SYDNEY — Spain etched its name in history by securing its inaugural Women’s World Cup championship with a 1-0 victory over England on Sunday.
This triumph marked a significant milestone for La Roja, as they became the first team to simultaneously hold the under-17, under-20, and senior world titles.
Emerging as the victors, Spain now stands as the fifth nation to claim the Women’s World Cup title in nine editions, alongside Germany, the sole other country to have secured both the men’s and women’s tournament titles.
Notably, Spain’s men’s team clinched the championship in 2010, while their women’s team made it to the final in only their third appearance in the tournament.
The decisive moment arrived for Spain through a goal from Olga Carmona in the 29th minute. This marked Carmona’s consecutive goals in back-to-back World Cup matches, making her the seventh player in tournament history to score in both the semifinals and the final.
Spain, who weathered a near mutiny just last year when 15 players left the national team, displayed greater aggression in the final, asserting dominance throughout the game.
This loss for England, the reigning European champions, thwarted their hopes of bringing the coveted trophy back to their homeland for the first time since 1966 – the year England’s men’s team secured their sole World Cup victory.
For coach Sarina Wiegman, this marked her first defeat of the tournament, having assumed her role in late 2021 as the team’s inaugural non-British manager. The finale also marked Wiegman’s second consecutive loss in the championship match. Notably, she holds the distinction of being the only coach in the tournament’s history to lead two nations to the final; Wiegman previously coached the Netherlands when they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against the United States in 2019.
The grand finale ensured the emergence of a first-time Women’s World Cup victor, as neither Spain nor England had previously laid hands on the coveted trophy. (Source: Online/AI/MNM)