England v Spain Final Preview
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Spain captain Irene Paredes has said she believes that the attitude towards women's football is changing after their 2023 World Cup victory in Australia.
The culture within the Spanish camp also appears to have changed drastically from the World Cup in 2023, when they arrived in New Zealand with a divided squad amid a backdrop of unrest around then head coach Vilda.
Aitana Bonmatí scored in extra time to send Spain to its first-ever Women’s European Championship final with a 1-0 win over Germany on Wednesday, setting up a repeat of the 2023 World Cup title match.
Spain deserves to be in this World Cup final and is poised to be a dominant side for years to come. But as this tournament comes to an end, these issues may not yet be over.
The BBC and ITV have secured the broadcasting rights to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, ensuring the biggest tournament in women's football remains free-to-air for UK audiences. The broadcasters will split games evenly between them in the group and knockout stages but will both show the final.
In one corner, we have Spain who have taken the women's game by the scruff of the neck over the years to the extent that they are the team to beat wherever they turn up. And then, the Lionesses, who live up to their nickname, epitomising a togetherness that means they don't know they are beaten.
Despite all their success, Spain have never won the Euros, and their 2023 World Cup win was overshadowed by controversy. On Sunday, they hope that the focus will be firmly on them.