Women’s World Cup 2023 LIVE: Lionesses receive heartwarming homecoming as attention turns to next game
Spain 1-0 England: Olga Carmona’s goal sees the Lionesses lose in England’s first World Cup final for 57 years despite Mary Earps’ penalty save
England heartbreakingly lost 1-0 to Spain in their first Women’s World Cup final as Olga Carmona’s first-half goal proved enough to break the Lionesses’s hearts.
Sarina Wiegman and her players were looking to bring the game’s biggest prize home from Sydney but Carmona drilled a finish into the far corner on 29 minutes and, although Mary Earps brilliantly saved Jennifer Hermoso’s penalty with 20 minutes remaining, England couldn’t fashion an equaliser.
It was the first time the England men’s or women’s team have reached a football World Cup final since 1966 and the nation came to a halt for the historic occasion – which was briefly interrupted by an anti-Putin protester invading the pitch in the first half – but were left bereft as Spain saw out the victory.
Lauren Hemp came closest to scoring for the Lionesses when her curling effort struck the bar in the 16th minute but Spain were good value for the win as they became just the fifth nation to lift the Women’s World Cup, following in the footsteps of USA (4), Germany (2), Norway (1) and Japan (1).
Follow the latest updates as the Lionesses fly home:
‘England did us proud’: Gary Lineker leads stars congratulating Lionesses for World Cup final efforts
England’s Lionesses have received messages of appreciation from the showbiz world after losing to Spain in the Women’s World Cup final.
Spain secured a final 1-0 victory in Sydney on Sunday following Olga Carmona’s first-half goal. However, Sarina Wiegman’s side still achieved a best-ever second-place finish.
Read more about the messages of support below:
Gary Lineker leads stars congratulating Lionesses for World Cup final efforts
England team lost 1-0 to Spain in Sunday’s final
Lionesses receive surprise reception as they start journey back to England
England’s World Cup finalists received a warm welcome as they started their long journey back to the United Kingdom on Monday morning.
The Lionesses, who reached the final of the Women’s World Cup, were agonisingly beaten by Spain 1-0 on Sunday.
It was the first time any England team had reached the World Cup final in 57 years, but it was not to be and Olga Carmona’s goal secured a first trophy for Spain’s women’s team.
Starting their journey home, the Lionesses were applauded through Sydney Airport by passengers in a heartwarming moment.
Lionesses receive surprise reception as they start journey back to England
England recieved a warm reception at Sydney Airport
Spain star Jenni Hermoso reacts after FA president kisses her on lips
Spain star Jenni Hermoso insisted she “did not enjoy it” after being kissed on the lips by Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales.
The incident occurred as Hermoso made her way to the podium after Spain defeated England in the Women’s World Cup final thanks to Olga Carmona’s strike.
After being given her medal by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Hermoso was given a hug by Mr Rubiales, who lifted her off her feet.
A brief conversation between the pair followed, before Mr Rubiales grabbed Hermoso around her back and kissed her on the lips.
Spain star reacts after FA president kisses her on lips
The Spain star was making her way to the podium after receiving her Women’s World Cup winners’ medal following her team’s victory against England
Spanish FA boss under fire for kissing player filmed making obscene gesture
Luis Rubiales, the Spanish FA president at the centre of a storm following the Women’s World Cup final, has been caught making an obscene gesture during celebrations at full-time.
Rubiales has come under fire in the aftermath of Spain’s 1-0 win over England in Sydney for kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on the lips on the presentation stage.
Asked about the moment, Hermoso intially said: “Eh... yeah, I did not enjoy that.” Later, via quotes put out by the Spanish FA, she described the kiss with the organisation’s president as “mutual and spontaneous”.
Spanish FA boss who kissed player filmed making obscene gesture
Footage has emerged of Luis Rubiales grabbing his genitals in celebration in the moments after Spain’s victory
We won’t stop – Georgia Stanway vows England will ‘continue to break barriers’
England midfielder Georgia Stanway vowed the Lionesses would carry on fighting for top spot on the planet after finishing runners-up to Spain in the World Cup final in Sydney.
The Lionesses were among the pre-tournament favourites in Australia and New Zealand, with punters pointing to their dominant run to last summer’s European title, but injuries to Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby and the retirement of Ellen White left Sarina Wiegman without four players who started every match of that triumph before she even named her World Cup squad.
Wiegman barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief after learning key midfielder Keira Walsh’s knee injury, sustained in England’s second group-stage encounter, was not as serious as initially suspected before the influential Lauren James was sent off in the last 16 and issued a two-match ban.
We won’t stop – Georgia Stanway vows England will ‘continue to break barriers’
The Lionesses were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the World Cup final
Sunak missed World Cup final because he has ‘huge amount of work to do’, minister says
Rishi Sunak would have “loved to” have watched the Lionesses in the Word Cup final but has “a huge amount of work to do”, a minister has said.
Claire Couthinho also claimed the prime minister would also not have flown to the World Cup final if the men’s team were playing because he is “so busy”.
Asked whether the PM would have made the trip to Sydney, Australia if Gareth Southgate’s team were in the final two, the children’s minister said she did “not think he would have”.
Sunak missed World Cup final because he has ‘huge amount of work to do’
‘I love football. I love sport,’ Rishi Sunak said
Lionesses’ defeat sets new record for UK’s most-watched women’s match
England’s World Cup Final with Spain was watched by an average of 13.3 million people on TV, a new UK record for a women’s football match and one of the biggest audiences of the year so far, figures show.
The number of viewers peaked at 14.8 million in the closing minutes of the Lionesses’ 1-0 defeat in Sydney, according to overnight data released by the ratings organisation Barb.
The figures are the combined TV audience from kick-off to final whistle across BBC One and ITV, both of which showed the game live.
Lionesses’ defeat sets new record for UK’s most-watched women’s match
The game attracted one of the biggest TV audiences of 2023 so far.
The thrills, shocks and many brilliant moments of the World Cup in pictures
The Women’s World Cup has offered thrills, shocks and brilliant individual moments during the biggest competition in its 32-year history.
The tournament, which began on July 20, has seen 32 nations compete in Australia and New Zealand, with many writing their names into women’s football folklore.
Spain lifted the World Cup for the first time in their history after Olga Carmona’s goal proved the difference against England in Sydney on Sunday.
The thrills, shocks and many brilliant moments of the World Cup in pictures
The tournament has seen 32 nations compete in Australia and New Zealand, with many writing their names into women’s football folklore.
England fans across the UK get emotional as Lionesses miss out on World Cup
England fans have been left visibly devastated following the Lionesses’ Women’s World Cup loss against Spain, with La Roja taking a 1-0 lead early on.
Fans at London’s Boxpark, Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, and up in Harrogate were filmed watching the game, with people putting their head in their hands at the devastation.
Jorge Vilda: Spain’s World Cup coach at the heart of a civil war
With so much still unsaid around this Spain team, three statements in the final stages of this Women’s World Cup run stood out all the more, that illustrate much of the story of their run to the title.
One was Tere Abelleira immediately after the semi-final victory over Sweden in Auckland. “Now we can talk about a ferocious team spirit,” she said. It was as the midfielder was saying this in the Eden Park mixed zone that Jenni Hermoso was striding behind and shouting: “Come on! We’re in the final of the f***ing World Cup!”
That is now the most important fact of all. It was amid this mood of jubilation, however, that the abrasive Spanish federation boss Luis Rubiales came out with something that was much more open to dispute.
Jorge Vilda: Spain’s World Cup coach at the heart of a civil war
Spain took a strange route to the World Cup trophy both on and off the pitch, somehow triumphing against a backdrop of infighting and rebellion
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