Spain v England live – Women’s World Cup final updates, TV channel and build up

Here we are then. After 63 games, we have just one to play.

It’s Spain v England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.

Outside the stadium as we arrived and throughout the day in Sydney you can’t move for England fans. Expect them to outnumber their Spanish counterparts.

Here is the Spain team to face England. The big news is that Alexia Putellas is on the bench.

Spain starting XI: Cata, Batlle, Paredes, Codina, Olga, Abelleira, Bonmati, Hermoso, Redondo, Caldentey, Paralluelo.

The Chelsea defender has been one of the consistent stand-out performers at this Women’s World Cup, one that very few expected. What has made her so impressive is her reliably unflappable nature, particularly for a player featuring at her first-ever World Cup and handed the heady task of filling in for the inimitable Leah Williamson.

It’s not an act, writes Neil Moxley. Consider her reaction to the semi-final victory over Australia. “I was into the ice bath because my legs were struggling after the game,” she said, “I’m a pretty chilled type of character so I just put my headphones back in and wanted to get some sleep.”

Read the full piece on Jess Carter here.

To start yesterday’s pre-match press conference, Spain manager Jorge Vilda was asked how he was handling the off-pitch issues that had ensconced the team since last summer’s Euros. Vilda’s response: “Next question please.”

The Spanish national team have reached a first-ever World Cup final. They’ve done so without some of the world’s greatest players and concurrently engulfed in a longstanding dispute with the Spanish FA regarding issues of treatment, pay and equity. Also included: Vilda and his alleged authoritarian and inappropriate managerial tactics.

Following last summer’s Euros, a group of 15 Spanish footballers declared themselves unavailable for national team selection until change was implemented. The subsequent months have been nothing short of extraordinary.

Today, Spain find themselves in the World Cup final, with Vilda still at the helm.

You can read the full story on Spain and why 12 world class players aren’t playing here.

The Lionesses have come up with answers to every question that’s been asked of them at this World Cup, writes colomnist Sue Smith.

And they have another puzzle to solve against Spain.

Read Sue’s full column on Spain and the latest puzzle that manager Sarina Wiegman must solve here.