When Spain started training for the World Cup two months ago, we could see some of the players were cold to each other.
There was division within the Barcelona players, as for example the likes of Laia Codina and Salma Paralluelo decided to go with the national team and others did not. Then there was tension between players from Barcelona and Real Madrid.
But now they share the same goal of winning this World Cup, and it has united them. Perhaps there is a distance with head coach Jorge Vilda, but the players are all together.
I can see that some players do not trust Vilda (some of them protested against him in 2022), but they are professional and try to not talk about the off-field issues.
They make it seem everything is normal and, when you watch the training sessions and celebrations, you can see they are sticking together as a whole team with the coach.
Everyone back in Spain is super excited for Sunday’s final. When the World Cup started, people were following the team, but now they are hooked.
Many cities around the country are showing the final on big screens in squares, so everyone can watch the game together.
The public have differing opinions on Vilda, as there are many people in Spain who do not usually follow the women’s national team. Many do not fully understand what happened.
They only know that the players were against the coach, and they say, ‘He is not that bad a coach if we are in the final’. But then there are others who say, ‘We are only in the final because we have some of the best players in the world’.
Whatever happens against England, I think Vilda will stay on, because when everything was going on last September (when open revolt in the squad led to 15 players demanding his removal as coach over complaints about the team’s culture and support system) he stayed.
I think reaching the final gives reasons for the president of the Spanish federation to keep him. The only thing is if Vilda personally decides to go after winning the World Cup, but I think he will stay, because he wants to play the Nations League and the Olympics. The Olympics is his dream.
The players are not as divided as they used to be on this, even if the likes of Mapi Leon and Patricia Guijarro are not here.
Both were in their best moments ahead of this World Cup, after winning the Champions League with Barcelona. By not playing at the World Cup, they are missing out on the economic benefits of it, like sponsorship. They know what the consequences are, but feel like their values are more important.
Of the players who are here, England need to look out for Aitana Bonmati. She is the best Spanish player right now and one of the very best in the world, if not the best.
Paralluelo has had a brilliant World Cup, too. You saw what she did against the Netherlands and Sweden. She is really quick and can score goals.
Paralluelo had a really good season for Barcelona, but in some important games she showed she still has room to improve. She is only 19 and nobody expected her to be this good on a stage as big as the World Cup.
When the World Cup started, people in Spain were following the team, but now they are hooked
In defence, Irene Paredes has been great. She has gone through a lot during her career. She was in the national team when nobody believed in them, and now she is finally playing in a World Cup Final. Paredes is like the captain, even if she does not wear the armband. People in Spain would prefer if we were playing Australia on Sunday!
We, of course, know England were one of the favourites to win this World Cup. We all have so much respect for Sarina Wiegman. We think she is one of the best coaches, if not the best, in the world. Maybe England are slight favourites, but the game feels 50-50.
