Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sarina Wiegman says ‘everyone’s talking about 1966’ and backs England to end hurt
England are through to the Women’s World Cup final for the first time after a stunning 3-1 semi-final win over Australia in Sydney set up an all-European title decider against Spain on Sunday.
It’s the first time the England men’s or women’s team have reached a football World Cup final since 1966, with the nation set to come to a halt as the Lionesses look to bring the game’s biggest prize back home. And manager Sarina Wiegman is well aware of the 57 years of hurt that the nation has endured and is backing her side to end that on Sunday morning.
“I know it’s there,” said Wiegman of the shadow of 1966. “When we started working, September 2021, I felt that the country was so desperate to win a final in a tournament. Everyone was saying that and the players too. I thought: ‘It’s very real’. What do we have to do to win, and how can we win? To get results, stop talking about the result because we know what we want. I heard again: 1966. Everyone’s talking about 1966. So let’s be at our best on Sunday and try be successful.”
Meanwhile, the FA have confirmed that a plan is already in place for a statue of the England team at Wembley Stadium, while the governing body also said they would “100 per cent” reject any approach from the USA for the Lionesses manager.
Follow all the build-up to England’s clash against Spain in the final, get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here and find latest tips for the game itself here.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest England news ahead of Sunday’s final
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Sarina Wiegman: ‘Stop talking about the result — we know what we want’
Friday 18 August 2023 12:10 , Luke Baker
When it gets to this stage before a big game, even someone as experienced as Sarina Wiegman finds she can’t take her mind off it. Or, rather, she doesn’t want to take her mind off it, which is precisely why she’s so experienced.
“No, and I don’t want to relax,” she smiles.
“It’s Spain,” Wiegman says of her thoughts before taking on Sunday’s opponents. “Everything now is Spain. When you’re so close, well, I have that feeling a little bit anyway, but when you go to the next game, you’re only thinking ‘OK, what’s next? What can we get in front of us? What challenges can we expect? How are we going to prepare the team?
“I just want to get ready.”
Wiegman has ensured England have never been more ready. The national team are on the brink of bringing a decade-long project to glorious completion and winning a first ever Women’s World Cup because of her crucial influence. The 53-year-old from The Hague can now be classed as the best manager in the game. While the key elements of that story are tactics, patience, strategy and the will – as well as investment from the FA – to hire a manager this good, there is also something acutely personal.
Read Miguel Delaney’s in-depth piece on the Lionesses’s iconic manager
Sarina Wiegman: ‘Stop talking about the result — we know what we want’
Sarina Wiegman says England are ‘ready to go’ ahead of World Cup final
Friday 18 August 2023 17:14 , Jamie Braidwood
Sarina Wiegman ahead of the World Cup final: “ We are in a very, very good place. We have grown into this tournament and the players feel very comfortable. They feel confident. We have recovered really well. We have everyone fit. So we are really ready to go.
“I’m so proud of the team - it has been really impressive how the team has responded to every challenge we’ve had. It shows so much resilience but also eagerness and conviction that we want to do well. On Sunday we will face challenges again but we know how we want to play, we know the strengths but also the weaknesses of Spain, and it’s just trying to exploit the weaknesses and take out the strengths.”
Ella Toone or Lauren James? Sarina Wiegman has already made the biggest decision of England’s World Cup
Friday 18 August 2023 16:31 , Jamie Braidwood
“England stand on the brink of greatness. The European champions are one victory away from being the best team in the world. But this has not been an easy tournament for Sarina Wiegman and her players.
“While the Euros saw emphatic victories – the best being 8-0 vs Norway and 4-0 vs Sweden in the semi-finals – and exultant home support, England have got into gear in a slower, more controlled way in this tournament (they did beat Sunday’s opponents Spain 2-1 in extra time. in their toughest “match in 2022 excluding the final, in case anyone had forgotten, but that was a rather different Spain team).
“Sarina is characterised for her consistency, bordering on stubbornness to her critics, but in this tournament she has had to change things up: the shift to a 3-5-2 against China was an inspired throw of the dice after some pretty drab stuff against Haiti and Denmark. The England head coach has also had to do without the enormously gifted Lauren James after her red card against Nigeria, having brought her in to start against the Danes. James was the best player in the group stages for England, scoring three and assisting three.
“But in her absence, two things have occurred...”
