Spain nervous ahead of Women's World Cup semifinal, a match against tournament stalwart Sweden

The Spaniards have reached a new level and face Sweden in the first World Cup semifinal on Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand

Spain failed to qualify for the first six editions of the Women's World Cup, but once La Roja made the tournament in 2015 they've made a steady climb toward joining the global elite.

Spain scored its first point with a draw in its World Cup debut. Four years later, Spain advanced to the knockout round before it was eliminated by the U.S. team that went on to clinch a second consecutive championship.

Now in their third World Cup, the Spaniards have reached a new level and face Sweden in the first World Cup semifinal on Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

It is Spain's first semifinal match in a major tournament since the 1997 European Championships, and the reward for making it this far? A match against the second-ranked team in the world that has already eliminated the U.S. and Japan in this tournament.

The Swedes are playing in a fifth World Cup semifinal: they were runners-up in 2003, finished third three times, and, just to note how consistently strong the Swedes have been, they lost the gold medal match to Canada two years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.

So is Spain nervous?

You better believe it.