The year the women’s team touched the sky

August 20, 2023 will remain forever in our memories. That day, the women’s team was declared world champion with the iconic left foot of Olga Carmona in the 29th minute against England. The Sevillian put the epic in a championship to frame, whose only failure was the defeat against Japan, where 23 Spanish players shone in their own light and put the name of Spanish women’s football at the top.

It was a World Cup with protests preceded by the conflict of ‘Las 15’ and led to the ‘Rubiales case’ but ultimately served to put on the table that these soccer players need to be accompanied by a professional environment and resources and tools.like their peers.

In their third participation in a World Cup after Canada’2015, where they did not advance beyond the group stage, and France’2019, where they reached the round of 16 after losing to the mighty United States, La Roja managed to touch the sky in a tournament that Undoubtedly marked the before and after of Spanish women’s football.

Jorge Vilda’s team achieved the unthinkable: they were opponents but not favorites against the United States of America. Rapinoe and Sophia Smith the Brazil of Marthathe France of Diani and Wendie Renard or even the Australia of Sam Kerr. The champions failed to face any rivals, overcoming the obstacles of Costa Rica (3-0), Zambia (5-0), Switzerland (1-5), Netherlands (2-1), Sweden (2-1 ) and England 81 -0), with the only defeat against Japan (4-0) in the group stage, fortunately in the only match in which they could fail.

Spain struck the blow by starring in a serious and competitive tournament, leaving aside the controversies between the internationals and the coach and offering an exhibition of talent and ambition. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner shined in the Antipodes, Aitana Bonmatí, brand new MVP of the World Cup, with three goals, two assists, more passes than anyone else and undisputed leadership. “I can’t ask for anything more, just a dream,” he said at the end of the final.

With the solvency of Cata Coll under the sticks, the defensive security of IRene Paredes and Laia Codinathe edges covered sensationally Ona Batlle and Olga Carmonaa midfield overflowing with quality Aitana, Alexia, Tere Abelleira and the veteran Jenni Hermosowho at 33 years old knows how to offer his best version, and a forward full of offensive resources with names like Mariona, Salma, Alaba or Athenea, The Spanish team is the best without a doubt. He offered a real football lesson in the final against the ‘Lionesses’ led by Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, Lauren James and company, current European champions and certainly their executioners in the last Euro. The best ending imaginable.

The numbers speak for themselves. Spain is the team that has scored the most goals with a total of 18 in seven games and is the most offensive team with 56 shots on goal and 157 in total. He also stands out in total passes with 4,622, as well as 238 crosses. On an individual level, it is also customary. Jenni Hermoso is the player who traveled the most kilometers in the World Cup with 78.4 km and Salma Paralluelo He was the player with the most successful dribbles in the tournament, with a total of ten. Tere Abelleira was the player who created the most chances with 24, while Aitana Bonmati he took 20 shots on goal and in the middle Irene Paredes He is 89.2% effective in passing. Annoying figures that lead to touching the sky. Barça and Real Madrid are the clubs that have contributed the most players to the Red Wing, with eight each.

Spain also broke audience and expectation records. The final paralyzed the country, with hundreds of giant screens spread across major cities, and there was an average of 5,599,000 viewers in the final, with a 65.7% audience share, data that gives this final a historic audience record for all women’s football. competitions. In total, almost nine million are connected at one point, while the global audience of the World Cup is 12,740,000 unique viewers, 27.6% of the Spanish population.

The World Cup marks the before and after not only in impact but also in development. With 32 teams in the competition for the first time in history after its birth in 1991, it gave a real blow to the table in FIFA’s firm intention to achieve equality. This was also reflected in the distribution of prizes, so the winners pocketed 248,000 euros from FIFA. The international organization allocated 150 million dollars to the Australia and New Zealand tournament, which is triple than in 2019 and ten times higher than in 2015. A big bet.

Spain registers its name with the United States, with four world titles, Germany with two and Norway and Japan with one. And it also proves that the new generations are going strong, with the unprecedented achievements of the Sub’17, Sub’19 and Sub’21.

It is a pity that the sporting success was ‘tarnished’ by the ‘Rubiales case’, which was discussed at length as a result of the non-consensual kiss of the former president of the RFEF with the Pachuca footballer Jenni Hermoso and which led to the #SeAcabó movement and promoted series of improvements that footballers have been asking for for a long time. A tumultuous and controversial ending that failed to mask a crushing truth: women’s football is experiencing a golden age and is here to stay.