Lionesses can hold heads high after remarkable Women’s World Cup run littered with problems
The manager insisted she had “no regrets” after England suffered heartbreak here in Sydney but, as the squad flew out of Australia this morning, it was hard to escape the feeling that she may wish she had made some different decisions. Spain were technically superior yesterday and worthy champions.
It is hard to fault Wiegman and her players after becoming the first England team to reach at World Cup Final for 57 years, but the nagging regret will be that the Lionesses failed to produce the performance they are capable of in the biggest game of their lives.
Wiegman named an unchanged team from the semi-final and, while Lauren Hemp did hit the bar, England were second best in the first half.
In hindsight, Wiegman might wonder whether tactically she should have set up differently. Making a double substitution at half-time and abandoning the 3-5-2 formation suggested as much.
Withdrawing Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly, two of her biggest goal threats, at half-time was a bold call, as England searched for an equaliser.
The switch to a 4-3-3 system and the introduction of Chloe Kelly and Lauren James did have an impact and England were improved in the second half.
But, with Russo off the field, they could not find a way past Spain.
Unlike at the Euros last summer, there was to be no singalong to their unofficial anthem, Sweet Caroline, for the Lionesses. Instead, it was Bamboleo ringing round Stadium Australia, as the tears flowed and Spain celebrated their first Women’s World Cup win.
Lucy Bronze collapsed to the floor at full-time and sobbed uncontrollably after her lapse of concentration helped give Spain the advantage. She lost possession infield, which left England exposed on the right, and Spain took their chance. Ultimately, it proved the decisive moment.
Mary Earps hunched down by her goal, puffing out her cheeks after her penalty heroics were in vain. Alex Greenwood pulled off the bandage protecting her cut head. A disconsolate Keira Walsh was embraced by some of her Barcelona team-mates.
The Lionesses had started brightly, hitting the bar through Hemp, but the first half was defined by each team’s press. Spain were able to escape England’s and then suffocate the Lionesses when out of possession.
No more was the power of Spain’s press summed up than for their goal. Bronze charged down a blind alley into a congested midfield area. There, Spain pounced. Winning the ball back, they quickly countered, exposed space vacated by Bronze and, in what felt
like the blink of an eye, Olga Carmona fired home a low finish across Earps.
It was ruthless from Spain and cruel on Bronze, who endured more World Cup heartbreak after losing two semi-finals in 2015 and 2019. Spain should have been further ahead by half-time, after Salma Paralluelo hit the post and missed another golden chance.
That explained Wiegman’s tactical switch at the break. The Lionesses were better in the second half but missed Russo’s ability to hold up the ball.
Sarina Wiegman has now lost back-to-back World Cup finals
/ Getty ImagesEven Earps’s penalty save from Jennifer Hermoso after Walsh handled in the 18-yard box could not spark England into life.
The Lionesses did a nation proud but, after all the adversity they had to deal with, this proved a step too far.
Their build-up was disrupted by a dispute with the FA over bonuses, injuries to key squad members and a row over player release dates. The challenges continued once the tournament kicked off. Walsh suffered what looked like a serious knee injury in the group stage and Wiegman was forced to change formation. It proved a masterstroke, with England beating China 6-1, but then James was sent off in the last-16 clash against Nigeria.
The issues continued for Wiegman, who admitted early on at this World Cup that she “has never experienced so many problems in my career”. She and the Lionesses kept finding solutions, but Spain were one step too many.
Just like when her Dutch side lost to the USA in the 2019 final, this was another game of fine margins.
Wiegman is rightly considered the best female coach in the world but, unlike at the Euros last summer and the run to the final here, this time she could not be the difference for her side from the touchline.
As the Lionesses make the 10,000-mile journey back home, they will be haunted by what might have been after they missed the opportunity to cement their status as legends.
But, given everything England have faced to make history by reaching the final, what they have achieved is remarkable.
