Salma Paralluelo has called on Spain to “face the ultimate challenge” after reaching the World Cup final with a 2-1 win against Sweden.
A cagey game with few clear-cut chances suddenly sparked into life with three goals in the last 10 minutes.
Barcelona winger Paralluelo put Spain ahead in the 81st minute before Sweden soon levelled with a cool finish from Rebecka Blomqvist.
However, just one minute later Olga Carmona grabbed the winner with a wonderful first-time strike from a short corner, and Paralluelo praised the resilience of her side, who reached their first-ever World Cup final.
“It was a very tough game. It could have been difficult to recover from their goal, but we’ve shown that this team can deal with everything,” the 19-year-old told FIFA’s website.
“We deserved this. We took this little step, and now we need that final push. Now it’s the final.
“I think we have to do what we’ve done in every match. We’ve overcome every challenge and now we face the ultimate challenge, the big one.”
Spain’s progress in this World Cup has seen them go much further than the last edition in France, where they were knocked out by the United States in the last 16.
They will now face either England or co-hosts Australia in the final on Sunday, with those sides playing their semi-final on Wednesday.
The turning point came with Paralluelo’s introduction in the 57th minute and coach Jorge Vilda praised her impact.
He told a post-match press conference: “The plan was to control the game, to try to get them tired by the passing of the ball, our possession and reaching the goal as well, which did happen.
“We knew that they would also have their moments and to use the speed, talent and quality of Salma and other players could really open up the game in the second half.
“Today the decision was to have her as a number nine and it worked out well. I don’t have to tell you about Salma’s qualities, but she’s very young.
“In the case of Salma and her future, we have to provide her with the appropriate conditions to help her to become what we believe she can become.”
Arsenal have completed the signing of goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford on a season-long loan, with an option for a permanent transfer.
The 27-year-old played in all 38 of the Bees’ Premier League games last season keeping 11 clean sheets and conceding 46 goals.
He will compete with England international Aaron Ramsdale for the number one position as Mikel Arteta’s team look to build on last season’s title challenge, whilst also playing in the Champions League for the first time 2017.
Gunners’ sporting director Edu said: “We welcome David to us on a season-long loan from Brentford. David is a top-quality goalkeeper, who has consistently performed to a high level with Brentford in the Premier League.
“With David joining us we are adding quality and depth to our squad so we can perform at the highest possible level in all competitions.”
He has also signed a new two-year deal with Brentford with an option for a third, something the club has described as a “fall-back option” should his Arsenal move not be made permanent.
Director of football Phil Giles said: “I’m not expecting to see David back at Brentford, although if ever that happened then of course the opportunity to work with such a high-class goalkeeper for up to two more years would in many ways be an unexpected bonus for us.
“All parties (want) to make this a permanent transfer as soon as practically possible.”
Raya, who joined Brentford from Blackburn whilst they were playing in the Championship in 2019, leaves having appeared 161 times for the club.
He made his debut for Spain during a 2-1 friendly win against Albania in March 2022 and was a part of Luis Enrique’s squad for last year’s World Cup.
Tottenham had reportedly been keen to sign him as a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris but a deal to take him from the Gtech Stadium did not materialise.
Arsenal sold back-up keeper Matt Turner to Nottingham Forest earlier this month, with the United States international making his debut for his new side during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at the Emirates.
Bradsell is primed for a York rematch with Highfield Princess in the Group One Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday week.
The pair, trained by Archie Watson and John Quinn respectively, filled the first two places in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Bradsell edging the victory by a length in a tight finish to the five-furlong heat.
Bradsell was trying the minimum trip for the first time that day after connections decided to supplement the three-year-old and following the colt’s maiden Group One victory, Watson is certain the fast five furlongs at York will present no issues.
He said: “I don’t see a sharper five furlongs being a problem.
“He travels so well that nothing can really take him far enough into his races. Over the quick five furlongs at York he should get a nice tow deep into the race.”
While Highfield Princess went on to finish third in the six-furlong Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of the Royal meeting and subsequently registered an impressive win in the King George Stakes at Goodwood, Watson has kept Bradsell in reserve for his Knavesmire date.
“I would say it’s (his absence) a reflection of the options over five furlongs,” said the trainer.
