Twitter reacts as Spain beat England to claim first Women’s World Cup title

At this point, everyone knows the story of England at World Cups.

So often a source of heartbreak and pain for a sporting public crying out for success on the biggest stage, dreams of glory at football’s global tournaments have been vanquished and replaced by nightmares filled with penalty shootout misery and petulant red cards, often accompanied by some haphazard goalkeeping.

That wasn’t quite the story this time around, however, though there were similarities here and there.

England’s Lionesses were already champions heading into the 2023 Women’s World Cup thanks to their success at the Euros last summer but their preparations for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand were hit with sizeable debris at every inopportune moment.

Captain Leah Williamson, star forward Beth Mead and attacker Fran Kirby were ruled out before the competition kicked off with injuries. Keira Walsh suffered a knee problem against Denmark that threatened her future involvement and Lauren James was suspended for two games for a stamp on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie.

Even so, England went through the group stage with a perfect record – even if the Haiti game produced a performance nowhere near faultless – held their nerve on penalties against Nigeria and proved too strong for both Colombia and co-hosts Australia in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.

The final step proved just one too far. The Lionesses’ couldn’t cook in the final against Spain like they had throughout the tournament as opposition captain Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute strike proved the winner. Having beaten the same team at Euro 2022, England came up against an inspired Spanish midfield in Aitana Bonmati, Teresa Abelleira and Jennifer Hermoso and the big chance to equalise just never came for Sarina Wiegman’s side.

But, like the whole world has seen in previous battling performances, England gave themselves every chance with another heroic effort at Stadium Australia.

They so nearly went ahead through Lauren Hemp, but her curled strike came back off the bar before Mary Earps made her first vital contribution, somehow denying Alba Redondo when it seemed easier to score.

Carmona put Spain ahead in rather cruel fashion from an England perspective as a costly Lucy Bronze error resulted in the only goal of the game.

The Barcelona right-back dribbled into midfield and lost possession, throwing her arms up in frustration while striker Alessia Russo tried to cover her, and Spain soon made inroads down that flank. A switch found Mariona Caldentey to feed Carmona, who slammed past Earps.

Spain hit the post again before half-time through Salma Paralluelo with England second-best for most of the first half. It was then Earps again who kept the scoreline to 1-0 in denying Caldentey. Hemp had arguably her side’s most presentable chance, firing just wide from Chloe Kelly’s excellent cross.

There were fears the Lionesses’ comeback dreams would be squashed in the second half when a painstaking VAR conference resulted in the awarding of a penalty for Spain.

Hermoso was the victim of some Bronze dark arts immediately before the spot-kick and blinked in front of Earps. The Manchester United stopper sprang to her left and comfortably held Hermoso’s shot, celebrating with typical flair.

She almost certainly screamed “F*** off” in full view of the cameras, too.

Earps picked up the Golden Glove for her incredible efforts throughout the tournament.

Lauren James had been introduced at half-time as Wiegman searched for a route back into the game and the Chelsea forward forced a sharp save from Catalina Coll, but despite the pressing need for an equaliser Spain always looked more capable of scoring on the counter attack.

La Roja eventually saw out the 13 minutes of second-half stoppage time to secure their first ever Women’s World Cup title, a triumph few could have predicted with such fallout and controversy surrounding head coach Jorge Vilda after a major dispute with key players in the squad last year.

For England, there is more than enough talent to be optimistic of going one better at the next World Cup in 2027.

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