Olga Carmona scored the only goal of the match as Spain edged out England 1-0 to win maiden FIFA Women's World Cup title.
Olga Carmona, Spain's captain, scored the game's only goal in the merited 1-0 triumph over England in the final on Sunday to give Spain its first Women's World Cup title. Spain was the more skilled team and had more opportunities in front of a crowd of over 76,000 spectators at Sydney's Stadium Australia, including missing a second-half penalty. With Spain's victory, Jorge Vilda and the Spanish football federation have been vindicated for sticking with the coach even after 15 players last year swore they would no longer represent their country under his leadership.
Sarina Wiegman, the coach of the European champions England, who have already lost the final twice, can hardly be upset.
In addition to the current winners, the United States, Germany, Norway, and Japan, Spain is the fifth team to win the World Cup since the competition's inception in 1991.
The game's decisive goal was scored by defender Carmona in front of Spain's Queen Letizia on minute 29 after charging from left back to hammer the ball low and hard.
After Chelsea attacker Lauren James served a two-match suspension, Wiegman resisted the urge to bring her back and stuck with the squad that defeated co-hosts Australia 3-1 in the semifinals.
There wasn't much to choose between them in the opening exchanges until both teams had excellent opportunities before the quarter-hour mark, with England having the first whiff of an opportunity in the fifth minute while wearing their blue second jersey, but Lauren Hemp shot weakly at keeper Cata Coll.
First, Manchester City forward Hemp struck the bar with a curler that had Coll well beaten.
Spain went up the other end and should have scored but Salma Paralluelo -- in for Alexia Putellas -- missed the ball in the six-yard box.
Then Alba Redondo hit a first-time strike straight at goalkeeper Mary Earps with the England goal gaping.
Hemp then had another tame effort saved, before the game was momentarily held up in the 24th minute when a spectator darted on to the pitch before being wrestled away by security.
Five minutes later Spain, who had never won a knockout game at the Women's World Cup until this tournament and had lost 4-0 to Japan in the group phase, were ahead.
Mariona Caldentey slid in an inch-perfect pass for Carmona, who came flying unmarked down the left before lashing the ball into the bottom corner.
Vilda, who recalled three of the 15 mutineers for the World Cup, did not even raise a smile on the sidelines.
England looked uncharacteristically rattled and the 19-year-old Barcelona attacker Paralluelo, who was a constant threat, shaved the post with the last kick of the half.
Hermoso fails from spot
Wiegman, who suffered agony in the final four years ago when her Netherlands team lost 2-0 to the United States, made a double change at the break.
James and Chloe Kelly replaced Rachel Daly and Alessia Russo as Wiegman switched from a back-five to a flat back-four.
But it was Spain who nearly doubled their lead almost straight after half-time, Caldentey dinking inside and forcing Earps to turn the ball around the post.
Hemp was booked for clipping Laia Codina as England's frustration mounted.
Midfield schemer Aitana Bonmati, who has been one of the players of the tournament and was one of the three refuseniks recalled by Vilda, fired narrowly over Earps's bar.
With 20 minutes left, Spain were awarded a penalty when VAR was called into action and, after a long review, Keira Walsh was judged to have handled the ball in the box.
Jennifer Hermoso stepped up but her penalty was weak and Earps saved comfortably to keep England just about alive.
Officials indicated 13 minutes of injury time at the end, but if anything, it was Spain who looked the more likely to score as England's dreams of a first World Cup melted away.