to Women's Euro 2025 as her dazzling performances in Spain's title bid reminded fans why she is a two-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Midfielder Putellas has been the player of the tournament so far after scoring three goals and setting up two more in La Roja's remarkable two wins so far in Switzerland.
The 31-year-old will line up against Italy in Bern on Friday knowing that a draw will be enough to top Group B but keen to continue with the relentless performances which have marked Spain out as being a class above the rest.
Putellas's displays have been a particular highlight and signalled the end of an injury nightmare which began when she tore her anterior cruciate ligament a day before the start of the last Euros in England three years ago.
Now she is back to her best after a successful club season with Barca in which she was named in the team of the season in Liga F, and is loving every minute of her time in Switzerland.
"I'm enjoying it. I've worked hard to get here, to reach this level," says Putellas in an interview with AFP.
"Everyone has had to fight their battles. I'm very happy to be able to enjoy it and that things are going well.
"It (the ACL injury) was a tough time, like any injury that any athlete has if it's serious. They leave you with those lessons and you savour every moment.
"Maybe when you enter a cycle of competing, competing, competing, you don't stop to appreciate everything. But I'm enjoying every day here at the Euros."
FLOWING
Flow has become the watchword for Spain at the Euros, the distillation of a style of play which has marked them out as the best team in the tournament.
Stacked with stars, Spain have racked up 11 goals in two matches and played the sort of passing football which no other team in Switzerland seems capable of playing.
Five goals without reply against Portugal were followed by a 6-2 thrashing of Belgium, with both matches characterised by Spain's willingness to take risks on the ball.
"The flow concept is bit of a mix between the responsibility you have to follow the game plan and at the same time letting yourself go, enjoying yourself and letting things happen naturally," says Putellas.
"That's what I think the first two games have been like, but it's not been easy to get to this point. There's a lot of work behind it – maybe we'll achieve it in each game, maybe we won't.
"The important thing is to win, to compete, and knowing that if we achieve that state of mind, everything else will flow and come more naturally."
MISSING FRIENDS
Missing from Putellas' side is close friend, and Spain's all-time top scorer with 57 goals, Jenni Hermoso, who has been axed by coach Montse Tome.
That decision raised eyebrows as a key player in the 2023 World Cup triumph and above all the furore that surrounded her being forcibly kissed after that year's final by former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales.
Tome has insisted her absence has nothing to do with the incident, after which Rubiales was removed from his post and then, in February, fined 10,800 euros ($11,670) for sexual assault.
Hermoso, 35, played in all six qualifiers for the Euros, netting three times, but hasn't featured in the last four Spain squads.
"We've spent many years here together and she's been a great friend... we've obviously spent a lot of time together," says Putellas.
"When I first started with the national team they were already here, and it's the first major tournament we haven't played together.
"But as I've already said, in the end, it's the coach's job to choose the 23 players they think should be here. So, well, it's almost just another question for the coach, and that's it."