The Spain women’s national team played in its first Women’s World Cup in 2015. Eight years later, La Roja have won their first title.

Olga Carmona provided the lone goal of the game for either team in the 29th minute. The Real Madrid defender sent a low strike across the goalmouth and into the far corner past England goalkeeper Mary Earps. While Earps made several spectacular saves from that point to keep the Lionesses within striking distance, they never found the equalizer.

Spain played the entire tournament under the shadow of a dispute between players and the national federation. In September 2022, 15 players sent a letter to the Spanish federation calling out issues within the program, including with the coaching staff; just three of those players were selected to coach Jorge Vilda’s World Cup roster.

FINAL: Spain 1, England 0

La Roja win their first World Cup title and their first major international trophy, avenging their loss to England in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Euros.

90′: Alexia Putellas enters as substitute for Spain

The two-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner comes in from the bench for extra time, replacing Mariona Caldentey.

76′: England’s Lauren James comes close to equalizer

Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll leapt to get a hand on James’ shot from the left side, tipping the ball up and over the crossbar.

69′: England’s Mary Earps stops penalty kick

Spain received a penalty kick courtesy of a handball by England midfielder Keira Walsh, but Earps wrapped up Jenni Hermoso’s shot.

“I do my own research and I’m not going to reveal it here,” Earps told The Athletic earlier in the tournament. “It is a free shot from 12 yards so the striker should score every single time. My job is to make it as difficult as possible and give myself the best chance to save it. We definitely prepared for penalties.”

46′: England brings in Lauren James as substitute

England manager Sarina Wiegman brings on fresh legs, sending in James and Chloe Kelly in place of Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly. Spain sticks with its first-half lineup.

HALF: Spain 1, England 0

Spain dominated the first 45 minutes, controlling possession for 64% of the first half. While Hemp managed several chances for the Lionesses, La Roja used their speed and pinpoint passing to get behind the defense.

England’s come-from-behind win against Colombia in the quarterfinal round stands as the only come-from-behind win of the knockout stage. Can the Lionesses repeat that performance in the championship match?

29′: Spain takes 1-0 lead courtesy of Olga Carmona

Carmona scored the game-winner against Sweden in the semifinal, and she struck first in the World Cup final, giving her team a first-half lead over England.

The 23-year-old forward lifted her jersey in celebration to show a message penned in marker on her Adidas undershirt: “MERCHI,” a tribute to a good friend’s mother who recently passed away.

17′: Spain nearly scores on counterattack

A breakout start for La Roja at the 2023 World Cup, Salma Paralluelo had a look at the goal, but her shot missed wide right. Alba Redondo followed with a shot of her own, but England goalkeeper Mary Earps made the stop.

16′: England’s Lauren Hemp hits crossbar

The 23-year-old forward created another chance for the Lionesses, but the ball bounced off the crossbar.

5′: England’s Lauren Hemp notches first shot

Lauren Hemp, who has three goals in the tournament, sent the first shot of the match toward Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll, but Coll handled it easily.

Starting XI: Spain’s Alexia Putellas and England’s Lauren James start on bench

  • Spain
    • Goalkeeper: Cata Coll
    • Defenders: Olga Carmona, Laia Codina, Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle
    • Midfielders: Jenni Hermoso, Teresa Abelleira, Aitana Bonmatí
    • Forwards: Mariona Caldentey, Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo
  • England
    • Goalkeeper: Mary Earps
    • Defenders: Alex Greenwood, Millie Bright, Jessica Carter
    • Midfielders: Rachel Daly, Keira Walsh, Ella Toone, Georgia Stanway, Lucy Bronze
    • Forwards: Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo

Each team faced one big question heading into the World Cup final. For Spain: Should two-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who is still working her way back to full fitness from an ACL tear, get the nod? For England: Should Lauren James, who is returning from a two-game red card suspension, move back into the starting lineup?

Each team ended up with the same answer: No. Both Putellas and James are starting the match on the bench in favor of Spain’s Salma Paralluelo and England’s Ella Toone.

What to know about Spain

  • Spain is caught up in World Cup controversy, with players and the national federation at odds. In September, 15 Spanish players declined call-ups until their issues with coach Jorge Vilda and the national team were met. While some players have since returned, others remained off the roster.
  • While the controversy has overshadowed Spain’s World Cup run, USWNT star Christen Press still is finding a way to root for La Roja, saying: “I think that the hope is that the more success the team has, the bigger voice and the more respect that they get from their country.”
  • Salma Paralluelo has had a magical tournament for Spain. The 19-year-old forward has scored off the bench in each of the last two games, and she’ll look to continue her scoring streak in the World Cup final.

What to know about England

  • England head coach Sarina Wiegman is in her second consecutive World Cup final after leading the Netherlands to a runner-up finish in 2019. And she’s planning to stick with the Lionesses, she said Friday, despite her name being connected to the open USWNT head coaching position.
  • Lauren James will return for the Lionesses from the two-game ban she received for her red card against Nigeria, which she earned by stepping on the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie in the Round of 16. Before missing the last two rounds of the World Cup, the 21-year-old forward had been electric for England, leading the team with three goals and assisting on three more.
  • Alessia Russo represents not just England but also a long legacy of North Carolina Tar Heels legends, including USWNT stars Mia Hamm and Crystal Dunn. She shared the No. 19 Tar Heels jersey with both players, and she honored them while playing for UNC with patches on her sleeves.