“He won his Group One at Ascot, so I didn’t feel the need to go to the Group Two at Goodwood, and I wasn’t going to step him back up to six furlongs in between either.
“I have been delighted with him since Ascot. He cantered away in his routine for six weeks and then has been galloping well through August into this race.”
Bradsell won at the first time of asking on good to soft ground at York last May and while he has stuck to sound surfaces since, Watson would not be perturbed should conditions be on the easy side.
He added: “He has obviously got very good form on good and good to firm ground.
“We haven’t deliberately avoided cut in the ground. His maiden win was on good to soft but until we run on proper soft ground we won’t know.
“I never get overly concerned about it until you know that a horse doesn’t handle a certain type of ground. If it rains, it rains.”
Aside from his sprint star, Watson also has Newbury Listed winner Action Point in contention for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, while Ambushed features in the Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes.
Of Action Point, Watson said: “The flat, quick six furlongs at York should suit him well and I’m looking forward to seeing him up in class as he was impressive last time and is a horse we have always thought a lot of.
“Ambushed won his maiden at Newcastle from a horse of Adrian Keatley’s who was subsequently second in the Richmond Stakes (Ballymount Boy).
“He has plenty of ability and I hope he can run a good race, if the draw and pace set-up are kind. You need plenty of luck in the big-field sales races.”
Promoter Frank Warren is confident the timing is right for Daniel Dubois to stun world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on August 26.
Queensbury Promotions boxer Dubois will fight for the WBA (super), IBF and WBO belts next weekend in Wroclaw.
Dubois, who will celebrate his 26th birthday in September, turned professional in 2017 and has produced a number of thrilling knock-outs from his 20 bouts.
Although a unification contest between Tyson Fury and Usyk could not be arranged, the Ukrainian will still step into the ring with a British heavyweight – and he has been sent a warning by Queensbury chief Warren.
Warren told the PA news agency: “It is a massive opportunity and it has not been given to Daniel. He’s had to fight for it and become mandatory by winning the WBA regular belt.
“Now he’s in there and he could have stepped aside if he wanted to, but he didn’t want to.
“He wants the fight and I believe sometimes in boxing the biggest and best punches are all about timing. I believe his timing will be right for this fight.”
While Warren did attempt to bring the world title fight to London, it will take place in Poland and Dubois (19-1, 18KOs) will find himself as public enemy number one.
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A number of Ukraine natives have resided in Poland since Russia’s invasion of their country last year and support for Usyk (20-0, 13KOs) inside Tarczynski Arena, which can host up to 43,000 spectators for a boxing match, will be strong.
“He is going into the lion’s den and that is why the temperament will be spot on,” Warren pointed out at Bermondsey Boxing Club on Tuesday.
“We did try get it here. It went to purse bids in the end. We made an offer but they had 75 per cent of the purse bid as champion so that is why it is where it is at.”
Dubois is a huge outsider, with some bookmakers offering odds of 8/1 that he wins, but a strong camp in Spain has boosted the belief of the former England amateur.
He has also joined forces with Don Charles, who masterminded Derek Chisora’s rise from novice to a top-10 heavyweight, since his last dramatic fight in December.
A knee injury contributed towards Dubois going down three times in the opening round against South African southpaw Kevin Lerena, but a devastating upper-cut in round three secured the 19th win of his career.
“Yeah, what an ending to that one. I need to pull out something like that again,” Dubois told PA.
“For that fight, I didn’t get enough southpaw work, I was dropping my hands when I shouldn’t have been and not looking out for the right shot.
“But I feel like this time, I’ll be more aware of what is coming back at me.
“It is all about leading up to now. Those are the moments you need to call on to change history, change your life and here we are now.
“If I didn’t get through that, I wouldn’t be here, so it is all part of the journey.
“Camp has been very good. I went to Spain, was out in the mountains and I feel like I have come out a new man, lighter but stronger and ready to do the business.”
The Professional Jockeys Association has called on the British Horseracing Authority and racecourses to reconsider their position on saunas.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the PJA said the permanent closure of the on-course facilities “has created physical and mental wellbeing issues for jockeys that far outweigh any perceived risk of dehydration by sauna use”.