Read Lionesses legend Kelly Smith’s latest column ahead of the World Cup final
Sarina Wiegman has already made the biggest decision of England’s World Cup
England forward Alessia Russo says her side 'can’t wait’ to experience World Cup final
Friday 18 August 2023 15:50 , Jamie Braidwood
Alessia Russo on playing in the World Cup final: “Obviously this is the biggest game, the one you dream about and means the most. I think it will hit when we’re in the tunnel and ready to walk out. It’s an incredible occasion, it’s been an unbelievable tournament and this is it. This is the moment we want to be in. We can’t wait.
“Right now all I want to do is go out, put on a performance to be proud of and obviously to win. We started this tournament wanting to win seven games and this is the message.”
Where to watch the Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain
Friday 18 August 2023 15:10 , Luke Baker
Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses are through to the Women’s World Cup final after Wednesday’s thrilling 3-1 semi-final win over Australia, with goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo enough to see off the Matildas in front of a highly partisan home crowd.
The European champions will face Spain at Stadium Australia in Sydney at 11am on Sunday morning (BST), their opponents extremely impressive throughout the tournament but only narrowly overcoming Sweden 2-1 in the other semi.
The big match will be broadcast on both the BBC and ITV in the UK, with the former’s coverage starting at 10am and the latter’s at 10.15am.
If you prefer to catch the final with a crowd, however, there are plenty of fan zones, pubs and bars across the country throwing open their doors early:
Where to watch the Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain
Lauren James ‘will be ready’ for World Cup final, says Chelsea manager Emma Hayes
Friday 18 August 2023 14:29 , Jamie Braidwood
Lauren James will be ready to play for England in Sunday’s World Cup final if she is selected by Sarina Wiegman, according to her club manager Emma Hayes.
James is available to face Spain in England’s first ever Women’s World Cup final after serving a two-match ban for stamping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie in the last-16.
The Lionesses defeated Colombia and Australia in their last two matches without James, who was England’s breakout star in the group stages.
Chelsea boss Hayes says she has spoken to the 21-year-old forward throughout the tournament and backed James to be in the frame for selection.
England’s Lauren James backed to be ‘ready’ for World Cup final
Fifa president says ‘women have the power’ to achieve equality in football
Friday 18 August 2023 13:44 , Jamie Braidwood
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said it is women who “have the power to change” football and achieve equality in the game.
It has already been a record-breaking Women’s World Cup, with the tournament in Australia and New Zealand setting its highest-ever attendance figures of over two million people as well as drawing booming TV audiences around the globe. The Fifa president also said the World Cup has generated over $570m (£447m) in revenues and has “broke even” financially ahead of Sunday’s final between England and Spain.
There remains a huge discrepancy in prize money between the men’s and women’s World Cups, however. Despite a 10-fold increase from the last Women’s World Cup in 2019, the record prize money of $152m (£126m) announced by Fifa before the tournament remains some way short of the reported $440m (£365m) prize money on offer to teams at last year’s men’s finals in Qatar.
While Infantino said Fifa remains on track to achieve equal pay between the men’s and women’s World Cup at the 2026 and 2027 tournaments, the Fifa president urged media and sponsors to step to help bridge the gap and said women “have the power to convince men” that equity in football can be reached.
Gianni Infantino says ‘women have the power’ to achieve equality in football
Infighting and rebellion: How Spain overcame themselves to reach edge of Women’s World Cup glory
Friday 18 August 2023 12:59 , Jamie Braidwood
With so much still unsaid around this Spain team, three statements over the last 48 hours stood out all the more, that illustrate much of the story of their Women’s World Cup run.
One was Tere Abelleira immediately after the semi-final victory over Sweden. “Now we can talk about a ferocious team spirit.” 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**king 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.
Read Miguel Delaney on Spain and their run to the final:
How Spain overcame themselves to reach edge of Women’s World Cup glory
Keira Walsh backs Ella Toone to keep place for World Cup final
Friday 18 August 2023 12:29 , Jamie Braidwood
Keira Walsh: “I think obviously people are going to speak about that, but I think everyone has got to give Tooney credit. She has come back in and she has done an unbelievable job again.
“People probably won’t speak about it too much, but it’s not easy to come in for a quarter-final or semi-final when all the spotlight has been on the player’s place you are taking.
“I think tonight she was unbelievable. She tackled, she got stuck in, she took us up the pitch, she gave us a lot of security. LJ is a massive talent, but I think we have got to put some respect on Tooney’s name as well. She has been fantastic.”
Sarina Wiegman commits future to England after USA speculation
Friday 18 August 2023 12:25 , Luke Baker
Sarina Wiegman is happy as England manager and wants to see out the remainder of her contract, despite speculation linking the Lionesses boss to the United States.