When and how to watch

  • Sunday, Aug. 20 @ 6 a.m. ET
    • Spain vs. England (Stadium Australia, Sydney)

The 2023 World Cup final is available to watch on Fox, Telemundo and Universo. It also can be streamed on the Fox Sports app and on Peacock.

For a second consecutive game, Salma Paralluelo entered a World Cup match as a substitute for Spain. And for the second consecutive game, she made the most of the opportunity.

The 19-year-old forward scored the first goal of Spain’s semifinal against Sweden in the 81st minute to give her team the lead. La Roja went on to win 2-1, advancing to their first-ever World Cup final.

“It was a magic moment,” Paralluelo said after the victory. “I feel extremely proud. All of us are extremely proud of the work we’re doing. We’re just one step away from glory.”

For Spain, Paralluelo is creating much of the magic. She scored her second goal in as many games against Sweden after notching the game-winner against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. It has been a World Cup to remember for the former track star.

She took up both soccer and track at 7 years old. She excelled in the 400-meter hurdles, and she may even have made a run at the Olympics, but she ultimately chose soccer.

“I always saw myself reaching for the top in both sports,” Paralluelo told FIFA last year. “That’s why I wanted to keep on doing them. I’ve been told that I’ve got a body that’s made for athletics, but in football they say that I’ve got great fitness and physique and an ability to learn when it comes to training. I’ve always felt 100% in both.”

Injuries played a role in her decision her to step away from the track, forcing her to pick one sport. But she doesn’t regret the decision, she told FIFA.

“It’s my way of life, my way of having fun and expressing myself. Football is everything,” she said.

“The thing is, if you want to achieve great things, you have to commit yourself to one sport, which is how things turned out that year,” she continued. “It was frustrating for me because I didn’t recover well from my injury and I couldn’t go out and be an athlete again. If I’d carried on, however, I would have lost more than I would have gained.”

And now she has become the second-youngest player to score in a Women’s World Cup semifinal game, following Canada’s Kara Lang in 2003 – who also scored against Sweden. While Spain is missing a number of veteran stars amid a dispute with the national federation, Paralluelo is shining bright for her country in her first World Cup.

Plenty of players have electrified the pitch throughout the World Cup, from Colombia’s Linda Caicedo to Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala to the USWNT’s own Naomi Girma.

Yet with the World Cup semifinals arriving Tuesday, Just Women’s Sports is taking this moment to highlight four of the best from the the four remaining teams: Australia, England, Spain and Sweden. These players are worth watching as we wait to see who will play for the title.

Australia: Hayley Raso

Raso and Caitlin Foord have lessened the sting from the absence of Matildas star Sam Kerr in the group stage and her limited playing time in the knockout rounds. Raso in particular has been a big part of that, scoring a team-leading three goals – including one against Denmark to help push the team to the quarterfinals.

The World Cup run for the home team also stands as an amazing journey for Raso, who battled back from a broken back five years ago to lead the Matildas to Wednesday’s semifinal against England.

England: Alessia Russo

Despite battling injuries and a red card, England has pulled through to the semifinals for a second consecutive World Cup. But the Lionesses will be without breakout star Lauren James due to her red card suspension.

Instead, they’ll need to rely on other stars, including Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo, both of whom who showed up on the scoresheet in the 2-1 quarterfinal win against Colombia. Russo is England’s second-highest scorer alongside Hemp, and she scored the game-winner against Colombia to seal her team’s spot in the semifinals. She will be needed once more against Australia. But she’s proved herself in big moments before, having scored a viral goal against Sweden in the Euros last summer. Now she’s showing up at the World Cup and is a vital piece in England’s run to a possible appearance in the championship match.

Sweden: Amanda Ilestedt

Amanda Illestedt is the top remaining scorer in the Golden Boot race with four goals, although Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa exited the tournament with five. For Ilestedt, who is playing as a central defender, to sit in the best position among the semifinalists has surprised even her own teammates.

“I don’t think so many of us were expecting her to be top scorer in our team,” forward Fridolina Rolfö said. “But she’s an amazing player, especially with her head, and I am so happy for her.”

Defensively, Ilestedt has helped Sweden to three shutouts and held opponents to just two goals scored in competition.

Spain: Salma Paralluelo

While Alba Ferrer, Aitana Bonmati and Jennifer Hermoso have all made their mark on this tournament with three goals apiece, it’s Salma Paralluelo who has made a bit of a name for herself for Spain. She’s scored just one goal this tournament, but it’s arguably the biggest of her career as the game-winner in the team’s quarterfinal match against the Netherlands. She came off the bench to create one of the biggest moments of the quarterfinals.

“We have succeeded. We have fought until the end. We have believed,” Paralluelo said after the match. “It was a unique moment. Great euphoria to have lived through that.”

Those who know soccer, though, should not be surprised at her rise. She helped Spain’s U-20 team lift the trophy at the U-20 World Cup in 2022, scoring two goals in the final to help the team to the trophy for the first time.