In the final days prior to a World Cup final, when every touch on the training ground is filled with heightened tension, it is still challenging to resist the carefree nature of youth. This is where the true essence of it all begins.
Alessia Russo, a striker for England, reflects on her childhood memories, saying, "When I was a kid, we used to play 'World Cup' in the garden. We had to score to stay in the game. It was all about having fun and playing freely... as a child growing up, the thought of playing in a World Cup final in just a couple of days is an extraordinary feeling."
This feeling is universal when it comes to this game because it is truly unparalleled. Nothing else comes close. That is why everyone is here. Jenni Hermoso expresses the same sentiments in the Spain camp.
"Everything I do on the pitch, I learned from playing on the street, in my neighborhood, and in the park beneath my grandparents' house... of course, you imagine winning and visualize returning to Spain with the World Cup. I hope that dream becomes a reality."
The way these players inspire the next generations means that these simple joys should never be forgotten, as all of these players strive to do something that will be remembered forever. It is this basic excitement that truly makes such an occasion special, although the 2023 World Cup final still carries a seriousness that goes beyond elite players doing what is necessary to win "the game of their careers" and Sarina Wiegman's significant decision regarding Lauren James.
Sunday's match at Stadium Australia is the most significant fixture in women's football history – a statement that may seem straightforward but holds deeper meaning. This description will hold true for every World Cup final in a rapidly expanding women's game, but it feels particularly important when the hosts, like Australia, fully embrace it. Audience records have been shattered, and barriers have been left far behind. This has been a truly game-changing World Cup in so many ways.
The growth of the sport is reflected in a thrillingly unpredictable World Cup, where a delayed start has helped developing football nations narrow the gap to a more established top level. There were no mismatches. Instead, the tournament was intense from the beginning, characterized by surprising upsets that became less shocking as it progressed but remained just as entertaining. Australia-New Zealand 2023 has offered everything one would expect from a World Cup: spectacular goals, dramatic moments, captivating matches, and compelling storylines; all with deeper underlying themes.
Perhaps the most influential aspect was the downfall of the dethroned champions, USA, which was made even more astonishing by the manner in which they were eliminated. The narrow margin of that penalty decision reflected the closing gaps.
This means that a highly entertaining World Cup now has a fittingly high-quality final, featuring two of the finest teams in the tournament – the European champions against a team driven by Barcelona's Champions League winners. The perseverance of England and Spain aligns with the trend of upsets while exemplifying the broader competition. Both teams have overcome significant challenges to reach this stage. Spain may be the most internally divided squad to have made it this far in any World Cup. With England, there was a sense that losing players like Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, and Fran Kirby would hinder their chances of winning a World Cup.
Both teams have overcome these obstacles due to what is perhaps the most influential factor in women's football today. They are two wealthy, western European countries that have revolutionized talent development through infrastructure improvements. This has been accompanied by greater investment in the women's game compared to most other countries, although there is still progress to be made.
It is symbolic that both finalists have faced significant financial issues. Spain has struggled with preparation stan
dards, which was one of the reasons for a rebellion, while England is embroiled in an ongoing dispute over bonuses. These issues resonate throughout the tournament, from Nigeria to Australia, highlighting why Gianni Infantino should not have been as self-congratulatory as he was on Friday.
That turning point needs to continue progressing into further revolutions. Other nations should strive for what England and Spain are doing.
On the Stadium Australia pitch itself, their resources have created a captivating football contrast. It is a classic case of ideology versus pragmatism.
Spain's coaching culture has established what is by far the strongest and deepest football identity in the women's game, which is why controversial coach Jorge Vilda is almost insignificant in that regard. The passing-pressing game executed by high-quality players like Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas surpasses almost everything, including most opposition.
But perhaps not England.
The FA's resources have instead brought the best manager in the women's game, who has distinguished herself through the ability to adapt to virtually any situation. If the story of Spain's journey to the final has been setting aside one defining problem, the story of England's has been solving a series of developing problems. Wiegman has responded to everything with inspiration, from injuries to the suspension of James. The team, in her own words, have "grown" through this World Cup.
Wiegman now has to come up with a response to Spain in just three days since their possession will dictate the game. There is at least a lot to work with, and not just the footage her staff meticulously analyzed from Wednesday night to Friday afternoon to have ready for the preparation sessions before the final. Facing the specific Spanish approach has been one of the most clearly defined tests in the sport, dating back two decades in the men's game. Managers know they will seek to dominate the ball as high up the pitch as possible. It can be exhausting. The challenge is to disrupt that while managing space and offering a threat of your own.
That might actually suit Wiegman's new 3-5-2, another mid-tournament solution. The fact that so many of her attackers have found their scoring form at the right time only strengthens that, especially as Spain has a capacity for chaos in their own area.
The great danger is tournament revelation Salma Paralluelo causing havoc at the other end. It remains one of the exhilarating truths of football. There is almost no defending such a rapid change of direction. That only emphasizes Wiegman's significant decision regarding James, though. It could well be the most important decision in the history of English women's football, considering what it could mean.
It is fortunate that Wiegman can bear the responsibility, as she specifically spoke about the need to stop discussing 1966 and all that. She was almost completely unwilling to talk about her own personal feelings of losing the last final in 2019 with Netherlands, after all. She does not believe that helps anyone. The Spanish media were still too eager to compare the James decision to Jimmy Greaves. There is an obvious allure to immediately reinstating such a player against a backline as vulnerable as Spain's.
That Spanish flaw may well create another historic anomaly. Having been demolished 4-0 by Japan, Spain could become the first team to have lost by more than two goals in a Women's World Cup and still win it. The only previous champions to have lost at all were Japan 2011, and the historical quirks are only amplified by the fact that it was England who defeated them.