Batlle: We always believed we could be world champions
Spain full-back hails match-winning captain Carmona and reveals why this is 'just the beginning' for her nation.
Spain crowned Women's World Cup champions for first time
Olga Carmona strike earned deserved 1-0 win over England in final
Full-back Ona Batlle speaks to FIFA
Ona Batlle’s wide-eyed glee when speaking to FIFA minutes after lifting football’s most coveted trophy reflected the emotions of a young player who could not quite comprehend what she had achieved.
“Wow,” she replied, with a puff of her cheeks, when asked how it felt to be called a world champion. “It’s just amazing. It feels unbelievable. It was incredible to share that moment with my team-mates.”
The 24-year-old full-back delivered the latest in a string of exceptional individual displays in Spain’s 1-0 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ final win over England. Her intelligence, dynamism and class helped shut down the Lionesses’ explosive strikeforce, as La Roja delivered a complete performance to win the title for the first time in the nation’s history.
Spain’s poise and supreme technical ability were evident throughout the showpiece clash. They controlled possession for extended periods and created a wealth of opportunities against an England side who had conceded just three times in their six Australia & New Zealand 2023 games prior to the final.
“We did a really good job,” added Batlle. "They are a very good team and we knew it was going to be tough. We had to stay together and work. We have shown we have talent and we also work hard. Also, everyone [in the squad] believed we could win this tournament. That’s such an important thing.”
The final – which was played in front of an electric crowd of more than 75,000 at Sydney’s Stadium Australia – was an elite-quality contest between two European heavyweights. The game’s decisive moment came just before the half-hour mark, with captain Olga Carmona’s splendid strike befitting of an unforgettable occasion.
“Olga is a very good mate and it was very special [to see her score],” added Batlle. “She’s been showing she’s a really good full-back. She’s offensive, which showed tonight! She won the player of the match and we have enjoyed that [achievement] with her. She is a very good captain. She has that belief in the team and is always talking to everyone about that.”
As well as Spain’s scintillating attacking football, they also showcased their mental resolve after Jennifer Hermoso saw a second-half penalty saved by England goalkeeper Mary Earps. The Lionesses fans, who outnumbered their Spanish counterparts in Sydney, erupted when their inspirational No1 made the stop and a momentum shift appeared on the cards.
Spain, however, proved unflappable and retained control of the game, eventually seeing out the victory with few alarms. Earps, in fact, was the busier of the goalkeepers in the game’s final stages, with the Manchester United star making several fine saves to keep her team within striking distance.
Batlle, who played with Earps for three years at United, said: “I know her level and I think she was amazing again tonight. We knew it was going to be tough to score against her. Thankfully, we made it happen.”
La Roja competed in the global finals for the first time at Canada 2015, with their triumph eight years later illustrative of Spanish women’s football’s inexorable progress.
Last year, they won both the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup™ and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ – and their victory Down Under means they have become the first nation to hold all three titles at the same time.
“We want to keep growing,” Batlle concluded. “It’s just the beginning.”