Spain wins the women’s World Cup and arrives as a women’s soccer superpower

SYDNEY, Australia — The script seemed written, at least according to the waves of English fans and media that swelled within Stadium Australia on Sunday.

The women’s World Cup was coming home, as England likes to call itself, just as the European Championship did last year. Even if the nation had never won a women’s World Cup before — or any women’s title before last summer. Nor have the senior men won anything since 1966.

But Spain did not care for the script, the fans, or anything else clad in red-and-white crosses. It only cared to show that its years of growth in women’s soccer deserved to pay off with a title.

And pay off it did, in thrilling fashion. Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute goal and a game full of tremendous tenacity delivered La Roja a 1-0 win, and delivered the country the biggest prize in women’s soccer.

Carmona’s goal started with a dazzling charge upfield from her spot at left back. After Spain forced a turnover with high pressing at midfield, Teresa Abelleira hit a cross-field pass to Mariona Caldentey. Carmona made her overlapping run, Caldentey laid the ball ahead, and Carmona fired in stride low to the far post.

» READ MORE: Spain’s brilliant rise to the World Cup final is clouded by players protesting the manager

It might have been the game’s second goal instead of the first had Lauren Hemp not smashed the front of the crossbar in the 16th minute. And Spain would have led, 2-0, at halftime had Salma Paralluelo not struck an open post with a quick hit from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time.

England manager Sarina Wiegman responded to the threat with a double-substitution at halftime, sending in Lauren James for Alessia Russo on the front line and forward Chloe Kelly for wingback Rachel Daly. The latter move shifted England from the 3-5-2 it started in to a 4-3-3, with James, Hemp, and Kelly from left to right up top and Lucy Bronze dropping to the back line.

The moves made England better, but Spain kept coming. Caldentey forced a brilliant full-stretch save from Mary Earps in the 50th with a 19-yard curling bouncer, and Aitana Bonmatí didn’t miss by much in the 61st with a 20-yard blast over the crossbar.

Spain’s best chance for a second goal came in the 68th, when American referee Tori Penso gave a penalty kick for a Keira Walsh handball after a long video review. England’s fans were loudly upset. But they were loudly happy when Earps saved Jenni Hermoso’s attempt, and fairly easily as these things go — especially given the pressure of a World Cup final.

» READ MORE: How America helped build England’s rising women’s soccer powerhouse

Now England had all the momentum. But Spain did not buckle, with Catalina Coll making a fantastic leaping save on James from close range in the 75th.

The stoppage time was a whopping 13 minutes. Though FIFA has drawn criticism for having extended stoppage times at this World Cup and the men’s tournament last fall, the penalty kick and an injury to England’s Alex Greenwood made it less surprising this time.

“We were ourselves in every moment,” Abelleira said. “We knew how to play in every moment. We were a mature team that played with heart and soul and in the final. We left everything on the field.”

“¡Si, se puede!” the Spanish fans behind their bench chanted — yes, we can! — as the minutes ticked away. A hearty “Es-pa-ña!” after that had assists from American and Australian fans in the crowd who didn’t want England to win.

“I think we’re still somewhat unaware of what we’ve accomplished,” Hermoso said after she and her teammates partied on the field. “It’s so easy to say we’re champions of the world compared to what it took to happen.”

» READ MORE: The USWNT’s long era of success is over, but a new one could be on the horizon

Those words will come as no surprise to fans who had conflicting allegiances. They wanted to cheer Spain’s brilliance on the field, but its manager Jorge Vilda has a terrible reputation. Fifteen of Spain’s top players revolted against him last year, and 12 of them were omitted from the World Cup team.

“All those who have ever been part of the team at any point have to feel part of this star,” Hermoso said, and her jersey sported that champion’s symbol as she spoke. “Each one made their choice — I think they made the ones that were best for them. I would have loved to celebrate with Lola Gallardo; I miss her a lot. But still, I hope they can share in all this.”

Vilda was booed most of the times he was shown on the stadium big screens, and again when he received his winner’s medal.

He was as defiant as ever afterward, saying, “If all of this were necessary to be world champions, then it’s valid. It’s been difficult at a personal level and management level, but at a sporting level we’ve achieved results that we’ve never achieved before.”

The Spanish soccer federation also had its say on social media with a post that said “VILDA IN,” with a picture of him kissing the World Cup trophy. It was a clapback at fans who made “#VildaOut” a popular campaign.

But the players played the game, not him. Their brilliance on the ball and tenacity off it won the title, as Spain’s under-20 women’s team did at that age group’s World Cup last fall. Spain’s under-17 team also is the two-time reigning champion at that age.

“All the little girls should feel this is a great time to be a player,” Hermoso said. “I hope we’ve inspired them. We’ve broken barriers. We’ve opened doors without keys, and it’s amazing.”

Ideally, that’s what the history books will remember most.

Staff writer Andrea Canales contributed to this report.

Your subscription powers our newsroom and journalism like this. Support our work by visiting inquirer.com/tannenwald and receive unlimited access to Inquirer.com, The Inquirer App, and e-Edition at a special price: $1 for three months.