England won Euro 2022 and made it to a second successive major tournament final at the World Cup a year later.
But it has not been plain sailing since.
They missed out on a place at the Olympic Games in 2024 and have won just two of their past six matches.
Defender Millie Bright described it as a “rollercoaster” few years for the World Cup runners-up.
“Of course, everyone wants to win every single game and for us to be the best team, but that’s just not a reality,” she added.
“It’s a good thing when you experience tough moments because it builds character. Football’s always a journey. It’s always important to stay in the moment.”
For Spain, their achievements on the pitch have been overshadowed by their challenges off it.
Former Spanish football federation boss Luis Rubiales was last week found guilty of sexual assault after kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent during the 2023 World Cup medal ceremony.
Players testified in court in support of Hermoso, after World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda was sacked by the federation as part of the incident.
But on the field Spain have enjoyed further success, winning the inaugural Nations League, although they were upset in the Olympic semi-finals by Brazil.
They were held to back-to-back draws in October but beat European heavyweights France 4-2 in Nice in December, before last week’s comeback win over Belgium.
“Since [the World Cup], I think both teams have been a little bit up and down. I would say we arrive in the same moment,” Spain defender Laia Codina said.
“We know both teams have to be so much better if we want to do something in the Euros. The teams that played against each other at the World Cup are different.”
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