LIVE: Double selection surprise as stars relegated

There were immoderate doubts astir England's squad starring into the Women's World Cup due to the fact that a trio of ascendant players — Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby — weren't with the squad due to the fact that of injuries.

Then determination were questions astir however they would grip the lack of guardant Lauren James, who was suspended for some England's 4th last and semi last matches.

But the Lionesses, led by manager Sarina Wiegman, person shown they are adept astatine adjustments — and it's gotten them to the rubric match.

England plays Spain for the World Cup trophy connected Sunday nighttime aft the Lionesses defeated the Matildas 3-1 successful their semi finals connected Wednesday.

"The committedness of this team, the willingness to go amended and to triumph games is truthful high. I haven't seen immoderate infinitesimal that's immoderate different. There's ne'er immoderate complacency successful the team," Wiegman said.

"Of course, we've had a batch of things thrown astatine us, with injuries. We had to find a way, 'OK, what fits champion now? How to play?'"

England has played successful the World Cup without their 3 playmakers from the 2022 European Championship squad. All 3 sustained genu injuries that kept them disconnected Wiegman's World Cup roster.

Williamson, England's versatile skipper who tin play defence oregon successful the midfield, tore her ACL portion playing with nine squad Arsenal successful a lucifer against Manchester United successful April.

Mead, who besides plays for Arsenal, ruptured her ACL past November and wasn't capable to retrieve successful time. She won the Golden Boot and the MVP grant with six goals astatine Euro 2022.

Kirby was injured during a lucifer for Chelsea successful February and announced successful May she would miss the World Cup due to the fact that of genu surgery. She has 17 goals successful 65 appearances for England. She started each of England's games during the team's tally successful the Euros.

At first, it looked arsenic though those absences were going to beryllium hard to overcome. England mislaid 2-0 to Australia and played to a scoreless gully with Portugal successful a brace of accumulation matches up of the World Cup.

Then Keira Walsh, the team's antiaircraft midfielder, was wounded during a group-stage lucifer against Denmark. Carried disconnected connected a stretcher, she astatine 1 constituent was seen saying "I've done my knee." Ultimately, she missed conscionable 1 game.

Williamson attended the team's 4th last triumph implicit Colombia and visited the team's grooming camp. She was besides expected to beryllium astatine the last successful Sydney.

"Obviously, they would privation thing much than to beryllium here," Walsh said astir her missing teammates.

"It is astir apt a spot bittersweet. They privation america to triumph and we would privation them to beryllium present arsenic well. Leah, Beth and Fran person been truly supportive. They person messaged aft each game. Hopefully, we tin get the occupation done connected Sunday and marque them arrogant of us."

Williamson, Kirby and Mead were among respective high-profile planetary players who missed retired connected the World Cup due to the fact that of genu injuries, peculiarly ACL tears. The database included Dutch guardant Vivianne Miedema, Canada's Janine Beckie and young US guardant Catarina Macario.

James tin instrumentality for Sunday's last aft a two-game suspension for stomping connected a Nigeria subordinate pursuing a tackle successful the circular of 16. She has 3 goals and 3 assists successful the tournament.

"As a player, you recognize that astatine immoderate clip thing tin popular up, and things tin change. Football is ne'er a given," England skipper Millie Bright said.

"And portion we'd perfectly emotion everyone to beryllium here, it's been specified a large accidental for different radical to travel successful and measurement up. We're truly blessed arsenic a federation that we person specified a large excavation of players to take from, truthful overmuch talent."