Women's World Cup Final: England vs Spain Preview

Nearly a month of quality women’s action will come to a close this Sunday as England and Spain lock horns in the World Cup Final, also known as the most important game in international football. The showpiece is set to take place at Stadium Australia in Sydney, with kick-off scheduled for 6 AM ET. Neither team has ever won a World Cup. The Brits took care of Australia in the semifinals to the disappointment of the Matildas fans, while the Spaniards just got past Sweden by a score of 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Olga Carmona. Keep reading for the match analysis below.

Lots of History Between The Two

England and Spain have a rich history. In total, they’ve met 16 times. The Lionesses hold the advantage with seven wins, while La Roja have only come out victorious on three occasions. The other six ended level. Their most recent clash was in the Euros last summer where England ran out 2-1 winners behind goals from Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway. They ultimately went on to beat Germany in the final of that tournament and could win their second major trophy in as many years.

England Gets Boost

The talk of the World Cup for England was Lauren James, the Chelsea standout who scored three goals and supplied three assists leading up to the Round of 16. However, she made a foolish decision against Nigeria and decided to step on her opponent, which led to a straight red card and a two-match ban. Thankfully though, she’s allowed to return for the final, which provided the English with a major boost.

Just a reminder that Lauren James will be back in the Final for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿💙 pic.twitter.com/WQjUr209KC

— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) August 16, 2023

The Lionesses used Ella Toone in her place however and the Manchester United player certainly delivered in the semifinals, bagging an absolute banger to open the scoring against Australia with a picture-perfect hit. While Sam Kerr responded with arguably the goal of the tournament, both Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo answered Kerr with a pair of nice finishes to send their side through to the final with the utmost confidence. England has honestly looked fantastic throughout this World Cup and does have every chance of winning Sunday. And given their track record of success against Spain, they will be walking in with their heads held high. The Lionesses sit at +180 at 888sport for the final.

Impressive Run For Spain

No one really talked about Spain as a contender in this World Cup but needless to say, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Other than a 4-0 defeat in the group stages against Japan, Jorge Vilda’s group has pretty much played flawless football, beating Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Sweden in the knockout stages.

La Roja frankly outplayed the Swedish in the semifinals, controlling 63% of the ball. Their breakthrough didn’t come until the 81st minute though when 19-year-old substitute Salma Paralluelo came on once again and produced the goods with a beautiful finish. The Swedes got one back before Carmona netted the winner in the 89th minute.

SALMA PARALLUELO GIVES SPAIN THE LEAD IN THE 81ST MINUTE!#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/mvMljVI46F

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 15, 2023

This is by far the furthest Spain has ever progressed in a World Cup and if they continue to play collective football, what was seen as the impossible is very much possible in Sydney. Most soccer betting sites have Vilda’s squad as a very slim favorite in the showpiece.