Spain beat England 1-0 to become Women’s World Cup champions

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Spain’s women’s football team lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time after beating England 1-0 in front of almost 76,000 fans in Sydney.

Olga Carmona, the Spanish captain and Real Madrid defender, scored the winner in the first half with a carefully placed finish across the goal after England’s Lucy Bronze had given away the ball in midfield.

La Roja have become the first European side to win the quadrennial tournament since Germany in 2007, making Spain one of only two nations to have won both the men’s and women’s World Cup — alongside Germany.

Spain were made to work for the victory, with England’s Mary Earps — winner of the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper — saving a second-half penalty from Jennifer Hermoso after the referee reviewed replays and punished Keira Walsh for a handball in the box.

Galvanised by the scare, England tried to seize momentum but could not break down the opposition’s defence.

Spain also frustrated England in more than 14 minutes of stoppage time with the match extended due to lengthy deliberations leading up to the penalty and a long injury break.

The win sparked raucous celebrations in stadiums, city squares and parks across Spain where screens were set up to show the final. In Madrid’s Wizink arena, people waved Spanish flags and pumped fists as they jumped up and down chanting “campeonas del mundo”, or world champions.

Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s acting prime minister, told the team on X, formerly Twitter: “You have made history. You are a source of pride. You are role models.”

In Sydney the team celebrated on the pitch by jumping and singing with the Queen of Spain and one of her daughters, while the royal household thanked players for “thrilling the whole of Spain”.

Hermoso, whose penalty was saved, said: “I can’t even explain how we feel. We played the way we wanted to play and we did it.”

Jorge Vilda, the Spanish coach who faced a revolt from players over his management last year and is still unpopular with some fans, said after the match: “We’ve shown that we know how to suffer, we’ve grown, we’re world champions.”

Spain put in an assured display, founded upon a dominant midfield led by player of the tournament Aitana Bonmatí, intricate passing and hard pressing to retrieve the ball when England won possession.

However, the Lionesses had been unlucky not to open the scoring when Lauren Hemp hit the bar in the first half. England coach Sarina Wiegman gathered her players in a huddle following the final whistle, showcasing the team’s unity.

“We showed our fight, we showed our character, we just didn’t have that edge today,” England captain Millie Bright said. “It’s hard to take — but it’s football.”

UK culture secretary Lucy Frazer, who congratulated Spain, said the Lionesses had “inspired millions across the country with glorious performances, moments of magic and relentless determination and desire”.

With a core of players from Uefa Champions League winners FC Barcelona, Spain’s victory caps a remarkable ascent for the national team over the past decade.

It is only the third time Spain has qualified for the World Cup. Before this year, the side had never progressed beyond the first round of the knockout stages.

England had defeated them on the way to winning Euro 2022 last year.

The new world champions, who were also the tournament’s top scorers with 18 goals, finished second behind Japan in their group, brushed aside Switzerland in a 5-1 win in the last 16, beat the Netherlands 2-1 after extra-time in the quarter-finals, and overcame Sweden to reach the final.

Spain’s progress had not electrified the country to the same extent as England’s. But its players have been hailed as pioneers by political leaders, drawing in new fans and changing some perceptions.

“They played really well. In my opinion they were deserved winners,” said Patricia Azcona, who watched the game in Pamplona. A big fan of the local men’s team Osasuna, she said she had not previously followed women’s football because of the standard of play.

“I hadn’t got into it because when I’d watched games they bored me, I didn’t like it compared to the men’s game,” she said. “But now you can see there’s been a progression, lots and lots of changes, a professionalisation. It’s become a kind of football I can enjoy.”