Minimum riding weights for both Flat and Jump jockeys were raised 2lb by the BHA last year after the decision was taken at the end of 2021 to remove saunas completely from racecourses.
A 3lb allowance was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to compensate for the lack of saunas, but the PJA now says it should “have insisted on cast-iron guarantees from the BHA and others that the Covid weight allowance would remain in force before accepting the removal of saunas”.
The statement goes on to say: “The PJA is in no doubt, having consulted with senior psychologists, that the most urgent medical issue threatening the health of jockeys is that of the anxiety and stress associated with the need to make weight.
“Jockeys are using a range of inappropriate and more risky methods including very hot baths, use of sweat suits whilst driving, restricting fluid intake for long periods of time, or even flipping.”
The PJA is calling for new research into saunas to “investigate the regulated use of on-course saunas in the jockeys’ workplace, understand the physical and psychological impact, and consider the jockeys’ loss of agency that has been triggered by the loss of saunas”.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend announces his 33-man World Cup squad on Wednesday morning.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how things are shaping up and who is in danger of missing out on the showpiece in France.
Who is already out of contention?
Gregor Townsend named a provisional 41-man training squad on May 9 to negotiate an intense pre-season camp and four warm-up matches prior to the tournament itself. In the intervening three months, the squad has evolved and become more streamlined. Scotland’s record try-scorer Stuart Hogg, who would likely have been a starter, announced his retirement in early July, while back-row Andy Christie dropped out through injury, with his place taken by Josh Bayliss. Ruaridh McConnochie was called in to replace Hogg but the Bath back soon drifted out of the mix due to injury. The weekend before last, stand-off Adam Hastings, lock Cam Henderson, centre Stafford McDowall and wing Kyle Rowe, who was a later addition to the initial squad, were all part of a four-man cull as Townsend trimmed his pool to 37.
Where will the remaining cuts come from?
Townsend said after Saturday’s loss to France in Saint-Etienne that the last four players to leave the squad would be a tighthead prop, a hooker, a back-row and a scrum-half.
Edinburgh hooker set to miss out
George Turner is the most prominent of the four hookers currently in the squad and is certain to go to France. Ewan Ashman, at 23 the youngest and least experienced of the quartet, appears to have a good shout of getting the nod after the new Edinburgh recruit was chosen to start the recent home match against France, when Townsend sent out a near full-strength XV. The places of Edinburgh veterans Dave Cherry, 32, and Stuart McInally, 33, therefore could be in jeopardy. Cherry has featured in only one of the three warm-up matches so far, although he did make a positive impression by scoring the decisive try as a substitute in the home win over France. The following weekend, 2019 World Cup captain McInally, who will retire after this tournament to become an airline pilot, served up a timely reminder of his ability by stepping off the bench to help the Scots stage a rousing fightback in Saint-Etienne.
Prop poser
Zander Fagerson is the first choice and – after dodging a long suspension following his recent red card against France – is assured of a place. Likewise WP Nel, who despite being 37 is still trusted enough by Townsend to start big games, such as last weekend’s match away to France and the Six Nations opener away to England earlier this year. The unlucky one will be either Edinburgh new boy Javan Sebastian or Glasgow’s Murphy Walker. Sebastian’s contribution off the bench on Saturday could help him get the nod over Walker, who has played no part in either of the France matches.
Rowing back on the back-rows
Captain Jamie Ritchie, Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge and Matt Fagerson can all consider themselves safely on the plane on the basis of their form and status within the national team. Veteran flanker Hamish Watson probably also has enough credit in the bank to ensure he is on the plane, although – not helped by injuries – he has not been as prominent for Scotland over the past year or so as he would have liked. The bad news appears likely to be delivered to one of the two least-established internationals in the back-row pool. Luke Crosbie, with five caps to his name, played no part in the double-header against France, while Bayliss – also now on five caps – was not named in the initial 41-man squad.
