Best players, fixtures, route to final & more

Spain go into the 2023 Women’s World Cup among the teams favoured by bookmakers, having been able to bring Alexia Putellas back into the squad following the ACL injury she cruelly suffered on the even of Euro 2022 last summer.

La Roja subsequently struggled to give their best at the Euros amid suggestions that head coach Jorge Vilda was in charge of a hostile environment that later resulted in 15 players each sending an email to the Spanish football federation (RFEF) in September 2022 refusing to be called up until change happened. What followed was a messy back and forth, with allegations and counter claims being made, all the while RFEF stuck by Vilda and he refused to step down.

Some of the situation has been resolved, but not entirely. Three of the players who sent emails – Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey and Ona Batlle – have been recalled. Putellas, captain Irene Paredes and veteran striker Jenni Hermoso supported the revolt but never officially joined it and also in New Zealand. But key players Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro reiterated their refusal to be called up publicly, while others among the group of 15 like Sandra Panos and Lucia Garcia were left out.

Since exiting Euro 2022 at the hands of England, La Roja have actually only lost once – against Australia in February – and have won 11 of 13 games, plus a behind closed doors friendly. That run has even included a victory over the United States.

For all that they have many of the most talented players in the world, Spain have only won a single World Cup game to date out of seven played, such has been their rapid rise at international level.

Women’s World Cup

Year

Result

Pld

W

D

L

1991

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1995

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1999

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2003

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2007

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2011

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2015

Group stage

3

0

1

2

2019

Last 16

4

1

1

2

Women’s European Championship

Year

Result

Pld

W

D

L

1984

Did not enter

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1987

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1989

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1991

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1993

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1995

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1997

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2001

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2005

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2009

Did not qualify

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

2013

Quarter-finals

4

1

1

2

2017

Quarter-finals

4

1

1

2

2022

Quarter-finals

4

2

0

2

World Cup qualifying had been concluded prior to the 15 players declaring themselves unavailable for selection in late September 2022. Spain had already won all eight of their games, scoring 53 goals in the process and not conceding even once. Amaiur Sarriegi, not in the squad, top scored with 11.

Date

Result

Goalscorers

16 September 2021

Faroe Islands 0-10 Spain

Sarriegi (4), Guerrero, Putellas, L. Garcia, Guijarro, Caldentey, Aleixandri

21 September 2021

Hungary 0-7 Spain

Gonzalez (2), Caldentey (2), Del Castillo, Sarriegi (2)

26 October 2021

Ukraine 0-6 Spain

Putellas, Sarriegi (2), Eizagirre, OG, Redondo

25 November 2021

Spain 12-0 Faroe Islands

Gonzalez (4), Bonmati (2), Redondo, Caldentey (2), Putellas, Sarriegi

30 November 2021

Spain 8-0 Scotland

Sarriegi (2), Caldentey (2), Bonmati (2), Putellas, Hermoso

12 April 2022

Scotland 0-2 Spain

Hermoso (2)

