2023-08-20 15:55:38
Spanish players celebrate their victory in the final of the Women’s Football World Cup, in Sydney (Australia), August 20, 2023. ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP
The Battle of Trafalgar holds its revenge. The last match between England and Spain, in the quarter-finals of Euro 2022 (2-1 success for the Three Lionesses) too. Winner of the British (1-0) in the final of the Women’s Football World Cup, at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Sunday August 20, La Roja offered the first coronation in its history. Their opponents, who had won the continental crown last year, will therefore not achieve the double – unprecedented – Euro-World.
Dominated during the first minutes of the match, the Spaniards initially seemed taken by the challenge and by the pressing of the Three Lionesses. Moments after England striker Lauren Hemp’s crossbar shot, La Roja opened the scoring through their captain, Olga Carmona (29ᵉ), with an unstoppable cross shot from the left at the entrance to the surface.
Sounded by the sixth nation in the world in the ranking of the International Football Federation (FIFA), the British were slow to respond to the Spanish attacks, led by the untenable Salma Paralluelo, 19, elected revelation of the tournament and holder at the forefront of the attack instead of Alexia Putellas, double winner of the Ballon d’Or. The FC Barcelona player, providential scorer in the semi-finals against Sweden, almost widened the gap this Sunday at the end of the first half… but the post decided otherwise.
The entry into play of Lauren James, suspended two games for stepping on a Nigerian player in the round of 16, and Chloe Kelly initially changed the dynamics of Sarina Wiegman’s team. The penalty, shot by Jennifer Hermoso, but stopped by English goalkeeper Mary Earps, could have changed the face of the match (68ᵉ).
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Women’s football fever wins England ahead of the World Cup final
But, solid defensively on the rare incursions of the Three Lionesses, La Roja finally held on to become world champion. The Spanish selection, which took part in the tournament only for the third time, had so far never exceeded the round of 16. Radiant in the midfield, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati, 25, was voted best player of this World Cup.
Months of doubts and conflicts
Attractive throughout this 9ᵉ edition of the planetary competition, best attack with 18 goals scored, the Spanish team ends in the most beautiful way an adventure which it nevertheless began under unfortunate auspices after months of doubts. and internal conflicts within the selection.
In September 2022, fifteen players had complained, in a joint e-mail sent to the authorities of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), of the poor quality of the training offered by the technical staff and the methods used by the coach, Jorge Vilda, to spy on the personal lives of his troops, tracing their whereabouts and purchases. The RFEF had supported the Madrilenian, who had decided to dismiss several executives from the group, such as Irene Paredes and Patricia Guijarro, and to renew its workforce.
Read also about the Women’s World Cup: Women’s World Cup: the Spaniards want to move from shadow to light
“It’s hard to do. We showed that we knew how to play, that we knew how to suffer, we believed in it and we are world champions. I’m so proud of this team. Now we’re going to celebrate and we don’t know when it’s going to end! », rejoiced Jorge Vilda, after the meeting. In line with the progress made by Spanish women’s football – FC Barcelona won their second Champions League in June against Wolfsburg (3-2) – a golden generation has just been born.
Our selection of articles on the Football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
England eliminates Australia and can dream of an unprecedented doubleSpain continues its dream course and goes to the finalThe end of the adventure, but the beginning of the story for Les BleuesMaître Renard or the art of communicationLes Bleues outclass Morocco and imagine themselves as dream breakersThe odyssey of Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, fighter and goalkeeper of Les BleuesHow Morocco led its revolution in women’s footballThe crescendo of Kadidiatou Diani, author of the first hat-trick of a Frenchwoman in the World CupComment did women get their own soccer World Cup? Understand in three minutesThe French team, guided by its “two Foxes”, finds the path to success against BrazilAmel Majri and Selma Bacha, the Lyon left in the service of the BleuesFor Haiti, a first World Cup thanks to a generation born in the ruinsLes Bleues and the temptation of foreigners Ineffective and sometimes feverish, the Bleues miss their debut against the JamaicansHervé Renard, coach of the Bleues, is “entirely immersed in this cause” See more See less
#Spain #crowned #world #champion #time #history #England