Spain won their first-ever World Cup title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over England, marking by far their most successful run at the tournament.

Spain made their World Cup debut in 2015, sputtering to a single point while finishing at the bottom of their group. In 2019, they advanced out of the group stage, only to lose a hotly contested matchup against the U.S. women’s national team, the eventual champions, and showing great promise for the future.

Since then, Spain has developed one of the most elite pipelines of talent through the country’s youth development system and top domestic clubs. They have won the last two iterations of the U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022, as well as the U-20 World Cup in 2022. FC Barcelona, a club from which much of the Spanish first team is drawn, has won the UEFA Champions League twice out of the last three seasons. Barcelona also dominates the Primera División, Spain’s domestic women’s football league, despite the ongoing rise of Real Madrid.

All of these ambitions are perhaps best represented by Salma Paralluelo, the 19-year-old Barcelona winger who provided the spark in the knockout rounds to lift Spain to the final. Paralluelo was a part of both the U-20 World Cup-winning side and one of the U-17 World Cup-winning teams. She came off the bench in Australia to unlock a new level for a Spanish side that historically hasn’t always been able to capitalize on its style of play. And on Sunday, she started and played the entire game, creating multiple scoring chances and wearing down England’s defense with her speed.

SHE'S A TEENAGER, SHE'S A JOY TO WATCH, SHE'S A PHENOMENON, SHE'S SALMA PARALLUELO 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/DO8bUdT8qD

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 15, 2023

Paralluelo scored the game-winner against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals and the opener in Spain’s semifinal against Sweden. In the final, 23-year-old Spain captain Olga Carmona scored what ended up being the game-winner in the 29th minute.

Those performances should symbolize the pinnacle of a European power seeing its investment at both the youth and club level paying off on the biggest stage. But instead, there’s piling evidence that Spain’s players feel they must succeed in spite of head coach Jorge Vilda and the Spanish federation, rather than as a unified team empowered by those around them.

A goal that Olga Carmona will never forget 👏👏

Spain takes the lead in the first half of the Final 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/NiMRCF0qX4

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 20, 2023

They join a long history of women’s soccer teams galvanized by adverse forces around them, presenting a harsh reality about what their success might mean for the sport in Spain going forward.

In September 2022, 15 players of the Spanish first team sent letters to RFEF, Spain’s football federation. In similarly worded messages, each player asked not to be selected for the team’s upcoming October friendlies, saying that conditions in their international environment had compromised their physical and emotional health. Until those issues were resolved, they said they would not represent Spain at the senior level.

RFEF responded with a scathing rebuttal, saying they would not “allow any kind of pressure from players” in the context of sporting or staffing decisions. The federation demanded apologies before allowing any of what came to be known as “Las 15” to return to the team. A number of those players were from FC Barcelona, including Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldantey, who have since returned to their international side. Spanish superstar Alexia Putellas was not a member of “Las 15,” though she joined the chorus of players who took issue with the federation’s response. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner was also injured and unavailable for selection at the time.

From the outside, what happened next appeared to be a splintering of the larger group in protest. With the World Cup on the horizon, players like Bonmati and Caldantey returned to the fold, and Putellas returned from injury without any official comment on her stance. But Barcelona standouts Mapi Leon, Patri Guijarro and Claudia Pina stuck to their principles and withdrew their names from World Cup roster selection. Going into the tournament, Spain had two roads in front of them, and the nuances of knockout soccer have allowed them to advance despite those glaring absences.

Through it all, Vilda has remained in charge, though glimpses into team interactions indicate he’s still not a popular figure in Spain camp. He searched for a friendly handshake from players to no avail on the television broadcast after the team’s win over the Netherlands, and Putellas refused handshakes from the entire Spain coaching staff after being subbed off against Sweden.

Passen d’ell, senzillament…🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/Zug0Uh8CB9

— Xavier 🇨🇦 (@barrademig) August 11, 2023

It’s impossible to tell how much impact Vilda’s coaching has had on Spain’s success throughout the tournament, but the players have seemed to persevere beyond actual game tactics by finding ways to win late in matches. In the semifinal, that came in the form of two goals in nine minutes to overcome a Sweden equalizer and close out the win in regulation. In the final, Spain dominated possession for most of the game and had chances to extend their lead, including a Jenni Hermoso penalty kick in the 69th minute that England goalkeeper Mary Earps saved.

So, what is there to make of Spain’s ascension to World Cup glory for the first time?

USWNT forward Christen Press said while co-hosting the RE-CAP show that she hopes a win would give players leverage to argue their case more fervently with RFEF. Others fear that the success will give Vilda a cover to continue on as manager, despite the stress his presence places on those same players. The concern is justified, as federation president Luis Rubiales reportedly said of “Las 15” after Spain’s semifinal win, “We have forgotten those who have resentment and who do not add up, who are few.”

What is certain is that not even the ultimate victory is likely to alter the course of Spain’s future, with players once again having to make the best decisions for themselves after the confetti falls. It’s a sad reward for athletes who should be shining examples of progress, rather than new examples of forcing those in power to listen to athletes in women’s sports.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan will miss at least one week of NWSL action after suffering a left ankle knock in her last club appearance, Wave manager Casey Stoney said on Thursday.

