Spain beat England to win the Women’s World Cup

We're in the 13th minute of 13 to be added on in the Women's World Cup final in Sydney. England still trailing Spain, a goal to nil. We've got Dean Ashton, Darren Ambrose with us, but Keris Harrop, record WSL appearance holder, keep an eye on this game for us, Keris. Is hope still there for you? One chance? There's 30 seconds to go. Spain have just won a free kick. The bench are up, they're ready to celebrate, so it's looking very unlikely for England. We've heard Spain have, you know, they've still attacked, you know, there's been some great last-ditch defending from England, and Spain have been clever by just winning some free kicks. We say, Darren, that possession's not everything, but has that been the key second half? It's denied England a fight back, really? Oh, England are just in, sorry. They're just down there. Can they get the right ball? Oh, sugar. Go on, Millie. Cross from Hemph. Keris, tell us what's happening. Yeah, cross from Hemph. Beth England was so close to getting the header on it, but just went over her head, and Spain have cleared it now, and the player's gone down holding her head, so I think the whistle will blow any minute now. A brave header from the Spanish defender there, Dean, actually. Yeah, especially, yeah, Millie Bright going for the header, and it just, every time, that ball just hasn't fallen for England. You know, they've just been a foot too high, or it's fallen to a Spanish defender. This is what happens in finals. Sometimes it just doesn't go your way, and they've not played well enough to create the chances, so they're hoping for a better look at the moment. Do you think England are missing Alessia Rousseau? She came off in the second half. It's a big call-by for Serena Beekman. Yeah, well, the fact they've gone to a long ball now, and more direct, Rousseau's actually the taller player. Go on. What's happened? Is it a corner? Corners for England. Yeah, they're going longer, and they probably need that physical presence, especially with all these corners they're getting. Jorge Wilder is looking at his watch. 14 minutes played. Mary Earp's England goalkeeper's coming up for this one. Corner from the left-hand side. Keris, tell us this 15-minute stoppage time. Wilder will be absolutely livid if this goes in. Talk us through this. He will. Chloe Kelly's delivered it in. Oh, keepers collected it. Fair play. Great goalkeeping there. Great claim by the Spanish keeper there, Catalina Cole, wasn't it? I think that could well be it. That's it. Spain are the Women's World Champions for the first time. They've become the second team after Germany to be the World Champions, both the men's and the women's. 1-0 for the men in 2010 against the Netherlands. It's finished 1-0 against England today. What were your thoughts, Keris, to summarise? Do we have to concede that Spain were the better team? Yeah, unfortunately they were. I'm really gutted. I know how gutted the players will be. You know, the likes of Lucy Bronze, who finally got to a World Cup, and she hasn't managed to win it. But yeah, I think Spain deserve to win. England wasted the first half, and you can't afford to waste a first half in a World Cup final. There's absolute scenes in Barcelona, as you can imagine. There's scenes in Sydney at the pitch as well. The flags are coming out, the umbrellas set as well. Catalonia certainly united with the Spanish hardcore at the moment. And I suppose, Dean, when you look at this, the joys, the fine margins of elite-level football, wasn't there? Because it was Lucy Bronze losing possession and Spain ruthlessly capitalising on it. Yeah, they did, but they were the better side. I mean, look, you don't care how you play in finals. It is just about winning or losing. England haven't been great in the final, and they'll be disappointed about that when things settle down. And ultimately, I was so impressed with Spain, I've got to say, in such a pressurised game, to have the control that they did was very, very impressive. Darren, what about these England fans? I suppose we can empathise with that down the years on the men's side of things, the heartbreak of this. It's going to be a tough afternoon for a lot of fans, but I suppose it emphasises as well how important this Lionesses team has been to them. Absolutely, yeah. There's going to be devastation along all the box parks and everywhere around England, because England have just lost the World Cup final. And I agree, Spain thoroughly deserved this. They were the better side on the day. Unfortunately, England picked this moment to probably have their worst performance of the tournament, which will be gutting for Serena Wiegmann as well. But they'll come again. This has been a successful tournament. They've won the Euros, got to a World Cup final. It's been successful. Yeah, dejection in Manchester there we're seeing as well, and some pictures elsewhere. I think there was a Hastings Pier, people sort of still cheering, trying to enjoy their Sunday after trying to raise their spirits a little bit. Keris, what were your lessons today? Obviously, England are the European champions. They beat Spain at the Euros. But do you have to credit the Spanish technical approach and the execution of it? Yeah, you know, they've got their game plan spot on. I think they've just carried on playing how they've played all tournament, dominating possession, getting the ball down the sides, getting crossed into the box. And yeah, I guess England just couldn't, especially in the first half, just