Spain are in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, and at the same time, it makes complete and zero sense.
Why does it make sense? They have two of the best players in the world, according to the most recent Ballon d’Or rankings, in Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí. They are supported by a host of the Barcelona players who have won two of the last three Champions Leagues, including teenager Salma Paralluelo, who has had a breakout tournament. It was just a matter of time before their success at youth level — back-to-back U17 world champions and the holders of the U20 World Cup — translated into success at senior level.
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And why doesn’t it make sense? Prior to heading to Australia and New Zealand, Spain had never won a knockout game at a major tournament, while Putellas is yet to complete 90 minutes at the tournament since recovering from an ACL injury.
More significantly, though, Spain’s preparation for the finals over the last year has been marred by a dispute between the players and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and coach Jorge Vilda. As a result, some of their best players did not make themselves available for the World Cup, including defender Mapi León and midfielder Patri Guijarro, two of the finest in their positions in the world.
Those cracks were covered up in big wins over Costa Rica and Zambia in their first two group games in New Zealand, but looked set to return when Japan took them apart 4-0 in Wellington on July 31. But La Roja regrouped, Vilda made chances and, after wins against Switzerland, Netherlands and Sweden, they have booked their place in Sunday’s final against England in Sydney.
We look at Spain’s tactical evolution in their run to the final, as well as the problems that have plagued them, which — temporarily at least — have been put to one side. — Sam Marsden.
Players’ call for change at forefront of World Cup preparation
After another early exit at last year’s European Championships — when they lost to England in the quarterfinals — Spain’s players started agitating for change internally. Their preference was for the issues to be dealt with privately but it spilled into the public sphere in September.
At the crux was a drive for this “Golden Generation” of players to be given the support they need to thrive. They felt continual early exits at major tournaments under Vilda — to Austria at Euro 2017, the USWNT at the 2019 World Cup, and England at Euro 2022 — were not good enough and change was needed.
The players insist they did not demand Vilda be sacked; the RFEF’s reading of the situation was otherwise. President Luis Rubiales backed Vilda resoundingly and continues to do so at every opportunity. Given the lack of understanding, late in September, 15 players communicated to the RFEF via email they did not wish to be selected until big changes were made to the current setup.
They said the playing environment with the national team was affecting both their “health and emotional state” and that they did not intend to return until a solution was found.
Among those 15 players were several from the Barcelona squad, including Bonmati, Leon and Guijarro. Another three players, Putellas, Jenni Hermoso and Irene Paredes, did not send the email but supported those that did. They all missed several games — Putellas due to injury — before returning at various points earlier this year.
The complaints were two-fold: against the RFEF and Vilda. Firstly, the players wanted improvements from the RFEF. They wanted friendlies arranged against higher-ranked nations to help them get ready for the World Cup. They wanted improved travel to and from games. They wanted more backroom staff to help with fitness and injury prevention. They wanted all the tools in place to help them go deep at a major tournament.
Secondly, and no players have gone on record speaking about Vilda, but sources told ESPN last September, the 15 players felt the relationship with the coach had broken down. There are no allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him but there are grievances about his management style on and off the pitch.
Off the pitch, sources said he could be controlling and had not dealt with non-sporting issues well. On the pitch, there were protests about preparation, training and tactics, especially in big matches. Sources stressed it was never just a Vilda issue, but there was a feeling he was unqualified for the role he inherited in 2015 given how the women’s game has progressed.
The son of a former fitness coach who worked as part of Johan Cruyff’s staff at Barcelona, Vilda had a fleeting career as a player but no top-level coaching experience outside the RFEF. The standoff continued and none of the 15 players were part of a Spain squad before the World Cup.
Bonmati told ESPN in June that there had been dialogue between the players and the RFEF in the following months and that some changes had taken place. Additional backroom staff had been added, better opposition were faced in friendlies, a nutritionist was appointed, travel improved and a pot of money was allocated to allow players’ families to travel to the World Cup with the team. Paredes’ young son Mateo has even become the team’s unofficial mascot.
Meanwhile, the pressure was mounting on some players to make themselves available for the World Cup. Sponsors, agents and brands were keen to see their clients on the biggest stage.
There is also a significant amount of money to be earned for players who earn far less than their male counterparts. FIFA has advised the winning nation pay each player $270,000 from their prize pot and the runners-up $195,000. That led eight of the 15 players to make themselves available for selection, sources told ESPN. Seven did not choose to return, including Leon, who said “my values come first,” as well as Guijarro, who scored two goals in the Champions League final earlier this summer.
Of the eight that did return, Vilda picked three — Bonmati, along with her Barca teammates Mariona Caldentey and Ona Batlle.
Since then, little has been said of the saga. Bonmati spoke about a “difficult year,” while Caldentey said a World Cup win “would show everything [the players did] has been worth it.” Putellas has not spoken on it at all.
