World Cup: England vs. Spain guarantees we’ll have a first-time winner
While England and Spain represent a pair of nations rich in soccer history, neither has seen their women’s team make it to a World Cup final, thus guaranteeing us a first-time champion.
Sports Seriously, USA TODAY
Olga Carmona’s goal in the 29th minute was all Spain needed to win its first World Cup title.
Spain joins the United States, Germany, Norway and Japan as World Cup champions. It also completes a treble for La Roja, which last year won the Under-20 and U-18 World Cups.
The title will be seen by some as vindication for Jorge Vilda, who blackballed all but three players who last year protested the team environment he’d created. But it is their spectacularly skilled players, not Vilda’s tactics, that fueled this World Cup win.
Spain shredded England’s left side and forced turnover after turnover after turnover. One of those led to Carmona’s goal. Spain took the ball away from Lucy Bronze at midfield and lofted it to the left side of the field, where Mariona Caldentey picked it up. She dribbled up the field before slipping the ball to Carmona, who beat goalkeeper Mary Earps in the far corner.
England had its chances, and Earps’ save of a Jenni Hermosa penalty kick seemed to give the European champions renewed energy. But they couldn’t finish and, ultimately, couldn’t keep pace with the new World Cup champions.
It may have been a low-scoring game, but the 2023 World Cup final had plenty of highlights, from an impressive Olga Carmona goal for Spain to a wild, and awesome, save from England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
Not awake early enough to catch the World Cup final? You can watch a full replay of the match on foxsports.com.
Spain’s Aitana Bonmati came into this World Cup wanting to prove she’s the best player in the world.
That she did.
Bonmati was the deserving winner of the Golden Ball as the best player at this World Cup. The midfielder had three goals and two assists, but her contributions to Spain’s World Cup title run were immeasurable. She anchored a midfield that produced gorgeous passes and connecting play, and her defense was filthy.
“I’m so proud,” Bonmati said on the Fox broadcast after the game. “We deserve it. We deserve it.
“We have been working for years for this moment.”
Spain also had the best young player of the tournament in Salma Paralluelo, who had goals in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
The Golden Boot, awarded each World Cup to the tournament’s top scorer went to Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa. She five goals before Japan was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
England’s Mary Earps, who saved a penalty kick in the final, was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper. Some on social media were even referring to Earps as “Mary, Queen of Saves.”
Great question! The host for the 2027 World Cup has yet to be determined or announced. But the United States, which is seeing an explosion in women’s sports popularity and where the NWSL is rapidly expanding, is sure to be in the mix as a host.
Until Sunday, no, Spain had never won a World Cup at the women’s senior level. In fact, Sunday was Spain’s first appearance in the final. This was only their third World Cup appearance, and the furthest they went previously was the round of 16 in 2019.
But lately, its youth teams have made it a habit of playing in World Cup finals.
Salma Paralluelo was part of the Spain team that won the Under-20 World Cup last year. It was its first title at that level after finishing as the runner-up in 2018. The U-17 team, meanwhile, won its second consecutive World Cup title last year.
While there’s no guarantee that success at the youth level will translate to the senior level, it does signal that Spain has a very robust pipeline.
According to FOX, Spain, which was ranked sixth coming into the tournament, became the lowest-ranked team to ever win a women’s World Cup.
— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist
The 2023 World Cup marked just the ninth time the women’s event has taken place. (The men’s World Cup has been played since 1930.) The U.S. has won more women’s World Cup titles than any other country. Here’s a list of every women’s World Cup winner.
- 1991: United States
- 1995: Norway
- 1999: United States
- 2003: Germany
- 2007: Germany
- 2011: Japan
- 2015: United States
- 2019: United States
- 2023: Spain
Jill Ellis, who led the USWNT to two World Cup titles (2015 and 2019), presented the World Cup trophy to Spain.
Ellis is currently the president of the San Diego Wave of the NWSL. She coached the USWNT from 2014-2019, finishing with a record of 106-19-7. In May, she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Spain’s World Cup title put the country in exclusive company.
With its 1-0 victory over England on Sunday, Spain joined Germany as the only countries to win both the men’s and women’s World Cup. Spain’s men won the title at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Germany’s women are the only team besides the U.S. women to win multiple World Cup titles and were the first to repeat champions. They won in 2003 and 2007. Germany’s men are four-time World Cup champions, winning in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014.
— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist
England subbed in Beth England (fitting) for Ella Toone in the 87th minute, just before the referee announced there would be a whopping 13 minutes of stoppage time.
There was a lengthy stop of play late in the second half after England’s Alex Greenwood took an elbow to the face by Salma Paralluelo in the 78th minute. The knock opened up a gash on Greenwood’s forehead, and her uniform was soon covered in blood. Her teammates brought out a new jersey while trainers wrapped her head with a thick, white bandage.
It took awhile to tend to Greenwood’s injury, which means there’s likely going to be quite a bit of stoppage time.
Mary Earps gave England a lifeline in the 69th with a monster save of a Jenni Hermosa penalty.
Leading 1-0, Spain was awarded the penalty after a lengthy video assistant review of a handball on England’s Keira Walsh. It was the right call — replays showed Walsh had stuck her right arm out — but a goal would have been the dagger for Spain and Hermosa is La Roja’s all-time leading scorer.
But Earps guessed correctly, diving to her left and smothering the ball so Spain wouldn’t get a second chance.
“I thought this penalty was way too light but I’m not the referee and I don’t decide that,” England coach Sarina Wiegman said during her postgame news conference.
The USWNT might be home after bowing out in the World Cup Round of 16, but there are still Americans in Australia making a mark in the World Cup final.
The most notable of those is Tori Penso, the center referee of the final. She led a group of four Americans who were chosen to work the England-Spain match. It’s the first time U.S. Soccer referees have led the officiating crew at a senior World Cup final.
Penso was joined by assistant referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt, while Armando Villarreal worked as a video assistant referee. According to FIFA rules, referees cannot work a game that involves their own country.
“There’s nothing better than this moment that I’ve living right now,” Penso told The Los Angeles Times. “For me, for the entire crew, what we’re about to embark on, it’s groundbreaking and it’s I moment I will never forget.”
Spain also used its first sub early in the second half, bringing in Oihane Hernández for Alba Redondo in the 60th minute with Spain still leading 1-0.
It seems like nothing is going right for England.
The Lionesses trail Spain 1-0 in the World Cup final and haven’t been able to connect on a handful of good looks. Then, in the 55th minute, England’s Lauren Hemp was hit with a yellow card after a tackle on Spain’s Laia Codina. Hemp argued with the referee after to no avail.
Lauren James, the talented forward who missed England’s last two games, has subbed in for the Lionesses in the second half with England trailing 1-0.
James missed the semifinal and quarterfinal matches after picking up a red card in England’s Round of 16 win over Nigeria. The 21-year-old was ejected late in regulation after purposely stepping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie in the 84th minute.
Many wondered if James, who has scored or assisted on six of England’s 14 goals this tournament, would start in the final.
James came in for Alessia Russo, and Chloe Kelly subbed in for Rachel Daly.
Spain made England pay for Lucy Bronze’s turnover. After getting the ball at midfield, Spain floated the ball over an England scrum to Mariona Caldentey, who dribbled up the left side before spotting a late-charging Olga Carmona and slipping the ball to her. Carmona fired to the far corner, past a diving Mary Earps to put Spain up 1-0 in the 29th minute.
It was Carmona’s second goal in as many games. She also had the game-winner in Spain’s 2-1 win over Sweden in the semifinal.
Spain’s 1-0 lead doesn’t reflect just how dominant La Roja was in the first half of the World Cup final.
Spain, which was eliminated by England in the quarterfinals of last year’s European championship, bossed the Three Lionesses all over the field. They’re dominating possession, 53% to 31%, and have a massive edge in both passes (313 to 175) and passes completed (275 to 141). Salma Paralluelo was thisclose to having not one, but two goals.
Spain is also shredding England’s left side. That’s where Olga Carmona’s goal came from, slipping in late from behind to an open space and beating Mary Earps in the far corner.
England’s had chances, but it’s going to need to shore up its defense in the second half.
— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist
This England-Spain final is all gas, no breaks so far.
We’ve already seen an Olga Carmona goal, a banger off the crossbar by Lauren Hemp and near-misses by Salma Paralluelo and Alba Redondo. And that was just in the first 30 minutes!
Spain is dominating possession — it was 53% to 31% through the first 45 minutes — and doubled England’s three attempts on goal. That included two shots on target for England that were saved by Coll. Spain also had two shots on target saved by England. Additionally, England has been called for offside three times (Spain hasn’t done it at all).
