England were “struggling”. Two games into the World Cup and the final seemed a long way away. Despite the opening wins against Haiti and Denmark, England needed to change. While players and managers at major tournaments often repeat the line that results are all that matter, Sarina Wiegman was more concerned with how her side were underperforming. The Lionesses were faced with a lack of creativity, and a vulnerability to the counter-attack. But Wiegman and her coaching team had a back-up plan. A change in formation was an idea she and her staff discussed in April when they were designing a way for England to be more unpredictable at the World Cup. A 3-5-2 system was identified as a way to get more from certain players in the squad and play to their strengths, while also giving their opponents something new to think about. Still, when Wiegman was faced with the decision to rip up England’s approach and start again, she required courage and conviction to commit to it. She found it in the form of her assistant Arjan Veurink, who has been at Wiegman’s side for the past four major tournaments, previously with the Netherlands and now with England. With the injury to Keira Walsh following England’s win over Denmark, a blow that at the time appeared to rule the midfielder out of the tournament, Veurink went to Wiegman and said the time had come. “You’re completely right,” Wiegman replied. “This is the moment.” From there, the trait of England’s World Cup campaign became their adaptability, and the unsung stars became the new back three that was suddenly pulled together for the final group game against China. “The way they explained the reasons why and what they wanted to do was so easy to adapt to it,” said defender Jess Carter who, alongside captain Millie Bright and the exceptional Alex Greenwood, has been one of the revelations of England’s tournament. Carter had been dropped to the bench against Denmark and didn’t think she would play again, after arriving at the World Cup not expecting to play at all. But the 25-year-old has been ever present throughout the knockout stages at right-centre back, next to her Chelsea teammate Bright and with Greenwood on the opposite side. In England’s progress to their first World Cup final, Wiegmans’ new-found defence has emerged as its key strength, and has been the cornerstone of their resilience and mentality. There has been a balance to it, with each player in the back three complementing the other. Carter is the calm, assured defensive cover, brilliant in the one-on-ones. Bright is England’s rock, an aggressive front-foot defender who is then as dominant in the air as anyone in the world. Greenwood has arguably been England’s player of the tournament. On the left side of the three, her ability to pass through the line has allowed England to play out, while her sense to surge forward on the ball has frequently relieved pressure. It has seemed a natural connection, and how England have needed it. “It clicked really quickly,” Carter said. “Our honest communication with each other is something that’s really important. We tried to figure out really quickly what one another needed. I think we’re a very confident team and everyone’s got so many different types of experience. Seeing out games is something that is part of that experience.” In the last-16, they withstood the introduction of Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala and then played extra time with 10 players after Lauren James’ red card. In the quarter-finals, Carter eventually restrained Colombia’s star forward Linda Caicedo, and Bright headed clear everything that was thrown into the box. Sam Kerr had her moment in the semi-finals, but England won the tactical battle against the Matildas and did not blink when the hosts equalised in Sydney. At 1-1, Carter made a crucial intervention when Cortnee Vine’s shot was saved by Mary Earps, which turned the game. But in the final, England’s back three face its biggest challenge yet. As Spain have overcome themselves to reach their first Women’s World Cup final, it was only poor finishing that resulted in their run to the final being closer than expected. They got away with it against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, and Sweden in the semis, but Spain created high-quality chances at a far greater rate than any of the four semi-finalists. While they have a way of missing chances, Spain’s build-up through a technical midfield that has the outstanding talent of Aitana Bonmati has been intricate and precise, and often a level above what England have shown. They will also offer threats that England have yet to face at the tournament, mainly, should head coach Jorge Vilda keep the same system, a false-nine in Jenni Hermoso. In the middle of England’s back three, Bright has relished the duels with the opposite central striker and come out on top since Wiegman’s switch. Hermoso, though, is different: when Spain’s record goalscorer drops into midfield to help with their build-up play, it could drag Bright into some uncomfortable positions, or isolate England’s captain. Spain’s style also features wingers who stay high and wide and another challenge for England will be how they deal with them. It could fall to England’s wing-backs Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly but when Spain have established possession, their full-backs Ona Batlle and Olga Carmona must also be accounted for. Meanwhile, if Carter and Greenwood are pulled away from Bright to deal with Spain’s wide threats, it only creates space for Bonmati and Alexia Putellas in the inside channels, the areas where Spain’s two stars can cause the most danger. It may be, however, that Spain’s most dangerous threat does not even start. Salma Paralluelo has come off the bench to devastating effect to score in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals, with the winner against the Netherlands and then the opener against Sweden. The 19-year-old, who was tipped to be a future Olympic sprinter before signing for Barcelona at the start of the season, has electrifying pace and has used it to blow Spain’s last two games wide open, while also providing the lethal finishing her team desperately required. If Paralluelo is kept to the bench, her arrival will signal the moment where the game changes, although England could then mirror it now Lauren James is back for suspension in time for the final. Indeed, given how both teams have reached the final, the appearance of James should worry Spain a lot more than the potential impact of Paralluelo. While England’s defence has been the backbone of their tournament, Spain can hardly say the same about theirs. While England have the pragmatic nous of