Wiegman, who will lead England into their first Women’s World Cup final against Spain on Sunday, is set to attract interest from the USA after the resignation of head coach Vlatko Andonovski - following their huge underperformance and last-16 exit at the tournament.
The Dutch manager has an outstanding track record and is the first head coach to reach the Women’s World Cup final with two different teams, after guiding her native Netherlands to the final in 2019. Wiegman also ended England’s 56-year wait for a major trophy when the Lionesses won the Euros last summer, with the Dutch also winning the European championships on home soil in 2017.
The FA said on Thursday that they would “100 per cent” reject any approach for Wiegman before the end of her contract, which is through to the end of the Euros in 2025, and the 53-year-old confirmed she would not consider any offers after the World Cup.
Full story from Jamie Braidwood in Sydney:
Sarina Wiegman clarifies England future after USA speculation
Will Lauren James play in the Women’s World Cup final?
Friday 18 August 2023 11:59 , Jamie Braidwood
Lauren James could return to play in the World Cup final after her England teammates earned their spot in Sunday’s Sydney showpiece with a 3-1 win over hosts Australia.
James was handed a two-game ban by Fifa after being sent off during the last-16 win over Nigeria for a stamp on defender Michelle Alozie during the knockout game, which England won via a penalty shootout.
The Chelsea star sat out both England’s 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarter-finals and the semi-final victory over Australia, where Ella Toone’s first-half piledriver, Lauren Hemp’s second-half finish and Alessia Russo’s late strike knocked out the hosts to set up a final with Spain.
Will Lauren James play in the Women’s World Cup final?
England’s deadly duo have already provided the answer to the Lauren James debate
Friday 18 August 2023 11:14 , Jamie Braidwood
Lauren Hemp didn’t need to look; she already had the picture in her head. After 86 minutes of being everywhere for England, Hemp found another burst to turn away from Katrina Gorry and ease into the space, gliding to the left to create room on the right. As Australia backed off, Hemp opened up the angle and reversed the ball back to Alessia Russo - her target all along. Then came the finish, low, controlled, a clinical way to round off a ruthless performance on a gutsy night. Cool, calm and collected, it booked England’s place in the World Cup final and summed up how they beat Australia.
“Incredible finish, incredible pass,” Sarina Wiegman said. For the second match in a row, her front two were both on the scoresheet, Hemp and Russo on target in the semi-finals, just as they were in the quarter-finals, just as Wiegman had planned. Except, of course, that no one would have planned for this, in a tournament where rarely anything has gone to script for England and they have been forced to adapt. The Lionesses came into the World Cup with seven forwards and they will likely start Sunday’s final with only two in attacking positions; Hemp and Russo stand as their unlikely combination.
England’s deadly duo have already provided the answer to the Lauren James debate
England’s rivalry with Spain is missing just one vital ingredient – sun loungers
Friday 18 August 2023 10:31 , Jamie Braidwood
It is a disappointment that women’s football has come of age in very slightly more enlightened times.
For most people, what will happen on Sunday in Sydney is just a sporting contest, a shot at immortality. It’s noble enough. Admirable even. But it is nevertheless a statement of fact that had this been going on, say, 20 years ago, it would have been a fine opportunity to analyse the degree to which the proud nations of England and Spain absolutely hate one another.
It is only really the luck of the footballing draw that means your average Englishman has spent the last half-century or so getting angry about the Battle of Trafalgar, the Second World War and the Falklands, while scarcely troubling at all the rich seam of historical grievance with the Spanish. And it seems a shame that this is unlikely to change.
There has, in relatively modern times, only been one opportunity for the tabloid newspapers to evoke the Spanish Armada, and that was 27 years ago during Euro ’96. What a waste. But if you look closely enough, you’ll see that Anglo-Spanish resentment has been simmering nicely for quite some time.
By Tom Peck
England’s rivalry with Spain is missing one vital ingredient: sun loungers | Tom Peck
This World Cup means so much more for women than who wins and who loses
Friday 18 August 2023 09:42 , Jamie Braidwood
Record attendances, standout goalkeeping performances, and penalty-taking fire-power to eclipse any strike by a man in last season’s Premier League.
Not bad for a bunch of girls, is it?
The 2023 Women’s World Cup has certainly been pulling in the fans. One of the home teams, Australia, has twice played in front of crowds exceeding 75,000 in Sydney, and that was only limited by the capacity of the stadium.
Well over 500,000 have attended fan zones in host cities to watch the games on big screens, and, after only two rounds of the tournament, attendance numbers had already exceeded the total attendance of the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
The football world governing body, FIFA, has been trying to grow women’s football at pace, and it seems to be working.
Gemma Abbott on the importance of this World Cup:
This World Cup means so much more than who wins and who loses
Support grows for bank holiday if Lionesses win World Cup final
Friday 18 August 2023 08:59 , Jamie Braidwood
Sir Keir Starmer has called for a celebratory bank holiday should England win Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final. The Labour leader said he was “never complacent” as he backed the suggestion in the event of the Lionesses beating Spain.
The Government has said an extra bank holiday is not currently in its plans, adding it will find the “right way to celebrate” if England win.
Why are England wearing blue kits for the World Cup final?
Friday 18 August 2023 08:13 , Jamie Braidwood
England will go in search of a first Women’s World Cup crown when they take on Spain in the final in Sydney.
While the fixture will obviously be held on a neutral ground, Spain are Team A for the final and thus have kit precedence.
That means that Jorge Vilda’s team will play in their red home strip, with dark blue shorts and socks.
While England might be expected to then wear their traditional white shirts, the Lionesses’ home kit now includes blue shorts after lobbying from players over concerns about wearing white during their periods.
The matching shorts necessitates a change: England will wear their light blue away kit for the final, with white socks.
Why are England wearing blue kits for the World Cup final?
Lauren James ‘will be ready’ for World Cup final, says Chelsea manager Emma Hayes
Friday 18 August 2023 07:51 , Jamie Braidwood
Lauren James will be ready to play for England in Sunday’s World Cup final if she is selected by Sarina Wiegman, according to her club manager Emma Hayes.
James is available to face Spain in England’s first ever Women’s World Cup final after serving a two-match ban for stamping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie in the last-16.
The Lionesses defeated Colombia and Australia in their last two matches without James, who was England’s breakout star in the group stages.
Chelsea boss Hayes says she has spoken to the 21-year-old forward throughout the tournament and backed James to be in the frame for selection.
England’s Lauren James backed to be ‘ready’ for World Cup final
US will not poach ‘special’ World Cup coach Sarina Wiegman, insists FA
Friday 18 August 2023 07:31 , Jamie Braidwood
The Football Association will resist any USA approach for Sarina Wiegman, chief executive Mark Bullingham has said.
Wiegman is now one game away from a history double, as she took a senior English national team to a World Cup final for the first time. That has naturally attracted interest from the USA, whose coach Vlatko Andonovski resigned after a huge underperformance that saw the deposed world champions eliminated in the last 16.
Bullingham said the FA would “100 per cent” reject any approach.
“It is not about money. We are very, very happy with her and we feel she is happy. I think that is the answer.
“We’ve seen lots of rumours and, look, she is a special talent. We’ve got a bit of time because obviously she’s contracted to 2025, and she’ll obviously want to have a decent holiday after this. But all I’ll say is we’re massive fans of her. We believe she’s happy, and we’d love to continue working with her for a long time.”
US will not poach ‘special’ World Cup manager Sarina Wiegman, FA insists
Fifa president says ‘women have the power’ to achieve equality in football
Friday 18 August 2023 07:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said it is women who “have the power to change” football and achieve equality in the game.
It has already been a record-breaking Women’s World Cup, with the tournament in Australia and New Zealand setting its highest-ever attendance figures of over two million people as well as drawing booming TV audiences around the globe. The Fifa president also said the World Cup has generated over $570m (£447m) in revenues and has “broke even” financially ahead of Sunday’s final between England and Spain.
There remains a huge discrepancy in prize money between the men’s and women’s World Cups, however. Despite a 10-fold increase from the last Women’s World Cup in 2019, the record prize money of $152m (£126m) announced by Fifa before the tournament remains some way short of the reported $440m (£365m) prize money on offer to teams at last year’s men’s finals in Qatar.
While Infantino said Fifa remains on track to achieve equal pay between the men’s and women’s World Cup at the 2026 and 2027 tournaments, the Fifa president urged media and sponsors to step to help bridge the gap and said women “have the power to convince men” that equity in football can be reached.
Gianni Infantino says ‘women have the power’ to achieve equality in football
FA to build Wembley statue of England’s Lionesses after World Cup and Euros heroics
Friday 18 August 2023 06:44 , Jamie Braidwood
The Football Association has revealed that a plan is already in place following Euro 2022 for a statue of the England team close to Wembley Stadium.
If England beat a fine Spanish side at Stadium Australia in Sunday’s World Cup final, any statue might have to feature two trophies, given their European triumph last summer. FA CEO Mark Bullingham revealed that the governing body was already in discussions about the design, as it would sit in the footprint of Wembley Stadium.
