Keira Walsh believes England’s experience of winning Euro 2022 gives them an edge over Spain on Sunday.
The Lionesses have reached their first Women’s World Cup final after beating co-hosts Australia 3-1 on Wednesday. Opponents Spain will be playing in their first major final, and Walsh thinks that could be a decisive factor.
England beat Spain in the quarter-finals on their way to Euros glory last summer, and midfielder Walsh said: “Spain are a great team. They have got some world-class players, but we are looking forward to it. It’s a challenge we have faced before and, hopefully, it will be a good game on Sunday. We have full respect for Spain, they are an unbelievable team.
“Obviously, both of us are going to be trying to keep the ball but, ultimately, I think it just comes down to the day, we’ve got the experience of being in a final before and a little bit of fight, a little bit of competitiveness.
“We have gone behind and come back [in the quarter-final against Colombia]. All those things add up. I think this group is really excited about where we can go.”
Walsh plays for Barcelona and knows many of the Spanish players. Spain have made it to the final despite off-field issues, with 15 players going on strike last September due to grievances with the national set-up and head coach Jorge Vilda.
Three of those 15 have returned, including Walsh’s Barcelona team-mate Aitana Bonmati, and the England star is not shocked they have made the final, despite the turmoil.
“I see those girls every day and how competitive they are,” she said. “I think it shows the professionalism for them to kind of park it and do the job they have done and get to a World Cup final.”
Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman is set to speak to Walsh and her Barcelona team-mate Lucy Bronze to pick their brains about the Spanish team. Eight Barca players who won the Champions League in June are in the Spain squad and Walsh knows that stopping them will not be easy.
“The girls know about me and Lucy, so it works both ways,” she said. “The Barca girls are unbelievable players and I am sure, whatever I say, they will probably come up with something different, because they are very special players. But we have got full belief in ourselves and what we can do.”
England have made the final despite being without captain Leah Williamson, playmaker Fran Kirby and Euros top scorer Beth Mead, who have all missed the tournament due to injury.
Walsh believes Sunday’s final will be “bittersweet” for the trio, but says the squad want to win it for them. They would want nothing more than to be here,” she said. “It is probably a bit bittersweet. They want us to win and we would want them to be here as well.
“They have been really supportive and have messaged after every game. For us, hopefully we can get the job done on Sunday and make them proud of us.”
