England outplayed and outthought by Spain as World Cup final proves a problem too far for Wiegman

In the end, then, it’s familiar World Cup heartbreak for England fans albeit at an unfamiliar stage. If nothing else, this was a defeat that shows true equality now exists between the men’s and women’s team.

A brave and heroic near-miss, some legitimate but ultimately unimportant grumblings about the referee after a performance in which England were outplayed and outthought by a technically superior, clearer-minded and more laser-focused team. This is football heritage.

The frustration is that this brilliant England women’s team has become as successful as it has by being distinctly un-English under Sarina Wiegman. She and they have become the ultimate problem-solvers, the ultimate match-play tournament specialists. The team that finds a way. The team that does to others what others usually do to England. Hell, they did it to Spain in the Euro quarter-finals last year on another night when they were second best.

Spain weren’t going to let it happen again and if anyone was flattered by the 1-0 scoreline it was England. They have found a solution for every problem at this World Cup, but had no answer here against a Spain team who were just better in every single area – apart from perhaps in goal where Mary ‘FUCK OFF’ Earps put in a truly heroic yet ultimately futile shift to keep England somehow in the game until the very final kick. When she went up for a corner in the 14th and final added minute we even dared to dream of something truly batshit, but alas it wasn’t to be.

England were second best in the first half and Spain were good value for their lead. But the game was at least following a pattern most would have expected. Spain had most of the ball, but England posed a clear and present danger on the break in their now familiar 3-5-2. If Lauren Hemp’s fizzing, curling strike had been two inches lower they’d have taken the lead on the quarter-hour and it would have been fair enough. They would come no closer, though, and slowly but surely Spain assumed complete control.

Control has been England’s byword over the last couple of tournaments but they had none of it here, and even less after the half-time changes that were understandable but didn’t pay off. Alessia Russo struggled in the first half, but withdrawing such a big-game player was always a gamble. Lauren James’ redemption arc didn’t quite come off, and reverting to a back four did England no favours.

The first half was an often uncomfortable struggle, but there was cohesion and structure. That was lost in an increasingly desperate second half of hopeful balls forward, launched with hope rather than expectation that Hemp or Chloe Kelly or James or in the closing stages Beth England or even Millie Bright might make something happen out of nothing.

You could at half-time still see a route back into the game for England, but once the game resumed it never really looked like happening. A second Spain goal always appeared likelier, especially when Keira Walsh was rightly if irritatingly adjudged to have committed one of those small, twatty handballs that we will never, ever believe are an offence equivalent to 0.8 of a goal.

In a way, then, Earps’ penalty save and instant meme of a reaction felt like justice. It took the American referee Tori Penso and the VAR team an eternity to reverse the on-field decision – itself a bad look, because how clear an error can it be if it takes a five-minute conference call to adjudicate – which would prove a teaser for the official’s hesitancy over the closing stages.

England lost control of things, but there’s no doubt the referee did too. Most notably when not sending off the magnificent Salma Paralluelo for a clear second bookable offence when she kicked the ball away in the closing stages. Penso reached for her pocket before realising who the player in question was and appearing to change her mind. Again, a bad look.

But it can’t be said with a straight face to have unduly affected the result. Spain always seemed to have an extra player anyway; at best reducing them to 10 would have levelled things up.

They are worthy champions and a wonderful football team. There’s no shame for England in losing to them, a small amount of shame in losing to Jorge Vilda, but mainly frustration that they know they didn’t really do themselves justice in a career-defining game.

Only Earps and Carter could claim to have performed near their best. Hemp and Russo – so brilliant in the semi-final – never really got anywhere. Walsh and Stanway couldn’t provide the midfield ballast and second line of defence England desperately required.

The saddest sight of all, perhaps, was Lucy Bronze. There have been few better for England but this, in what is surely her last chance, was a chastening night. She was at fault for the goal and then did that thing countless players male and female at every level have done since time immemorial: spent the rest of the game trying too hard to make up for it.

It was a goal to sum up the difference between the two sides on the night. Bronze ran enthusiastically but aimlessly into a central-midfield dead-end, and, with no way out, turned over possession to give Spain an overload down their left.

There was still a lot to do, and it would require two perfect touches to exploit Bronze’s error. A pinpoint pass from Mario Caldentay, and an arrowed finish into the smallest possible target inside the far post beyond the world’s best keeper from Olga Carmona. Those two perfect, clinical touches duly arrived and proved enough.

Clinical, ruthless, efficient Spain had got the better off hard-running, never-say-die, but ultimately sloppy England. That was the story of the goal and the story of the final.

England can hold their heads high, though. This was different to last year. Back then, they approached the Euros with expectation rather than hope. They delivered. They have been beset by problems before and throughout this World Cup and still gone further than ever before. There is disappointment and frustration, but after two semi-finals and a final there is no reason to think this chance will never come again.