2 September 2022

Spain 3-0 Hungary

Gonzalez, Paredes, Guijarro

6 September 2022

Spain 5-0 Ukraine

Gonzalez (2), Redondo (2), Hermoso

Position

Player

Age

Club

Goalkeeper

Misa Rodriguez

23

Real Madrid

Goalkeeper

Enith Salon

21

Valencia

Goalkeeper

Cata Coll

22

Barcelona

Defender

Ona Batlle

24

Barcelona

Defender

Irene Paredes

32

Barcelona

Defender

Ivana Andres

29

Real Madrid

Defender

Oihane Hernandez

23

Real Madrid

Defender

Laia Codina

23

Barcelona

Defender

Olga Carmona

23

Real Madrid

Defender

Rocio Galvez

26

Real Madrid

Midfielder

Teresa Abelleira

23

Real Madrid

Midfielder

Aitana Bonmati

25

Barcelona

Midfielder

Irene Guerrero

26

Atletico Madrid

Midfielder

Alexia Putellas

29

Barcelona

Midfielder

Maria Perez

21

Barcelona

Midfielder

Claudia Zornoza

32

Real Madrid

Forward

Mariona Caldentey

27

Barcelona

Forward

Esther Gonzalez

30

unattached

Forward

Jennifer Hermoso

33

Pachuca

Forward

Eva Navarro

22

Atletico Madrid

Forward

Alba Redondo

26

Levante

Forward

Salma Paralluelo

19

Barcelona

Forward

Athenea del Castillo

22

Real Madrid

Alexia Putellas

Alexia Putellas

Alexia Putellas is back from long-term injury / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Losing Alexia Putellas on the eve of Euro 2022 was an almighty blow. She was Ballon d’Or holder at the time and went on to claim it again later that year because of the incredible things she had done with Barcelona the previous season – the only female player to retain the award to date.

The midfielder brings goals and creativity, but is still feeling her way back towards full match fitness. She returned to the pitch at the end of April after more than 10 months out, but all six appearances before the end of the season all came as a substutute – including the Champions League final. Starts against Panama and Denmark in warm-up games for this tournament have since followed.

Aitana Bonmati

Aitana Bonmati

A good World Cup could see Aitana Bonmati win the next Ballon d’Or / Visionhaus/GettyImages

What kept Barcelona ticking last season in the absence of Putellas was Aitana Bonmati. She had previously been the best player in the 2021 Champions League final when Barcelona thrashed Chelsea and has only gone from strength to strength since then.

The tenacious 25-year-old excels on both sides of the ball, with one of the best brains anywhere in world football. There is an argument to suggest that she is only just getting into her peak now, which is a scary thought in itself, and her return after self-enforced wilderness is a huge boost for Spain.

Ona Batlle

Ona Batlle

Ona Batlle is taking her club career back to Spain next season / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Another hugely important player for Spain who risked not being involved at all is Ona Batlle, with the full-back returning to the fold. She is arguably the best in the world in her position, having flourished during three years with Manchester United at club level.

Failure to agree a new contract in England has pushed Batlle back to Barcelona, where she may initially feature at left-back rather than her favoured spot on the right, the club at which she began her career. Expect dyanamism at both ends of the pitch, with excellent covering and driving runs forward.

Jorge Vilda

Jorge Vilda

Jorge Vilda has come under fire / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Senior stars like Jenni Hermoso and Patri Guijarro, the latter of whom has refused to end her national team boycott, denied asking for Jorge Vilda to be sacked last September. But the reality is the ugly situation that arose could have been avoided with better management of the environment amid allegations over the way players have been treated and dissatisfaction over tactics and preparation.

His father, Angel, was a former fitness coach at Barcelona under Johan Cruyff, before joining RFEF to coach women’s football. Vilda Jr. followed in those footsteps in 2009, working with Spain’s Under-17 and Under-19 teams, before being appointed head coach of the senior side in 2015.

Fixture

Date

Time (BST)

Venue

Spain v Costa Rica

21 July 2023

08:30

Wellington Regional Stadium

Spain v Zambia

26 July 2023

08:30

Eden Park

Japan v Spain

31 July 2023

08:00

Wellington Regional Stadium

If Spain win Group C as expected, it would mean a last 16 clash with the runner-up from Group A – a favourable tie against Norway or Switzerland. A quarter-final on that path would likely be against a Sweden team that habitually reach the latter stages of tournaments. Should the Spaniards get through that, a semi-final against probably the United States awaits, which would arguably be a tougher game than a potential final against Germany, France, Australia or England.

Even not quite at full strength, things are better than they were only a few months ago and Spain should still comfortably top Group C ahead of a Japan side that isn’t a patch on the golden generation that won the World Cup in 2011. Costa Rica will provide minimal resistance, with Zambia the most likely to cause a shock after their recent win over Germany.

The last 16 should still be a breeze, but potentially getting Sweden in the last eight could cause problems. For all that Spain are probably better on paper, sometimes there is no trade-off for experience as a unit and the Swedes are more likely to get through on know-how.

Prediction: Quarter-finals

READ MORE ON THE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

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