Spain vs. Japan: Olympics women's soccer live stream, lineups, preview

A little less than a year ago on the dot, Spain met Futoshi Ikeda's Japan on the world stage. Quick counter-attacking football caught the eventual World Cup winners off guard as the Asian outfit thrashed Aitana Bonmatí and company. Now, it's time for the rematch. If you don't think the Spanish have that gut-wrenching defeat in the back of their heads going into this one, you're lying to yourself.

Led by Montserrat Tomé, not Jorge Vilda, Spain qualified for its first Olympic Games by winning the 2024 UEFA Women's Nations League final against France in February. Last summer, Spain went into the World Cup with the fourth best odds to be the last side standing, per Caesars Sportsbook. This time around, La Roja is the clear favorite. It isn't really much of a question.

“We have a group of players who love what they do. We take them to work, work and work,” said Tomé. “And in that work, their enjoyment comes out and their talent shines and they can be competitive because we have footballers who have an insatiable ambition and mentality.”

Top to bottom, no outfit has more technical quality. From Bonmatí to Patricia Guijarro to Salma Paralluelo. It doesn't stop there but you get the point. In order to take down the Spanish, the opponent needs to be organized, disciplined, and almost perfect in finishing the chances it creates.

We've seen Ikeda's well-drilled defense and unselfish attacking unit do the business before. It wouldn't be a surprise if Spain was frustrated in possession again. Japan's defense has conceded multiple goals in a game just once since Sweden knocked it out of the World Cup last August. This group is confident going in, outscoring the opposition 11-2 in the four games leading up to the Paris Olympics.

Along with Moeka Minami and Saki Kumagai in defense, Yui Hasegawa is critical for the Japanese if the team were to pull off a repeat of 2023. Her passing ability on the ball combined with an anticipation to distribute play makes the midfielder an invaluable asset for a team with medal aspirations.

Other than that meeting down under, these football powers played each other on two other occasions post-2019 - a friendly in 2022 and in the 2020 SheBelieves Cup. The Spanish came out the victors in both of those contests.

Predicted lineups for Spain vs. Japan

Spain (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Cata Coll
Defenders: Olga Carmona, Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes (C), Laia Codina
Midfielders: Patricia Guijarro, Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas
Forwards: Salma Paralluelo, Mariona Caldentey, Jennifer Hermoso

Japan (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Ayaka Yamashita
Defenders: Risa Shimizu, Moeka Minami, Saki Kumagai (C)
Midfielders: Yui Hasegawa, Fuka Nagano, Hinata Miyazawa, Kiko Seike
Forwards: Riko Ueki, Mina Tanaka, Aoba Fujino

How to watch Spain vs. Japan in the 2024 Paris Olympics women's soccer group stages

Date: Thursday, July 25
Start time: 11 a.m. ET
Location: Nantes, France
Stadium: Stade de la Beaujoire
TV Info: USA Network
Live Stream:  Peacock | FuboTV

The winner of this "group of death" (Group C) will meet either the third place finisher from Group A or B in the final eight.