Spain wins 2023 World Cup with 1-0 win over England

Here’s England star Millie Bright on television after the game:

• “It’s hard. It’s football. They are a fantastic team. We had chances, hit the bar. Congrats to them but this is the hard part of football.”
• “Against a team like [Spain], you can’t let them get that momentum.”
• “It’s hard to take but it’s football. Emotions are high. Huge amount of disappointment.”
• "[Making the final is] massive, we had a solid tournament. We bounced back. We’ve been through numerous challenges this tournament on and off the pitch. To be able to stand here today and say we played in front of this incredible crowd in the final is a proud moment.”

It took 90 minutes and 13 more of stoppage time, but we know our first-time champion, as Olga’s goal holds up to lift Spain to the 2023 World Cup.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps did well to keep the Lionesses in it until the final whistle, saving Jennifer Hermoso’s penalty amongst four stops and five recoveries, but La Roja was the better team on the night.

Mariona Caldentey assisted the goal and may well be your Player of the Match, but it could be any number of Spanish players. This was well-earned and an eyebrow-raising performance given the tumultuous year for the program.

There’s a yellow card for Salma Paralluelo for contact to the head of England superstar Alex Greenwood.

The England center back is bleeding and requires a head bandage and a new pair of shorts.

There’s a long delay here, which will affect stoppage time, but Greenwood will continue into the final stages of this World Cup Final.

Spain, 1-0.

England has finally re-found its footing and it’s Lauren James forcing a leaping save out of Catalina Coll to win a corner.

Spain deals with the initial ball and an ensuing opportunity and is off the other way.

How big will that save look in 15 minutes? Spain still leads 1-0.

Caldentey is again in the 18 and skipping past Keira Walsh. It comes to nothing, or does it?

Walsh handled the ball, and American referee Tori Penso is called over to the screen.

After a long review, she announces the penalty to the crowd.

Mary Earps will face Spanish legend Jennifer Hermoso... and she goes low to her right to corral the penalty!

Not a great pen, but a terrific save.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps has to fly to her left.

The Manchester United star gets a hand on Caldentey’s shot before it can bend inside the post, tipping it wide for a Spain corner.

Spain remains in firm control of this match but the one-goal lead isn’t a loud one.

Sarina Wiegman makes two moves at the break in an attempt to shake Spain’s hold of the game.

Lauren James, as predicted, enters the fray as does Chloe Kelly.

Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly are out.

The Lionesses have 45 minutes to rectify the one-goal deficit.

World Cup Final nerves have been on display at times but Spain’s lead is deserved.

La Roja have 62 percent possession and three of the game’s four most dangerous chances. How different would this look had Lauren Hemp’s solid effort not clobbered the cross bar?

Olga’s goal was a beauty and the set-up just as good.

England needs to find cutting edge, and fast. The easy prediction is to plug in Lauren James, who didn’t start after a two-game suspension but had been perhaps the tournament’s best forward prior to her undisciplined stamp.

Spain is in front!

Lucy Bronze dribbles into a sea of defenders and it’s Teresa Abelleira who comes away with the ball.

The Real Madrid star hits an incredible diagonal ball to Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey on the left, who feeds captain Olga.

It’s a low, left-footed drive across the goal and Mary Earps’ dive can’t stop the ball from sliding inside the far post.

1-0, Spain. And it’s a goal fit for a World Cup.

The early stages have been kinder to Spain, who looks so comfortable moving the ball forward, but there have just been two huge dangerous moments.

Lauren Hemp takes a pass from Rachel Daly and unloads from 20 yards, beating Spain keeper Cata Coll but rattling the crossbar.

At the other end, Spain’s quick interplay gets the ball into the six but Mary Earps is able to deny Salma Paralluelo.

We are underway in a packed Stadium Australia in Sydney. This is it.

Soon we will have a new Women’s World Cup champion: Spain or England?

England have looked to go direct early on with Lauren Hemp having the first shot on goal, while Spain are trying to keep the ball and find gaps to edge forward.

The big news in the Spanish starting lineup is that Salma Paralluelo starts.

The teenager, just 19, scored in both the quarterfinal and semifinal after coming off the bench and her pace and direct running could force England to drop deeper.

Sarina Wiegman has gone with the same 3-5-2 lineup which has fared England so well for most of the tournament and they are unchanged from the semifinal win against Australia.

Lauren James is back from suspension and will be a great option off the bench.

England went 3-0 in the group stage but left many wanting more after 1-0 defeats of Denmark and Haiti and a blowout of China.

A penalty win over Nigeria was followed by a 2-1 decision versus Colombia, and the Lionesses overcame hosts Australia with a 3-1 semifinal win.

Chelsea’s Lauren James is third in the tournament for goal contributions despite missing two matches with a red card suspension, while Man City’s Alex Greenwood ranks among the World Cup leaders in passing and created chances.

England has spread the goals around as Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo join James with three goals over England’s six games.

Spain faced big questions coming out of a relatively-weak World Cup group after smashing Costa Rica and Zambia but getting clobbered 4-0 by Japan.

But Spain then clocked Sweden 5-1 before showing close-game mettle in outlasting impressive Netherlands and Sweden to reach the final.

Teresa Abelleira leads the tournament in created chances, her 23 pacing the tournament by nine, and she’s one of three Spain players in the tournament’s top seven for accurate passes per 90 minutes (Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle).