The Spanish Women Football team scripted history by entering their first-ever FIFA World Cup Finals by defeating Sweden with a rousing 2-1 win in the semi-final on Tuesday (August 15).
Having failed to even qualify for the World Cup until Canada in 2015, Spain have electrified Australia and New Zealand with 17 goals and a lively, attacking game. Their rise has mirrored the revival of European football at a tournament once dominated by the United States.
After Spain’s win, Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, sent his congratulations to the national team after Tuesday’s semifinal victory.
“To the final!” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Keep making history. All of Spain is with you.”
In beating Sweden, Spain not only eliminated the highest-ranked semi-finalist and broke down one of the world’s most stingy defences.
“It is something that is fabulous for Spanish football, everyone who’s worked throughout so many years,” said coach Jorge Vilda on the team’s prospects of winning the trophy. “It’s very emotional for me because it’s the culmination of your profession. It’s marvellous to make so many people happy,” Vilda added further.
Spain’s women have long toiled in the shadow of the men’s team, whose golden era yielded a 2010 World Cup triumph sandwiched by a pair of European Championship trophies.
After knocking out the United States, the Sweden Women’s Football team had defeated Japan to book a seat in the semifinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In the other semi-final, England faces co-hosts Australia in Sydney on Wednesday.