Why did the Spanish Armada depend on boarding enemy vessels?

The Spanish Armada relied on boarding enemy vessels because they believed that their superior infantry would prove decisive in close-quarters combat.1

While the English fleet utilized faster, more maneuverable ships equipped with heavy, long-range artillery to bombard the Spanish from a distance, the Spanish fleet was less effectively armed with heavy guns. Consequently, the Spanish strategy was to force the English into close-range engagements, where they could board the enemy ships and utilize their soldiers to secure a victory through hand-to-hand combat. This approach reflected a traditional style of naval warfare that prioritized boarding and killing over the emerging tactic of using ship-killing guns to destroy vessels from afar.21