1. Spain brilliance
SPAIN ARE Women’s World Cup champions for the very first time. They beat fellow first-time finalists England 1-0 in today’s showpiece in Sydney, with Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute goal decisive.
La Roja were deserved winners after a superb performance, and in truth, could have won this game by a lot more. Jorge Vilda’s side play lovely football, and technically and tactically got it right on the biggest stage. They executed their game plan to a tee, their midfield dominance crucial as they stifled the European champions.
Player of the Tournament Aitana Bonmatí led the charge, along with captain Carmona and teenage sensation Salma Paralluelo. Spain have enjoyed unprecedented underage success in the women’s game, and this comes as their major senior breakthrough. It certainly looks like they’re here to stay. It also sees club form lines translate to the international stage — Champions League heavyweights Barcelona with a heavy presence in the Spain team.
The triumph comes after a turbulent few months. Last October, 15 players wrote to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) demanding changes to the set-up, directing the majority of their complaints at Vilda, and made themselves unavailable for selection.
The federation backed Vilda amidst calls for his sacking. Bonmatí, Ona Batlle, and Mariona Caldentey are among the players from ‘Las 15′ who are part of this World Cup squad, but many more world-class names — including Mapi Leon, Patri Guijarro and Claudia Pina — are absent.
What happens next remains to be seen, but the achievement is all the more striking amidst off-field issues. They’ve had their setbacks on the pitch too, the 4-0 group stage defeat to Japan springing to mind. That came after comprehensive wins over Costa Rica (3-0) and Zambia (5-0), and they finished second in Group C. They responded emphatically, turning on the style in the knockout stages as they beat Switzerland (5-1), Netherlands (2-1 AET) and Sweden (2-1) before finishing the job against England.
2. England regret
Sarina Wiegman said she had “no regrets” after her first competitive loss at the helm, but many will question that.
The Lionesses were far from their best. The high press they applied early on didn’t work, with Spain happily playing around them. They were left exposed in midfield, completely overrun at times with Bonmatí getting the better of Keira Walsh.
They were sloppy in possession. The goal came off an England mistake: Lucy Bronze caught out of position on a winding run and her side of the pitch completely open. Spain smelled blood, and the rest is history.
29" GOAL SPAIN 🇪🇸
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) August 20, 2023
Olga Carmona with a pinpoint accurate finish to put Spain into the lead against England #FIFAWWC
📺Watch: https://t.co/JYf06csaIG
💻Updates: https://t.co/QV0zdyqqPp #RTESoccer pic.twitter.com/KF1z1dwQ0F
Former Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne said she thought Wiegman “got it wrong” tactically on RTÉ. In terms of selection, the Dutchwoman went with an unchanged XI, starting Ella Toone ahead of Lauren James, who was returning from suspension.
James was introduced at half-time, along with Chloe Kelly. Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly made way, many left puzzled by the former’s withdrawal in particular. The new Arsenal recruit is a huge goal threat — as is Daly, though playing in a defensive capacity for her country.
Mary Earps’ penalty save handed them a lifeline, but they failed to create a real momentum swing. They offered very little in the final third throughout, Lauren Hemps’s first-half effort, which ricocheted off the crossbar, as close as they went all day.
3. Future focus
This all-European World Cup final signals a shift in power. It was the first since Germany-Sweden in 2003 and only the third since the tournament’s inception in 1991, reflecting the growth of the game on the continent.
Spain could reign supreme for years to come. The big question is whether Vilda will be at the helm. He refused to say if he will stay on after today’s final. “Right now we are going to celebrate winning the World Cup,” he said. “We are going to go home and celebrate with our loves ones, and then we will see.”
Asked if he had a message for the people and players who had doubted him, Vilda replied: “I am very happy for everyone and very happy that our national team wins, that is all.”
England will bounce back, though Wiegman’s second World Cup final defeat in a row will be tough to take. “We’re the Lionesses, so we won’t stop what we’re doing, we’ll continue to break barriers, we’ll continue to push on,” Georgia Stanway said afterwards.
The curtain comes down on an excellent World Cup, full of thrills, spills and drama.
It was one which had it all, and there will be no shortage of reflection in the coming days and weeks.