couldn't deal with the technical ability of the Spanish today. Yeah, but for all the guests as well, do you think it is a question of Spain being that good or England not firing? Dean, if we start with you. A little bit of both. It's who can handle that big game pressure. They've shown that they can do it in the past, England. But on the day, Spain, I thought, handled that pressure, played in a way that I think they wanted to. And England never quite got into any sort of a rhythm. But I think you can see with the scenes, the amount of people, this group have got a big following, this England group. And you can still be a hero even if you lose. We've seen that down the years on the men's side, that they'll have inspired people. And there's plenty of tears there within the fans and, of course, the England players themselves. But, you know, to get to a World Cup final itself is a hell of an achievement. I suppose the fact that Mary Earps, arguably the England's best player, Darren, made a penalty save for England and a couple of other key saves as well. Do you think that emphasises the fact that Spain just weren't the better team? Do you think there's anything that Serena Vigman will rue, regret about the approach from England? Of course, yeah. When you lose a football match, yeah, you'll regret some decisions you made. Maybe the Lauren James situation. I know Ella Toon done well in the semi-final, got her goal. But maybe Lauren James, England's best player, should she have started? Alicia Russo, we don't know if she's picked up an injury or not. But coming off at half-time, I didn't quite see the game plan today from England. And for whatever reason, it wasn't a great performance. But it doesn't matter the performance. As Dean said, it's winning or losing. And Spain were the better team and they won. It's lovely to see they're in a huddle now with Serena Vigman going through some things. It's been successful. They will be devastated, the players, as the supporters are as well. But this has been a successful campaign and there's a bright future for this team. Yeah, first competitive loss for Serena Vigman as well. She's doing the regular post-match huddle. What do you think she'll be saying? She'll get it right, won't she, Serena Vigman? This is her forte is the interpersonal skills. Yeah, she'll just be consoling the girls, saying they've done the team proud and the country proud. It's always hard to take when you lose in a World Cup final. But yeah, I really hope there's been a lot of interest with her. Hopefully, she stays for the next World Cup because she's so key. The players love and respect her and she's very much key to England's success and them getting this far in the World Cup. So hopefully, we can keep her for the next World Cup. Keris, England will come again. But what about Spain? How remarkable is this situation? Jorge Vilda gets a vote of no confidence from 15 Spanish players last year. Three of them, I guess, are brought back into the fold. Twelve not. How remarkable that he's pulled this off, whether it's right or wrong or whatever's happened. Yeah, it's incredible really when you think about it. I've just been watching the celebrations there and I think a lot of the players have kind of stayed with just the players. It's an interesting kind of dynamic. But ultimately, the girls will have rallied together. Regardless of what's been going on, they will have rallied together and played for themselves. But yeah, we still have to give him some credit because he's put out the right team each game and has got them to win the World Cup final. He is in a huddle of Spanish players in tears and he's got his arms around one of the players as well, Athalina del Castillo, I believe, of Real Madrid. But it's a remarkable subplot, isn't it, Dean? Have you ever known anything like this? There's such rebellion to end in a World Cup triumph? No, not quite. And I think what it says is that there's a way of playing that the Spanish adhere to, probably no matter who is in charge. And we've seen it over the last few years, the way they keep the ball. And in these big games, it makes it so difficult for the opposition. They were so good in possession. They sensed when that opportunity was there, when it opened up for Spain, and they just kept picking England off constantly. And you have to give credit for a side that are able to execute under the pressures of a World Cup final. It's a good point, Keris. Do you think that's an important factor that Spain, across the youth ranks, across men's and women's football, do have a style that's replicable? Yeah, they do. They have a style of very possession-based tic-tac-toe football. But yeah, you can generate that in the players from such a young age. By the time they come to the senior level, they're going to be perfect in that particular tactic and style of play. So you have to show today that even a lot of the youngsters coming through, they've had success at those age levels and now finally success at a senior level. Let's talk, we've got the ejection, we've got the elation. Talk about the, I suppose, Mary Earps, Darren. How good was she today? I suppose it must be quietly mixed emotions because the England goalkeeper was unreal, wasn't she? Yeah, she's the best goalkeeper in the world in the women's game, absolutely. And she showed, once again, how important she is. When you go back to the Haiti match and the Denmark game, when we didn't play too well, conceded chances, she kept them in the game. And it's exactly the same today. It would