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Spain have won their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup after a tight 1-0 victory over England, with captain Olga Carmona grabbing the only goal of the game.
In doing so, they become the second nation to have completed the set of World Cups, adding a women’s title to that won by their men in 2010. They have now won world championships at under-17s, under-20s and senior level.
It is a victory earned against great odds, with 12 players having withdrawn themselves from selection after a dispute with coach Jorge Vilda and the Spanish Football Federation following their defeat to England at last year’s European Championships. Notably, as they celebrated, the players did so separately to the coaches.
La Roja were good value for their win, dominating the first half and spurning multiple chances, including missing a penalty.
England’s plan was to sit in and catch Spain on the break but were forced into a tactical switch at half time after being comfortably second best. Sarina Wiegman’s formation switch did improve their chances, but never accumulated enough pressure to make an indent.
For the Dutch manager, it was a heartbreaking result. She lost the previous final in 2019 with her native Netherlands, and has only lost two of her 39 matches as Lionesses boss. It was again, so near but so far.
“Overall I think Spain were a little better than us today,” she said. “Congratulations to Spain. Of course, it feels bad now, you are disappointed.
“You want to win, then you lose but what we have done and how we have shown ourselves, overcoming so many challenges, we can be so proud of ourselves though it doesn’t feel like that at the moment.”
Mary Earps was so very nearly the hero for England. The keeper made a string of saves, including the penalty, that kept the Lionesses in the game for far longer than they deserved to be given the run of play.
Spain always enjoyed superiority in the middle, with Aitana Bonmati running the game in the middle of the park alongside Jennifer Hermoso, who, aside from her penalty miss, was outstanding.
“I don’t have any words,” said Bonmati, who was named player of the tournament.
“For this moment, it’s unbelievable. I’m so glad because we did a great tournament. We suffered but also we enjoyed it. We deserve it.”
Both coaches made major selection calls: Vilda stuck with Salma Paraluello in attack, leaving Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas on the bench, while Wiegman resisted the urge to return Lauren James directly to the starting XI after her return from suspension.
The pattern was set early on, with Spain dominating the ball and England reduced to playing almost exclusively on the break.
Paralluelo was having plenty of joy on the left, pulling wide when Bronze advanced and offering an option to her midfield.
Spain looked the likelier, but it was England who had the first shot in anger, with Lauren Hemp putting a shot onto the crossbar in the 14th minute.
As if sparked into life, La Roja should have opened the scoring, with Paraluello missing a cross that would surely have been a goal. Alba Redondo met it a the back post, but only hit Mary Earps on the goalline.
When the goal finally came in the 29th minute, it was not entirely unexpected.
Bronze wandered across the field with the ball and was dispossessed, with Spain switching rapidly to Carmona, who drove into the box and drilled a low shot across Earps into the corner.
The strangle continued and England would have been happy to get top the break just 1-0 down after Paralluelo hit the post late in the half.
Wiegman rolled the dice and introduced James and Chloe Kelly at the interval, but the pressure only continued. Earps again proved her worth, tipping a Mariona Caldentey shot around the post.
Bonmati then threatened from distance, before Paralluelo shot wide. It seemed like England had got away with it, but the VAR, after an interminably long wait, called referee Tori Penso to the screen. Hermoso stepped up, but Earps again rescued her country.
Buoyed by the save, England suddenly kicked into life. Kelly was a permanent outlet on the right and James, stationed on the left, forced Catalina Coll to tip over the bar.
With time running out, Alex Greenwood suffered a head injury that delayed the game for a long period, removing the momentum that England had built, and indeed, it was Spain who came closer to scoring as Ona Battle was denied by another Earps save.
A huge 13 minutes of injury time followed, but it wasn’t enough for the Lionesses. They sent centre back Millie Bright up front and even Earps for a corner – though, for the first time, she could not rescue her side.