“In terms of statues, it’s something we are looking at post-Euros. We’ve made progress on that, and it would be right to have something to commemorate that success outside Wembley. It would be the whole team.
“Our starting point was more for plans around a collective, but we’ll see what design ideas come up. And you can imagine the iconic images that came out of the Euros. There’s some brilliant things which could be produced. Our starting point is that it’s a brilliant team.”
FA to build Wembley statue of England’s Lionesses after World Cup
‘Another reason to whinge’: Australian media criticise England after Matildas beaten at Women’s World Cup
Friday 18 August 2023 06:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Australia missed out on a first appearance in a Women’s World Cup final after a 3-1 defeat to England in Sydney.
The Matildas fell behind in the first half at Stadium Australia before Sam Kerr levelled with a spectacular finish from distance.
But goals from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo secured victory for the Lionesses late on to take Sarina Wiegman’s side through to a second consecutive major tournament final.
‘Another reason to whinge’: Australian media criticise England approach
Sarina Wiegman could be England men’s manager after Southgate, says FA chief
Friday 18 August 2023 06:04 , Jamie Braidwood
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham would not rule out the possibility that Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman could one day lead the England men’s team.
The 53-year-old’s stock as a serial winner has risen steadily since securing the European championship trophy with her native Netherlands in 2017, then doing the same with England last summer.
She has now guided England to a first-ever World Cup final, in the process becoming the only manager to do so with two different nations in the women’s showpiece after steering her home country to the same stage four years ago.
Sarina Wiegman could be an England men’s manager after Southgate, says FA chief
England’s deadly duo have already provided the answer to the Lauren James debate
Friday 18 August 2023 06:03 , Jamie Braidwood
Lauren Hemp didn’t need to look; she already had the picture in her head. After 86 minutes of being everywhere for England, Hemp found another burst to turn away from Katrina Gorry and ease into the space, gliding to the left to create room on the right. As Australia backed off, Hemp opened up the angle and reversed the ball back to Alessia Russo - her target all along. Then came the finish, low, controlled, a clinical way to round off a ruthless performance on a gutsy night. Cool, calm and collected, it booked England’s place in the World Cup final and summed up how they beat Australia.
“Incredible finish, incredible pass,” Sarina Wiegman said. For the second match in a row, her front two were both on the scoresheet, Hemp and Russo on target in the semi-finals, just as they were in the quarter-finals, just as Wiegman had planned. Except, of course, that no one would have planned for this, in a tournament where rarely anything has gone to script for England and they have been forced to adapt. The Lionesses came into the World Cup with seven forwards and they will likely start Sunday’s final with only two in attacking positions; Hemp and Russo stand as their unlikely combination.
England’s deadly duo have already provided the answer to the Lauren James debate
When do England play the Women’s World Cup final?
Friday 18 August 2023 06:01 , Jamie Braidwood
England stormed into their first ever Women’s World Cup final after defeating Australia 3-1.
Goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo were enough to put the Matildas away in Sydney.
Australia has been gripped by World Cup fever after the Matildas’ dramatic penalty shootout victory against France in the quarter-finals became the most-watched sporting event in the country since the 2000 Olympic Games, but Sarina Wiegman’s side had too much in the semi-finals.
But the European champions will now play Spain in Sunday’s showpiece in Sydney, after La Roja defeated Sweden 2-1 in the other semi-final.
Get all the latest football betting sites offers and get the latest odds on football matches here. Here’s everything you need to know about the Lionesses’ run down under:
What time is the World Cup final on Sunday and who will England play?
England finally reach the world’s greatest stage — and that is worth celebrating
Friday 18 August 2023 05:59 , Jamie Braidwood
Alex Greenwood claimed she “cannot put it into the words”, so she just kept repeating the words that made her feel like that. “We’re in a World Cup final.”
“I just keep having to say it,” she laughed.
It is a glorious fact worth actually reflecting on, even as thoughts quickly turned to Sunday, what next, who starts, whether Lauren James comes in.
If actually winning the World Cup is the great ambition of any career, the final itself is the great stage. Those who step onto the pitch will leave their own mark on history, the very line-ups part of the record that makes football so rich.
“We wanted to take England and women’s football to a new level and we have certainly done that over the last 12 months,” Ella Toone said. They’ve taken it all to the highest level for the very first time.
That is worth celebrating, as Sarina Wiegman and the players insisted they would be doing.
By Miguel Delaney in Sydney
England finally reach the world’s greatest stage — and that is worth celebrating
