World Cup champion Spain beats France 2-0 to win inaugural Women's Nations League final
Spain hasn't lost momentum since winning its first World Cup title, defeating France 2-0 on Wednesday to also win the inaugural edition of the Women's Nations League.
Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey scored a goal each for Spain in front of 32,657 fans at La Cartuja Stadium in southern Spain. It was a record crowd for Spain's women's team in the country.
Spain also holds the men's Nations League title, having beaten Croatia in the final in June.
Bonmati, named the player of the match, volleyed in a low cross in the first half and Caldentey doubled the lead shortly after the break in a dominant performance by the hosts.
"Happy to win another title," Bonmati said. "It may seem that what we have achieved is easy, that we have an obligation to win everything, but this is not something easy. And here we are lifting another trophy."
It was Spain's first victory over France.
"They'll be the team to beat at the Olympics, it won't be easy," France coach Hervé Renard said. "We are going to have to keep improving, learn lessons and keep moving forward. Let's say we have taken one step but we haven't taken the second. There's still a lot of work to do."
Spain had its breakthrough tournament at the World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, winning the title in its third appearance.
The celebrations were marred by one of the country's worst crises, though, as the then-president of the Spanish soccer federation, Luis Rubiales, kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony to spark an outrage in soccer and Spanish society in general. Rubiales eventually resigned, and prosecutors later accused him of sexual assault.
Spain defeated the Netherlands 3-0 in last week's semifinal, a result that also secured the team a place in the Paris Olympics.
France was already qualified for the Olympics as the host country.
"We didn't play a good game against a team that are world champions and flying high in women's football," Renard said. "You have to be aggressive and keep the ball when you get it, but we lost it again straight away."
Spain entered the final at La Cartuja in Seville having scored a competition-high 26 goals.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