Morgan was helped off the field after rolling her ankle in the later stages of the Wave’s 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride last weekend, despite the San Diego side being out of available substitutes.

“She's got an ankle injury and she's out for this weekend, and then it'll be week by week from there,” Stoney said, confirming that Morgan’s been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown with NWSL newcomer Bay FC.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Depending on its severity, Morgan’s ankle issue might have larger ramifications than missing a few weeks of NSWL play. Morgan was added to the team's Gold Cup roster after an ACL injury sidelined young striker Mia Fishel, and she's since made a number of USWNT starts in the team's Gold Cup and SheBelieves wins. A long-term injury could potentially derail the center forward’s Olympic plans.

With her return timeline uncertain, it's possible the injury could also impact Morgan's ability to participate in new head coach Emma Hayes' first U.S. friendlies in June and July.

Morgan's injury concerns aren't uncommon in the U.S. player pool, but add a sense of urgency as Hayes eyes the NWSL for top-performing players in the upcoming weeks. Gotham's Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle have also been dealing with injuries: Lavelle has yet to appear for Gotham, while Davidson exited last weekend's match early with a hamstring injury.

Gotham has yet to issue an update concerning Davidson's status.

This week, legendary Brazilian superstar Marta announced that she’ll retire from the national team at the end of 2024.

In an interview with CNN Esportes published Thursday, the iconic footballer confirmed that she would be hanging up her boots regardless of whether or not she ends up making Brazil's 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” she said. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

Marta will retire as a giant of the women's game, having appeared in five Olympics and multiple World Cups. When discussing her retirement, she stressed confidence in the rising generation of Brazilian players, noting that she was, “very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." 

The statement echoes back to a plea she made during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after Brazil lost to France 2-1 in the Round of 16. “It's wanting more. It's training more. It's taking care of yourself more. It's being ready to play 90 plus 30 minutes. This is what I ask of the girls,” she said then, addressing the young players following in her footsteps. 

In 2023, she signaled a farewell to World Cup competition with the same sentiment, telling media, “We ask the new generation to continue where we left off.”

If selected for the 2024 Olympic team, Marta has a shot at extending her own consecutive-scoring record with the ability to score in an unbelievable sixth-straight Olympic Games. She currently stands as Brazil’s top goalscorer, racking up 116 career goals in 175 matches, as well as the leading goalscorer in any World Cup, women’s or men’s, with 17 to her name. 

Marta will continue to play for the NWSL’s Orlando Pride through at least the end of 2024. The longtime forward and club captain has already contributed to multiple goals this season.

U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that the USWNT will play their last home game on July 16th in the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

The 2024 Send-Off Match against Costa Rica will take place at Washington, DC’s Audi Field — home to both the Washington Spirit and DC United — at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 16th. The friendly rounds out a four-game Olympic run-up campaign under incoming head coach Emma Hayes’ side, with the last two set to feature the finalized 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team roster.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Hayes will appear on the USWNT sideline for the first time this June, helming the team as they embark on a two-game series against Korea Republic hosted by Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1st followed by Allianz Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 4th. 

The team is then scheduled to meet a talented Mexico squad on July 13th at Gotham FC’s Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, where the Olympic-bound lineup will attempt to rewrite February’s shocking 2-0 loss to El Tri Femenil in the group stages of this year’s Concacaf W Gold Cup. And while clear roster favorites have emerged from both of this year’s Gold Cup and SheBelives Cup rosters, a spate of recent and recurring injuries means making it to the Olympics is still largely anyone’s game.

Broadcast and streaming channels for the USWNT's final July 16th friendly at Audi Field include TNT, truTV, Universo, Max, and Peacock.

The USA Basketball Women's National Team is still considering Caitlin Clark for a spot on the Paris Olympics squad, says selection committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti. 

On Monday, Rizzotti told the AP that the committee will be evaluating the college phenom’s Olympic prospects by keeping a close eye on her first few weeks of WNBA play with Indiana.

The move is somewhat unconventional. While Clark was invited to participate in the 14-player national team training camp held earlier this month — the last camp before Team USA’s roster drops — she was unable to attend due to it coinciding with Iowa’s trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Judging by the immense talent spread throughout the league in what might be their most hyped season to date, competition for a piece of the Olympic pie could be fiercer than ever before.

"You always want to introduce new players into the pool whether it's for now or the future," said Rizzotti. "We stick to our principles of talent, obviously, positional fit, loyalty and experience. It's got to be a combination of an entire body of work. It's still not going to be fair to some people."

Of course, Clark isn’t the first rookie the committee has made exceptions for. Coming off an exceptional college season that saw her averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for UConn, Breanna Stewart was tapped to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil less than two weeks after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Seattle Storm. Eight years prior, fellow No. 1 pick Candace Parker punched her ticket to the 2008 Games in Beijing just two weeks after making her first appearance for the L.A. Sparks.

In the lead-up to Paris’ Opening Ceremony on July 26th, USA Basketball Women’s National Team is scheduled to play a pair of exhibition games. They'll first go up against the WNBA's finest at the July 20th WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix before facing Germany in London on July 23rd.

While an official roster announcement date hasn’t yet been issued, players won’t find out if they’ve made this year’s Olympic cut until at least June 1st.