With such a frenetic pace already, it feels as if there are more goals to come. Just before halftime, Salma Paralluelo had another great look for Spain, but her shot ricocheted off the post.
A 19-year-old sensation for Spain’s national team, Salma Paralluelo got the start for the World Cup final vs. England. The teenager has made a tremendous impact for Spain off the bench this tournament, scoring the game-winning goal in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands and the go-ahead goal in the team’s semifinal win over Sweden.
If she ever tires of soccer, Paralluelo could always switch back to track: a standout athlete, she set under-20 records for Spain in the 400 and 400 hurdles before deciding to focus on soccer.
Teenage super-sub Salma Paralluelo is in Spain’s starting lineup for the championship game Sunday against England, while star Alexia Putellas returns to the bench.
Paralluelo scored the game-winning goal against the Netherlands in extra time of the quarterfinals, and the 19-year-old scored Spain’s go-ahead goal in the semifinal victory over Sweden.
Check out Spain’s starting IX:
Forward Lauren James is back in the lineup for England, but will come off the bench after serving a two-game suspension for a red card.
Check out England’s starting IX:
There are plenty of ways to watch the World Cup final. The game is being broadcast on FOX Sports, with the Spanish-language version available on Telemundo. Additionally, the World Cup final can be live streamed in English on FoxSports.com and in Spanish on Peacock. You can also watch it on your favorite streaming service that provides live TV, including DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and Fubo.
The World Cup final between England and Spain kicks off at 6 a.m. ET Sunday at Stadium Australia. That’s 8 p.m. in Sydney, Australia, where the match will be held.
Spain’s appearance in the World Cup final comes almost a year after 15 of the team’s top players complained about the environment under coach Jorge Vilda and said they didn’t wish to be selected for the national team unless changes were made.
The Spanish federation backed Vilda — and his decision to drop the players. Though some later said they wanted to come back, only three are on the World Cup squad. Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and Jenni Hermosa, Spain’s all-time scoring leader, who weren’t among the 15 but expressed support for their teammates, are also at the World Cup.
Instead, Vilda stocked his squad with up-and-comers, most notably Salma Paralluelo. It’s worked, but it hasn’t stopped the questions. Vilda was asked Saturday about the mutiny and would say only, “Next question please.”
— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist
It’s well known that Prince William, the heir to the British thrown is a huge soccer fan, as well as head of the Football Association, England’s governing body for soccer. Many thought he’d made the trip to Sydney for the final, given that England is playing. He won’t be there in person, but on Saturday he posted a video on social media wishing the Lionesses good luck, alongside 8-year-old daughter Charlotte.
While Prince William is absent, Queen Letizia of Spain will be in the house to cheer on Spain. She made the trip to Sydney with her 16-year-old daughter Infanta Sofia. According to the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Queen Letizia visited the team during practice in June, speaking to players and the coaching staff.
Looking to bet on the 2023 World Cup? BetMGM has Spain as the narrow favorite.
- Moneyline: Spain +170 (bet $100 to win $170) | England +185 (bet $100 to win $185) | Draw +200
- Over/Under: 2.5 (O: +138 | U: -190)
Access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 4:30 a.m. ET.
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Nancy Armour, USA TODAY columnist: While this is the first time in the World Cup final for England, the Three Lionesses have experience in a big, pressure-packed games after winning the European championship on home soil last summer. Spain does not and I think that inexperience will cost them. Score: England 2-0
Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY reporter: I’m picking England, which almost surely means Spain will win. Whatever I’ve predicted this tournament, the opposite has happened. So if you’re a betting individual, do the opposite of what I say. But just for fun … Score: England 3, Spain 2
Alicia DelGallo, senior editor USA TODAY: Spain commands the beginning of the game and goes up early, but England comes back and holds onto a narrow lead. Score: England 2, Spain 1
Sportsbook Wire: Spain 2, England 1
The U.S. women not playing in the World Cup final is actually a good thing.
No, really. Hear me out.
The USWNT, and the executives at Fox Sports, will disagree there’s anything positive about the four-time champions not being around for the last two weeks of the tournament. For the growth of the game, to incentivize still-developing programs to keep investing in their teams, however, the early exits of the USWNT and other powerhouses is a boon.
Read Nancy Armour’s full column here.