European champions, Spain are likely to start with the inexperienced goalkeeper Cata Coll and centre-back Laia Codina. Both were parachuted in for the knockout stages, following Spain’s 4-0 defeat to Japan in the groups, and if they start the final, it will only be Codina’s sixth match for Spain, and Coll’s fourth. Spain have shown vulnerabilities late in games and conceded late goals against the Netherlands and Sweden, even if they ultimately recovered. With that, and in many other ways, Spain and England’s journeys to the World Cup final have shared plenty in common. But if the old adage is true that attack wins you games and defence wins you titles, then it’s an area where England have so far displayed a clear advantage. Read More How to watch England vs Spain: TV channel and kick-off time for Women’s World Cup final England stand on the brink of history — and a moment to change the game forever Sarina Wiegman: ‘Stop talking about the result — we know what we want’ Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Sarina Wiegman thankful for ‘dream’ support as World Cup final set to unite country

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England had covered the gaps, they had filled the holes. They had adjusted, adapted, repositioned, created a new formation, and reached a first World Cup final. Then England changed again. Down 1-0 at half time in the World Cup final, Sarina Wiegman went for a last roll of the dice, a double substitution that saw Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly brought off and Lauren James and Chloe Kelly come on. That 3-5-2 that was England’s revelation of the tournament, that changed their World Cup? It was binned. England went back to 4-2-3-1. They disposed of the wing-backs and brought on the wingers. They stopped pressing Spain and abandoned their plan. With it, and for the first time at the World Cup, the Lionesses did not find the change that was required. James and Kelly brought moments of improvement, but the truth is that England were at their most dangerous when Lauren Hemp and Russo were combining as a front two. Hemp’s switch to a central role took away the threat that was everywhere in the first half and left Wiegman searching for something else. On came Beth England. Up went Millie Bright. But this was a situation England could not overcome. In a tournament that has been defined by England’s ability to adapt and solve the problems they have faced, the changes that were required against Spain were a step too far. Mary Earps’s save from Jenni Hermoso’s penalty gave England some momentum, but this was a final that stuttered and in the second half never found its rhythm, where stoppages played into Spain’s hands and covered the defensive frailties they had previously shown through the tournament. “When Mary saved the penalty I thought we’d go on and score the goal,” Wiegman shrugged. “But we didn’t.” Wiegman felt England improved with the changes and they certainly played with a better balance. But by then the game had changed and in its final moments, Spain managed to stay in control. While England never found the right combinations, Spain never quite felt threatened. While England played with two systems, neither one quite arrived at the right time. Perhaps this was always the natural conclusion for a World Cup that hit its first hurdle in November when Beth Mead suffered a torn ACL, then when England lost Leah Williamson, and then Fran Kirby; the deflating end to a tournament where Wiegman has not had the same consistency or continuity of last summer’s Euros, and where winning the final was beyond the resilience of this side. Perhaps it’s also the rebalance from last summer’s quarter-final in Brighton, where Spain were the better team and lost after England found a moment of magic through Georgia Stanway’s equaliser. England couldn’t produce another one; despite the introductions of Kelly and James, England were at their most threatening when they played into an open, frantic match, even if it left them more vulnerable at the other end and, ultimately, led to Olga Carmona’s winning goal. It was a quality finish, the moment to crown Spain’s golden generation, a magnificent team of sharp passers and quick minds. Aitana Bonmati was the clear player of the tournament and no one will be surprised when the Ballon d’Or follows at the end of the year. They looked a class above England, but the regret is that a head coach who appears to have no impact on how his team plays in Jorge Vilda did not need to have a tactical approach to beat the Lionesses. England gave Spain what they wanted. Wiegman committed to a brave plan but it gave England a hard time. They had pushed high and pressed Spain, hoping to force the error, with Lucy Bronze and Daly defending as forwards as much as wingers, gambling on a misplaced pass. But Spain were too good. They responded by playing through England, isolating a back three that had found strength in its unity. Spain pulled an already stretched team further out of shape and created another problem for England to solve. Bronze’s misadventure then led to another one. As Carmona fired past Earps, Bronze immediately sank to the pitch, as if her legs had been cut from beneath her, the sort of reaction that told you everything about where the goal had come from. It was a run that was too ambitious when what England needed to do was move it faster. Bronze was crowded out, England were outnumbered, and suddenly it was left to Russo to follow Carmona’s run. That was a gap in the team that England could not cover. There had been such a fine balance to it, an open game where the first goal was always going to be crucial. While the final was goalless, England had chances that came from their high press and then found spaces to hit Hemp down the channels. But when Spain scored, the space vanished and Wiegman needed to try something else to protect her side, even if it meant England lost some of their unpredictability. To reach this stage was a triumph of the team’s approach and its mentality; a campaign that always managed to deliver answers. Eventually, and on the biggest stage of all, England were unable to find another. Read More England suffer World Cup heartache as brilliant Spain show Lionesses what’s missing Jorge Vilda: Spain’s World Cup coach at the heart of a civil war England v Spain LIVE: Women’s World Cup final result and reaction as Lionesses suffer heartbreak England players ‘heartbroken’ after World Cup final defeat to Spain England suffer World Cup heartache as brilliant Spain show Lionesses what’s missing Sarina Wiegman has already made the biggest decision of England’s World Cup

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