The heartbreak will take some getting over; the sunken forms of the players at the full-time whistle said as much. Sarina Wiegman had urged her European champions to play the game of their lives in the World Cup final. They did, they battled relentlessly, but against a mesmeric Spain the game of England’s lives was not enough to put a first star on the shirt.
Instead, a Spain side who dominate the ball with fluid, efficient beauty will have a first stitched above their crest. A Spain side riddled with controversy and divisions still prevailed, the left-back Olga Carmona’s first-half strike the difference, because their brand of football just cannot be stopped.
“Thank you for believing in us,” said a distraught Millie Bright to the fans that have followed them on this journey and watched them fall short at the final hurdle against a team that were simply better. “I hope you have enjoyed the ride. It’s been amazing. It’s hard to see it end like that. It’s been incredible. We’ve had an opportunity and we’ve gained a medal that not many other players have got.”
In time the Lionesses may be able to look back at the silver medal with some pride in what they have achieved against the odds (the bronze medal in 2015 was a key moment in the development of the team). Not Lucy Bronze though. “I am proud of what the girls have achieved, what we have achieved, but everybody that knows me knows that I only like gold medals,” she said.
Wiegman, who has now lost two games in major tournaments, back-to-back World Cup finals, stuck with the XI that had earned a 3-1 victory over the co-hosts Australia. Ella Toone kept her place in the No 10 role, with the manager declining the opportunity to return Lauren James to the starting lineup after her two-game suspension for stepping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie. It was a risk in a game where England would not see much of the ball, their player with the best close control not on the pitch on the biggest of occasions.
After Spain became the fifth nation to win the Women's World Cup, the individual awards were handed out for the 2023 tournament, with Japan's Hinata Miyazawa the top scorer and Spain's Aitana Bonmatí winning the award for best player.
Golden Boot: Hinata Miyazawa (Japan) - five goals, one assist
Silver Boot: Kadidatou Diani (France) - four goals, one assist
Bronze Boot: Alexandra Popp (Germany) – four goals
Golden Ball: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain)
Silver Ball: Jennifer Hermoso (Spain)
Bronze Ball: Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)
Golden Glove: Mary Earps (England)
Best Young Player: Salma Paralluelo (Spain)
Fair Play Award: Japan
Women's World Cup winners
1991 USA (beat Norway 2-1)
1995 Norway (beat Germany 2-0)
1999 USA (beat China 5-4 on pens)
2003 Germany (beat Sweden 2-1 aet)
2007 Germany (beat Brazil 2-0)
2011 Japan (beat USA 3-1 on pens)
2015 USA (beat Japan 5-2)
2019 USA (beat Netherlands 2-0)
2023 Spain (beat England 1-0)
For the maligned Spain manager, Jorge Vilda, there was one change to the team that beat Sweden 2-1 to progress to a first final. The Ballon d’Or holder, Alexia Putellas, who is being used sparingly on her return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained just before the Euros, dropped to the bench in favour of the 19-year-old Barcelona forward Salma Paralluelo, who would be named young player of the tournament.
This was always going to be a difficult test of England’s resilience: how long could they withstand the pressure of Spain’s possession-heavy play? The Lionesses like to dominate but are no match for Spanish players who have a style so deeply embedded in them it is like muscle memory. England had only 36% possession in the opening half and when they did have the ball Spain’s press was relentless, forcing errors from Wiegman’s charges, who just could not release the ball fast enough.
England had chances, with Alessia Russo’s stumbling flick-on to Lauren Hemp allowing the forward to get a shot away that lacked power and was straight at the 22-year-old goalkeeper Catalina Coll early on. Hemp got another gilt-edged chance 16 minutes in, lashing a shot off the bar. Spain broke, though, with a cross from the left missed by Paralluelo, who was a thorn in England’s side from the off, but smacked goalward by Alba Redondo, who forced a smart stop from Mary Earps.
Spain’s goal was coming and a lapse in composure from England’s most experienced head proved costly. Bronze drove infield but was dispossessed centrally, Spain pounced on the out-of-position wing-back, Ona Batlle pinging the ball into the space vacated by Bronze, and Mariona Caldentey met it, played in Carmona on the overlap and the left-back stroked it past the diving hand of Earps into the far corner.
The Lionesses pushed for the equaliser before the close of the half, with Toone missing Russo’s through ball but flagged offside to spare her blushes. A parting warning shot at the end of the half came from Paralluelo, who clipped a long-range effort off the outside of a post.
Wiegman had seen enough, Rachel Daly and Russo making way for Chloe Kelly and James at half-time with a switch out of the 3-5-2 that had proved so effective from the 6-1 defeat of China onwards. Jess Carter moved from the middle to left-back, with James ahead of her in the 4-3-3.
Kelly was England’s outlet early in the second half and her whipped cross from the right towards Hemp was powered wide by Batlle, who just got there first.
In the 64th minute Walsh conceded a penalty, her outstretched hand brushing the ball as she competed with Caldentey for it. Earps, though, so hugely important for England in this tournament, went the right way for Jenni Hermoso’s low spot-kick, grasping the ball and keeping England’s dreams alive.
The save roared the England-heavy 75,784-strong crowd to life and James went close not long after, overlapping on Hemp before forcing Coll to tip over. There was a hopefulness to England’s play, but with Russo off they lacked a focal point to their attack and each drive forward made the risk of being caught on the counter grow painfully.
There was a lengthy stoppage after Greenwood, who had the most touches, chances created and passes of anyone in the tournament, took a heavy blow to the forehead from Paralluelo’s knee, the Spaniard being booked.
England pushed but Spain were ruthlessly organised, the masters of control and dark arts at the close, slowing the game into a stop-start mess that prevented the Lionesses from getting any rhythm.
The future is bright for England despite defeat. The absence of injured players prompted expectations to drop before the World Cup. A final was beyond many people’s wildest dreams. Terrifyingly, Spain will be back stronger, too; their off-field woes will surely be resolved eventually despite the success under Vilda’s divisive leadership. Spain dominated despite him – imagine what they could look like unified.
