England (Women) v Spain (Women), 20 August 2023

Score1-0 to Spain (Women)
RefereeTori Penso
CompetitionFIFA Womens World Cup Final
VenueStadium Australia, Sydney
Attendance75,784
Kick-off: 8.00pm local (11.00am BST) . Spain looked dangerous in the opening minutes, especially Paralluelo, but England hit the bar on 16 minutes. Olga Carmona scored with an excellent strike beyond the keeper's reach from inside the penalty area. Spain dominated the first half with Paralluelo hitting the post in the dying minutes. England clearly missed their playmaker Lauren James in the first half. Sarina Wiegman made the sensible decision to bring James on at half time. Good save by Earps early in the second half after a defensive error by Bronze. After a VAR check a penalty was given for a Walsh handball but this was saved by Earps on 70 minutes. (Strong argument it should have been retaken as the goalkeeper moved off her line before the ball was struck.) Despite an improved performance in the second half by England, Spain, the outstanding team of the tournament won a deserved World Cup final win. Salma Paralluelo won the young player of the tournament medal, Mary Earps the Golden Glove, Aitana Bonmati Player of the Tournament and Hinata Miyazawa the Golden Boot.

0 England (Women)

Manager: Sarina Wiegman

1 Spain (Women)

Manager: Jorge Vilda

Goals:

Goals:

Olga Carmona 29 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Mary Earps
Defender Millie Bright  (captain)
Defender Lucy Bronze
Defender Jess Carter
Defender Alex Greenwood
Midfielder Georgia Stanway
Midfielder Ella Toone
Midfielder Keira Walsh
Forward Rachel Daly
Forward Lauren Hemp
Forward Alessia Russo

Starting lineup:

Cata Coll Goalkeeper
Ona Batlle Defender
Olga Carmona Defender
Laia Codina Defender
Irene Paredes Defender
Teresa Abelleira Midfielder
Aitana Bonmatí Midfielder
Jennifer Hermoso Midfielder
Mariona Caldentey Forward
Salma Paralluelo Forward
Alba Redondo Forward

Substitutions:

Lauren James for Alessia Russo 46
Chloe Kelly for Rachel Daly 46
Bethany England for Ella Toone 87

Substitutions:

Oihane Hernández for Alba Redondo 60
Ivana Andrés  for Laia Codina 73
Alexia Putellas for Mariona Caldentey 90

Cards:

Lauren Hemp 55 Y

Cards:

Salma Paralluelo 78 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton
Goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck
Defender Niamh Charles
Defender Esme Morgan
Defender Lotte Wubben-Moy
Midfielder Laura Coombs
Midfielder Jordan Nobbs
Midfielder Katie Zelem
Forward Bethany England
Forward Lauren James
Forward Chloe Kelly
Forward Katie Robinson

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez
Goalkeeper Enith Salón
Defender Ivana Andrés 
Defender Rocío Gálvez
Defender Oihane Hernández
Midfielder Irene Guerrero
Midfielder María Pérez
Midfielder Alexia Putellas
Midfielder Claudia Zornoza
Forward Athenea del Castillo
Forward Esther González
Forward Eva Navarro

Comments:

This was the first time that England had reached the Final of the FIFA Women's World Cup. . Their best previous performance was third place in 2015. . This was the first competitive game that England had lost since defeat by Spain in the SheBelieves Cup in March 2020 (played 29). . Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Mary Earps became the first woman to save a penalty in a FIFA World Cup Final.

Comments:

Spain became the fifth nation to win the FIFA Women's World Cup. . Their best previous perfomance was the Round of 16 in 2019. . They became the competition's second winners to lose a game during the group stage of the tournament. . Spain (Women) were now the current World champions at senior, Under-20 and Under-17 levels.

0 England (Women)

Manager: Sarina Wiegman

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Mary Earps
Defender Millie Bright  (captain)
Defender Lucy Bronze
Defender Jess Carter
Defender Alex Greenwood
Midfielder Georgia Stanway
Midfielder Ella Toone
Midfielder Keira Walsh
Forward Rachel Daly
Forward Lauren Hemp
Forward Alessia Russo

Substitutions:

Lauren James for Alessia Russo 46
Chloe Kelly for Rachel Daly 46
Bethany England for Ella Toone 87

Cards:

Lauren Hemp 55 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton
Goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck
Defender Niamh Charles
Defender Esme Morgan
Defender Lotte Wubben-Moy
Midfielder Laura Coombs
Midfielder Jordan Nobbs
Midfielder Katie Zelem
Forward Bethany England
Forward Lauren James
Forward Chloe Kelly
Forward Katie Robinson

Comments:

This was the first time that England had reached the Final of the FIFA Women's World Cup. . Their best previous performance was third place in 2015. . This was the first competitive game that England had lost since defeat by Spain in the SheBelieves Cup in March 2020 (played 29). . Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Mary Earps became the first woman to save a penalty in a FIFA World Cup Final.

1 Spain (Women)

Manager: Jorge Vilda

Goals:

Olga Carmona 29 G

Starting lineup:

Cata Coll Goalkeeper
Ona Batlle Defender
Olga Carmona Defender
Laia Codina Defender
Irene Paredes Defender
Teresa Abelleira Midfielder
Aitana Bonmatí Midfielder
Jennifer Hermoso Midfielder
Mariona Caldentey Forward
Salma Paralluelo Forward
Alba Redondo Forward

Substitutions:

Oihane Hernández for Alba Redondo 60
Ivana Andrés  for Laia Codina 73
Alexia Putellas for Mariona Caldentey 90

Cards:

Salma Paralluelo 78 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez
Goalkeeper Enith Salón
Defender Ivana Andrés 
Defender Rocío Gálvez
Defender Oihane Hernández
Midfielder Irene Guerrero
Midfielder María Pérez
Midfielder Alexia Putellas
Midfielder Claudia Zornoza
Forward Athenea del Castillo
Forward Esther González
Forward Eva Navarro

Comments:

Spain became the fifth nation to win the FIFA Women's World Cup. . Their best previous perfomance was the Round of 16 in 2019. . They became the competition's second winners to lose a game during the group stage of the tournament. . Spain (Women) were now the current World champions at senior, Under-20 and Under-17 levels.