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FIFA Women’s World Cup final: Spain v England Where: Stadium Australia, Sydney When: Sunday 10pm Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, Prime, Stuff (coverage starts at 9pm), live updates on Stuff
Former sprinter Salma Paralluelo is fast becoming one of the breakout stars of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after leading Spain to their first final at the age of 19.
The Barcelona sensation has taken the tournament by storm in the knockout stages, coming off the bench to score big goals in 2-1 victories against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal and Sweden in the semifinal.
Paralluelo’s late heroics have earned her player of the match honours on both occasions.
She is now just one win away from a rare footballing feat: Completing the set of World Cups, having won the under-20 World Cup last year and the under-17 tournament in 2018.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Salma Paralluelo celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the World Cup semifinal between Spain and Sweden.
“We’re just one step away from glory,” Paralluelo beamed after Spain’s last-gasp win over Sweden in the semifinals – the final World Cup match played in New Zealand.
Speed has always been Paralluelo’s greatest asset.
She took up athletics when she was just seven and competed for Spain in the 400m as recently as 2020.
As a 16-year-old she had a faster personal best than 400m world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at the same age and seemed destined to race at the Olympics one day.
However, while Paralluelo enjoyed the juggling act, injuries from athletics began to hinder her football prospects and she eventually decided to focus on one.
“I always saw myself reaching for the top in both sports. That’s why I wanted to keep on doing them,” Paralluelo said in an interview with FIFA last year.
“Athletics allowed me to be on my own, to be exposed, to train for myself and know that everything I was doing was for me alone. It involved making a bigger sacrifice, but that’s what it took. With football, I got a kick out of it. I enjoyed sharing something with the team, with my people.
“The thing is, if you want to achieve great things, you have to commit yourself to one sport, which is how things turned out that year.”
Paralluelo’s pace makes her a nightmare for defenders with tired legs.
After starting Spain’s previous four matches at this year’s World Cup, she has been used as an impact player off the bench for the last two.
It’s a role she has thrived in, scoring in back-to-back games.
Paralluelo came to Spain’s rescue in the quarterfinal, sprinting through to score the match-winning goal in extra-time after the Netherlands drew level in the 91st minute.
Her second half introduction helped spark their win against Sweden in the semifinal.
Struggling to unlock Sweden’s defence with their tiki-taka possession-based football, Spain coach Jorge Vilda took off Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and put his trust in his youngest player to find them a goal.
Paralluelo gave Spain an outlet up top and she was able to stretch Sweden with her devastating runs in behind the defence.
She scored Spain’s first goal with nine minutes remaining, curling the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal with her weaker right foot after seizing on an opportunity in the box following a cross from Jenni Hermoso.
“It was a magic moment once again. I am very happy. It’s something very unique,” Paralluelo said.
“When I scored the first goal in the previous match, to be able to repeat it is incredible.”
Vilda hailed Paralluelo’s game-changing impact against Sweden and said her potential as a footballer was enormous.
“The plan was to control the game and to try to get them [Sweden] tired by passing the ball but reaching their goal as well. The speed of Salma really opened up the game in the second half,” Vilda said.
“She’s very young, she’s only been playing football exclusively for one year and in regard to her future, no-one knows [what will happen], but we need to provide her with the appropriate conditions and we need to help her become what we believe she can become.”
Spain will meet England in an all-European World Cup final after the Lionesses ended Australia’s fairytale run with a 3-1 win in the second semifinal on Wednesday.
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