Women’s World Cup final pits Spain against England – 08/19/2023 – Sport

England are one game away from the coronation. The game that could even put Dutch Sarina Wiegman in charge of the men’s team after next year’s Euro Cup.

It remains to overcome a Spain that reached the final despite multiple problems, with internal conflicts, disputes between managers and coaches against their players.

The two teams face each other in the decision of the Women’s World Cup this Sunday (20), at 7 am (Brasília time), in Sydney, Australia. It is Spain and England’s first time in the final, which guarantees an unprecedented champion for the tournament – which had never had so many teams, 32.

It will be Wiegman’s 39th game for the British team. The biggest moment so far was winning last year’s Euros. The world final was reached despite embezzlement. Captain Leah Williamson and Chaser Beth Mead didn’t even travel to Oceania. Both suffered knee injuries.

Even so, England are undefeated in the tournament. He encountered unexpected difficulties, such as the tight 1-0 over Haiti in the debut, and other scares, such as the round of 16 against Nigeria, with victory only on penalties. But it’s in a new ending

It’s such attention-grabbing work that the FA may consider her to manage the men’s team.

“She will be able to do whatever she wants in football. If she decides to go to the men’s, it will be a very interesting discussion. But she is the one who decides. If she wants to go in a different direction, I think she is perfectly capable of that”, said the chief executive of federation, Mark Bullingham.

None of the 32 teams that went to the men’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022 were managed by women. In the women’s Cup, 22 out of the 32 were led by men.

If the Euro was a moment of glory for England, it marked a rift in the relationship between Spain’s players and the country’s authorities in women’s football. After elimination in the tournament, 15 of them sent emails in which they asked for improvements in training and remuneration conditions and said they were not available for call-ups until the problems were resolved.

“The commitment to the team, in the past, in the present and in the future, was, is and will be absolute. I am the first person who wants to achieve the maximum number of sporting successes for our selection”, read an excerpt from the statement sent individually by each athlete. and shared by others on social networks.

They were not met in their demands. But almost all backed down and reinforced their desire to return to the national team. Those who expressed public support, but did not send the email, changed their minds.

If there were those who forgot the fight in the name of the search for the world title, the same does not apply to coach Jorge Vilda and, above all, to the president of the Royal Spanish Federation, Luis Rubiales.

“We’re left with the ones who always wanted to be there and also with the ones who appreciated the great work we’ve done. We’ve forgotten about the people who have resentment,” said Rubiales after the victory over Sweden that took Spain to the final.

Minutes before, still on the field, the players ignored Vilda in celebration.

Players like Patri Guijarro, Claudia Pina and Mapi León remained firm in their position of no longer playing for the national team. The other 12 gave in and made themselves available for the Cup. Only three were called up: Aitana Bonmatí, Ona Battle and Mariona Caldentey.

One of the leaders of the riot, Aitana said the complaints were exaggerated by the press.

Spain’s campaign had an unexpected result: the 4-0 thrashing suffered against Japan. But, after that, the team got back on track, with dramatic goals, such as those scored in extra time against the Netherlands, in the quarterfinals, and the one scored against Sweden, in the semifinals, in the last minute.

If there are players from Spain who put aside differences with managers and coaches in the name of a bigger dream in football, the trophy would also be a victory of insistence for the English ones, especially two.

A reference for the national team, winger Lucy Bronze served pizza at Domino’s when she couldn’t make a living from football. Meanwhile, ala Caitlin Foord supplemented income by driving for Uber. They are one game away from the world title.