And here we are: the Women’s World Cup Final. Four weeks of ups and downs, the brilliant and the brutal have brought us to the crescendo of what has been an incredible tournament – one rightly crowned the greatest ever! Beyond90 takes a look at what will surely be one of the all-time great tournament finals.
Last Time Out
England 2 Spain 1 – Brighton, 2022
The quarter-final of the Women’s European Championships, this match saw two teams significantly different to those which will take the field in Homebush play one of the matches of the tournament on England’s south coast. Having conceded to Real Madrid striker Esther González 10 minutes after halftime, England equalised six minutes from the final whistle through substitute Ella Toone, only to score again six minutes into the additional 30 through Georgia Stanway and send favourites Spain packing two games from glory.
Three Key Battles
Tiki-Taka vs Take It Wide
Having used their 3-4-1-2 to great effect against the Matildas, Spain’s short passing and high press after losing possession will ensure England’s defensive concentration will be pushed to its limit. La Roja coach Jorge Vilda has stuck with what Spain does best, but his England counterpart Sarina Wiegman will know that her formation of choice, evolving and improving throughout the tournament will be more than a match for Spain’s intricacy.
Incredibly difficult to break down outside the penalty, England’s hybrid of crowding defence and whip-quick counter-attack will attempt to smother a Spanish team seeming able to string passes together in a phonebox, while not being forced into a contest of Who Can Do The Most In Midfield. Add to that the benefit of Alexia Putellas and Lauren James on the bench, and both teams have genuine weapons to introduce should they require further attacking inspiration later in the match.
The Return
For those unfamiliar with England and English football, let me make one thing clear: Lauren James is very good at her job. Unfortunately for her, she appears to have found herself excelling at another famous English pastime, namely stepping on opponents under the watch of a dozen or more cameras.
James’ sending off against Nigeria not only allowed the Super Falcons back into the game, it also deprived the Lionesses of their playmaking maestra, forcing them to hoist that responsibility onto the shoulders of Ella Toone – who, in fairness, has excelled under that additional pressure. For James though, she will feel this final is one of redemption, both within the team and within the greater public consciousness, now that England’s progression to the final has mercifully granted clemency to comparisons to David Beckham in 1998 and Wayne Rooney in 2006.
Deputising with aplomb against Australia, Toone will be itching to return to the pitch, but this one-two punch of creative brilliance gives England manager Wiegman an ace up her sleeve, losing nothing should James tire and require replacement. For Spain though, James’ return is an unwelcome one, forcing La Roja to watch the England number 7 like a hawk, potentially devoting a player to marking her individually, a fact that could cause significant disruption to both the team’s style and rhythm.
The Weight of History
Whatever happens in the final, we’ll be witnessing history. A first Women’s World Cup for either Spain or England; a first European winner since Germany in 2007; and just the second nation after the Germans to have won both men’s and women’s World Cups.
Weighed down for 57 years by their men’s failures at tournament after tournament, England have found a rich vein of form, winning the 2022 European Championships at Wembley, dispatching tonight’s opponents along the way. For Spain, the success of club giant Barcelona – as well as European adventures for both Madrid clubs – has translated into similar joy at international level, and having been crowned Champions League winners in June 2023, nine members of this Spanish squad will know what it takes to win big under the lights.
They often say that football isn’t played on paper, and we’re constantly reminded in advertisements and advices that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future outcomes, but this final is near-guaranteed to be one for the ages; a clash of both cultures and styles, and the chance for one of these teams to write their names into eternity.
Prediction
Spain has prided itself to this point on its ability to not only keep possession, but punish its opponents when it dominates the ball. England prides itself on an unforgiving pressing game, width on both wings, and ruthless precision in the penalty area. Between those two game plans, something has to give; Japan and Nigeria both showed how to better these two teams – but will Sarina Wiegman and Jorge Vilda have the courage to implement elements of Nadeshiko or the Super Falcons’ tactics?
For the casual fan, this will be an exhibition of the sweet science of football; for the more experienced viewer, a chess match awaits. Who blinks first? We await the next move…
England 3 Spain 1
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