Vilda only wants to talk about the 23 players in the squad and events on the pitch. That has split Spain. Rubiales is keen to give credit to “world class” coach Vilda, who has “been questioned even on a human level,” while others are keen to ensure the players get all the credit for Spain’s run.
Vilda, as you will read below, has made some good decisions since the defeat to Japan. Given the context, the cameras are constantly looking for clues as to how the relationship between the coach and his players has developed. Two clips have gone viral during the finals. The first was at a presentation in Madrid pre-tournament when the players didn’t react to Vilda being brought on to the stage. The second was after the extra time win over Netherlands in the quarterfinal when no players appeared to celebrate with Vilda.
Sources stress that the “players are more united than ever in their common goal” but hold back from commenting on how the ground lies with Vilda. It makes it all the more remarkable that Spain stand on the verge of winning the World Cup for the first ever time this weekend. — Sam Marsden
Paralluelo’s role has boosted La Roja‘s fortunes
On the pitch at this World Cup, Spain have shown some of their best and worst. In their fourth major tournament under Vilda, La Roja have often fallen back into a familiar pattern of possession without purpose, their heavy 4-0 loss to Japan the archetype that harks all the way back to a group-stage loss to England at Euro 2017.
The statistically bizarre match against Japan — in which they let Spain have all of the ball but countered with deadly accuracy — was one of the more memorable matches of the tournament and was the wake-up call La Roja needed.
After that, Spain were given a reprieve with a knockout game against an uninspired Switzerland side, in which Vilda made key changes, giving backup goalkeeper Cata Coll the nod ahead of regular starter Misa Rodríguez. As well as Coll, defender Laia Codina came in for Ivana Andrés as both then started subsequent games. Even allowing for an unusual own goal when Codina fired the ball into Coll’s abandoned net from some 40 yards, La Roja were free to exploit the space Switzerland offered up in their defensive third, scoring with five of their 25 shots.
Vilda has remained largely consistent with his midfield, pushing Teresa Abelleira into a deeper role and allowing the Real Madrid player to progress the ball from there. Alongside Abelleira, Bonmatí has been an ever-present in the squad. The Barcelona midfielder — one of aforementioned 15 players to hold out — is also the most in-form player this season, leading the charge for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
As one of the most intelligent players on the pitch, Bonmatí has been key for Spain, galvanising for midfield and threading the ball forward. Her return to the squad has been a lifeline for Vilda and Spain.
Bonmatí and Abelleira have also been free to control proceedings without too much of a spotlight on them thanks to the return of double-Ballon d’Or winner Putellas. But, yet to complete 90 minutes since returning from an ACL injury, she has been largely ineffectual in middle of the 4-3-3 formation Spain have employed at this tournament.
Indeed, Spain’s better moments have come when Jennifer Hermoso has been dropped back into a supplying role in midfield, freeing up an extra space in the front three where up-and-coming star Salma Paralluelo has been given the room to shine. Providing a different profile than Alba Redondo or Vilda’s favoured striker Esther Gonzalez, the 19-year-old’s goals have seen her promoted to the starting XI, rather than settling for a cameo off the bench.
Paralluelo has changed the dynamic of the way Spain attack, allowing the team to spread itself out across the pitch and overload the box. The forward — a former sprinter — is one of the fastest and tallest on the pitch too, adding more danger at set pieces and far more running than Putellas.
Never having won a knockout game at a major tournament before, the Swiss win provided the perfect mental boost ahead of Spain’s first-ever quarterfinal. Although they threatened to fall back into their old pattern of creating chances without taking them, the introduction of Paralluelo on 71 minutes changed the game against Netherlands and she struck the winning goal in extra time.
And, as it was against the Dutch, Paralluelo’s direct play from off the bench on 57 minutes proved to be the tonic for Spain against a defensively lacking Sweden in the semifinal.
Having been eliminated by England at Euro 2022, there will be a subplot of potential retribution when they take to the pitch against the Lionesses. The logical thing for Vilda to do would be to play to the strengths of his team, leaning on existing partnerships and giving Paralluelo the nod from the start — rather than hoping to still be in the game long enough for her to make an impact as a substitute again.
We might see more conservatism from La Roja too, with the backline one of the more questionable in this tournament, and Aitana potentially asked to drop a little deeper to help alongside Abelleira.
There is also the temptation for Vilda to look to the Barcelona players in his squad who, at the start of the summer, came from behind against Wolfsburg to claim their second Champions League crown. Big-game experience and mental fortitude are things Spain have lacked in previous tournaments. But, having brought more players from one club into this, Spain will allow Vilda’s coaching to take the backseat as he leans into existing partnerships and understanding between players.
With England’s back-three standing strong this tournament, the onus will be on the Spain frontline, whoever is in it, to poke and prod for openings, stretching the play where possible and not letting themselves be jammed up in the middle of the pitch. — Sophie Lawson