have been three or four at least if it wasn't for Mary Earps. So she's going to be disappointed as much as anyone for putting on a performance like that. Probably won the man in a match, I don't know if it's been announced, but the play of the match. So it's disappointing for her. But as we said, there's a bright future for this team. They will go to major tournaments, major finals again and win. Yeah. Well, could it be formative in that sense, Keris? We saw Alessia Russo's streams of tears there. This is the pictures we're on now of Box Park in Wembley. Tears for Russo. Didn't quite fire today for her. Will she learn from this and grow, come back? She's got a lot of years ahead of her. Yeah, it's a young squad, really. There's only like Lucy Bronze, Millie, Alex, that are the more senior players. There's a lot of young players, a lot of young players on the bench as well. So it's a fantastic experience for those younger players to experience not just winning, but also losing. Losing in a World Cup final, as bad as that experience is, there's no better experiences that can build your resilience and want to make you go one better next time. Fascinating how Serena Vigeman responds as well, Dean, because she's lost two World Cup finals now, once for the Netherlands, of course, against the USA. And now today, given her nature, we know she's calm, but presumably this will lead to changes in approach. And sometimes you only learn in defeat. Yeah. And you just hope that it is with England and that she doesn't feel as if she's taken this group as far as she can. Because, like Keris said, it's a young group and there's been big changes in terms of the retirements, the injuries that England have had coming into this tournament. It wasn't easy to get to the final, but I've experienced a major final defeat in my career and it's something you just can't forget. It doesn't matter whether you've won something before, for these players now to have to watch Spain celebrate and they have to walk past that trophy, it's just a horrible, horrible feeling. What's your read on it, Keris? Have you got any fears that Wiegmann might move on? She said to us in the week on Sky Sports News that she is committed to the 2025 contract. I think she'll stay true to her word and she'll stick with England. You know, we've mentioned already that she's lost two World Cups with England and the Netherlands. Maybe we'll be third time lucky that she wins the World Cup, we'll see. And hopefully it will be with the England national team. Who are the players out there that you feel the most for, that maybe this was the last opportunity to win a World Cup? I know Rachel Daly's still athletic, but in her 30s now. Lucy Bronze, I mentioned earlier, she's obviously above 30, but she's definitely got the athletic ability to last for another World Cup. The likes of Mary, who I've played with before, it's just so gutty. Just watching the pictures now and seeing Alice's tears, it's so sad. They had such high hopes and expectations, so hopefully those players will continue to stay on just for their experience. Who are your heroes if this tournament will stand out? Alex Greenwood with a remarkable performance, we said, with the Terry Butcher style head bandage today as well. Yeah, Alex herself has had a standout tournament. An old Birmingham team-mate, Jess Carter, has been fantastic at her debut World Cup and I think she's took it all in a stride. Obviously Lauren James as well had a big impact and also Lauren Hemp. So yeah, quite a few players that have stood out, but unfortunately not in today's game. And it's set to the impact on British culture. Presumably it's nonetheless, even with the defeat, the whole nation's been captivated by this and those players will still be household names. Yeah, they will, absolutely. England, the Lionesses now have got a fantastic following off the back of the Euros especially, but even just getting to the World Cup final now. So hopefully those fans will come down and support Women's Super League games and also the Championship games as well and see these stars week in, week out when the season starts in October. Is that the key for you? Is it WS attendances in October or is it young girls watching this and getting involved and getting inspired? It's both. I think definitely after the Euros, that kind of legacy started and there's a lot more girls now participating in football. But yeah, for us as players, there's nothing better than having those big crowds and having those people to impress and perform in front of week in, week out. Yeah, well Keris Harrop, been a pleasure to have your company today on Sky Sports News. Hope to see you again soon in more victorious circumstances, but wonderful to get your insight. Dean and Darren staying on for a little bit, but there we go. Dejection for England. Did get to a World Cup final nonetheless, but these are the pictures of the box park in Wembley as England lose the World Cup final to Spain, who were very impressive on the day. Spain becoming the second nation in history to win both the Men's and Women's World Cup. Victoria Park in East London now, pretty deserted. People streaming out, ready to enjoy the rest of their Sunday, hopefully recover on the rest of their Sunday from the dejection of England under Serena Vigman, another fairy tale, all the way to the final in Sydney has ended in defeat, though we'll have more on Sky Sports News throughout the afternoon here on Sopwith Sunday. Reaction to that final score from Sydney. Spain 1, England 0. More to come.