Spain’s FIFA Women’s World Cup team won its first senior major global title Sunday. Spain joins Germany as the only nations to have won both the men’s and women’s titles. The team, known as “La Roja,” celebrated a 1-0 victory over England in the month-long tournament.
The victory made Spain the first team to hold the under-17, under-20, and senior women’s world titles at the same time.
Olga Carmona scored in the first half of the final. Her triumph was tinged with sadness after learning of her father’s death.
“We’ve suffered a lot throughout the past 12 months, but I think everything has a reason . . . This has made us a stronger team,” Carmona said soon after the game. “And it’s really incredible.”
Carmona was likely referring to a near-mutiny by players last year. Fifteen players said they were stepping away from the national team for their mental health. They also called for a more professional environment and better treatment by Coach Jorge Vilda. That controversy is ongoing.
Three of the 15 players reconciled with the federation and were at the World Cup.
England was coming off a 3-1 victory over host Australia in the semifinal. The Lionesses were trying to bring a World Cup back to England for the first time since the men won it in 1966.
“At first you feel like you failed with not winning,” England team captain Millie Bright says. “I think in a couple of weeks [when] it settles, [we] will be really, really proud.”
In an open game featuring multiple opportunities to score goals for both teams, Carmona’s left-foot strike in the 29th minute was the only goal. Carmona had also scored the game-winner in the 89th minute of Spain’s 2-1 semifinal victory over Sweden.
At the final whistle, the Spanish players piled on each other in front of their goal. They danced on the glitter-strewn field before and after the trophy presentations.
Spain’s team strengthened over the course of the tournament. After a 4-0 loss to Japan in the group stage, Spain replaced Misa Rodriguez with Cata Coll in goal. The players rebounded and trounced Switzerland 5-1 in the knockout round.
England had momentum going into the tournament after winning the UEFA European Women’s Championship, but three of the team’s best players—captain Leah Williamson, Fran Kirby, and Beth Mead—had knee injuries that kept them off the World Cup squad.
One of England’s best opportunities against La Roja was in the 16th minute. But Lauren Hemp blasted a shot off the crossbar.
Despite allowing one goal in the final, England’s Mary Earps won the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper.
Nearly 76,000 fans attended the final at Stadium Australia. Overall World Cup attendance broke a record with more than 1.975 million fans.
“We felt that this team had something special,” game-winning scorer Carmona reflected. Whether she knew it or not, her words echoed the idea of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. “We’ve been fighting until the end,” Carmona said of the team’s World Cup effort. “We never stopped.”
Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. — Galatians 6:9