Warriors scrum-half scrap
Ben White has made the number nine jersey his own since the start of the Six Nations, although Scotland were having his ankle injury – sustained in the France home game – assessed on Monday before finalising the squad. Assuming – as Townsend was expecting – the new Toulon man gets the all-clear, a Glasgow scrum-half will miss out. Ali Price, George Horne and Jamie Dobie have been vying for the nine shirt for the Warriors. Price, with 63 caps, and Horne, who went to the last World Cup in Japan, are significantly more established on the international scene than 22-year-old Dobie, who may have to wait for the following World Cup in Australia.
Owen Farrell will lead England into the World Cup after his red card against Wales was not upheld by a disciplinary panel, making him free to play with immediate effect.
Farrell was sent off at Twickenham on Saturday when his yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Taine Basham was upgraded to a red by the ‘Bunker’ review system.
But the hearing decided that a “late change in dynamics” due to Jamie George’s involvement in the contact area “brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier”.
Using this mitigation it was decided by the all-Australian panel that Farrell – who was expected to face a mid-range sanction of a six-week suspension – should have been hit with a sin-binning only.
Referee Simon Hooper and both video assistant referees from Wolves’ 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on Monday night have been stood down from the next set of Premier League fixtures, the PA news agency understands.
Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil revealed he had received an apology from elite referees’ manager Jon Moss after his side were denied a “blatant” stoppage-time penalty when United’s debutant goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic deep into stoppage time.
Hooper did not react to the incident, and VAR Michael Salisbury deemed there was no foul – with an incredulous O’Neil instead booked for his reaction to the decision.
PA understands head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) Howard Webb, who has demanded a higher level of accountability as well as an open and transparent approach, had also been in touch with Wolves after the match to apologise.
Hooper, VAR Salisbury and assistant VAR Richard West have all not been selected for the second round of Premier League fixtures.
Appointments for those games had not yet been made public ahead of Monday’s night’s match at Old Trafford. All three officials were absent from the ‘Matchweek 2’ list published by the Premier League on Tuesday morning.
Speaking after Monday’s defeat, during which Wolves created plenty of chances, O’Neil said he thought Onana was trying to “take Kalajdzic’s head off”.
The new Wolves head coach added: “Fair play to Jon (Moss) in coming out (to talk to me).
“He said it was clear and obvious and he can’t believe the on-field referee didn’t give it and he can’t believe VAR didn’t intervene.
“It’s probably made me feel worse to be honest because once you know you’re right you feel worse about leaving with nothing.”
Spain will face either European champions England or co-hosts Australia in Sunday’s World Cup final after a dramatic 2-1 victory in their last-four showdown with Sweden.
Jorge Vilda’s side, who had never won a knockout game at the tournament before their arrival in Australia and New Zealand, could be just 90 minutes away from lifting the biggest prize of all.
Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at a team which have perhaps already-exceeded even their own expectations.
Coach
Vilda learned his football at the feet of his father Angel, who worked as a physical trainer for – among others – Luis Aragones at Atletico Madrid, Johan Cruyff at Barcelona and Jupp Heynckes at Real Madrid. A physical education graduate, the 42-year-old was appointed boss in 2015 having worked with Spain’s under-age teams, but had to significantly remodel his squad after a rebellion in 2022 which saw 15 players make themselves unavailable – Aitana Bonmati, Ona Batlle and Mariona Caldentey have since returned to the fold – in protest at the conditions under which they were having to operate.
Key players
Twice Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is undoubtedly the star of the Spain squad on paper, but having fought her way back from the anterior cruciate ligament injury she suffered on the eve of last summer’s Euros, the 29-year-old Barcelona midfielder has been used sparingly in the tournament and played only the opening 57 minutes of the semi-final, one of three starts to date. In her absence, Bonmati, Alba Redondo and Jennifer Hermoso have each scored three times, but Barca team-mate and former international sprinter Salma Paralluelo, 19, has proved the woman for the big occasion with vital strikes from the bench in both the last eight and the semi-finals.
Pedigree
Spain are playing at their third World Cup finals tournament, but had never before progressed beyond the last 16. They reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2022, where they led eventual winners England with six minutes of normal time remaining before going down 2-1 in extra-time. Ranked sixth in the world by FIFA, they are an emerging force in the international game and are bidding to add the senior World Cup to those they currently hold at under-17s and under-20s levels.
Style of play
Vilda favours a 4-3-3 formation and a possession-based game which he believes is aligned to the philosophy instilled by Cruyff during his time in charge at Barcelona. The system relies on high-tempo passing and movement and a relentless press in attack to create the space in which their highly-technical game-changers can thrive. Familiarity is a weapon too – seven of the starting XI against Sweden play their club football with Champions League winners Barca.
Mackenzie Arnold insists there is “much more to come” from the legacy Australia can leave as they aim for World Cup semi-final success against England.
The goalkeeper provided the heroics in the co-hosts’ quarter-final penalty shootout against France with her spot-kick saves to help them reach the last four.
Their performances throughout the tournament have sparked plenty of support from the Australian public, but Arnold knows there is still work to be done.
She told a press conference: “I think the legacy that we wanted to leave throughout this World Cup, to inspire the generation coming through, I think we’ve done more than that. I think we’ve done more than what we thought we would accomplish.
“Obviously we’re not done yet, but again, to see the reaction that we’ve received from the whole country has been absolutely unreal, and I think this is only the beginning, and I think there’s much more to come.”
Australia went the full distance with extra time and penalties during Saturday’s quarter-final, which ended goalless after regulation time.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson made three substitutions during the match, but he is not concerned with any fitness worries for Wednesday’s semi-final.
“What we’ve done is we’ve focused on recovery, so each player will follow an individual plan between the games,” he said.
“Some have done more football than others. It’s all about being as fresh as possible for the game tomorrow.”
One fitness worry for Australia has been that of star striker Sam Kerr, who has had her game time throughout the tournament limited due to injury.
The Chelsea forward was substituted on in the 55th minute of the France game and Gustavsson confirmed that she is involved in plans for the England clash.
He added: “When it comes specifically to Sam (Kerr), she pushed through more minutes than we hoped for, to be honest.
“One of the reasons that we kept her on the bench was that we were uncertain how many minutes she had coming back from that calf injury, but also the limited training minutes she had.
“The way she pushed through was fantastic and impressive, both from a mental and physical aspect. She recovered well, she trained today so she’s available.
“There will be a meeting tomorrow to see, again, the best starting 11 and the best finishing 11, and whether we plan for 90 minutes or plan for extra time and those type of decisions.
“There will be some tough decisions tonight again but Sam is available for selection.”
Australia’s clash with England will see plenty of teammates pitted against each other, with several members of the Matildas squad representing Women’s Super League clubs.
Arnold plies her trade with West Ham, who finished eighth in the WSL, and praised the progression of the league.
“All of us that play over in that league can say it’s a different world coming from the W-League,” she said.
“The amount of professionalisation and the talent that they have over there, the time they put into their clubs and players, it really shows the progress both of them individually and the game as a whole.
“After seeing the Euros and them winning that and seeing how much it really took off and how much money was invested over there, it just really goes to show the progression they’ve had.”
Dual Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games has been retired from racing.
Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, the son of Dubawi won four of his six two-year-old starts in 2021, culminating in Grade One success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar
Pitched into Classic company first time out at three, Modern Games won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp before going on to add another Grade One verdict in the Woodbine Mile in Canada and land the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland.
He was out of luck on his return at that track when second in the Maker’s Mark Mile in April this year, but did go on to secure a fifth top-level success in the Lockinge at Newbury the following month.
Last seen when beaten into fourth in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, Modern Games will now embark on a stud career, with further plans to be announced.
Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “Modern Games was a brilliant horse to train and such a great advert for Godolphin. To win at two Breeders’ Cups, to be part of our trio of Guineas winners in 2022, and to land the Lockinge Stakes this season, shows his class, toughness and durability.
“He answered every call we asked of him, and we will miss him at Moulton Paddocks. I’m sure he will be a huge success in his next career as a stallion.”
Micky van de Ven has predicted Tottenham can achieve “beautiful things” under attack-minded Ange Postecoglou.
The Dutch defender was thrown into the deep end in Sunday’s Premier League opener at Brentford after only three training sessions with his new team-mates, but impressed in the 2-2 draw.
It had been a whirlwind week for Spurs with growing speculation over record goal-scorer Harry Kane eventually resulting in his departure for Bayern Munich on Saturday.
A degree of optimism remains rife amongst supporters following a busy summer of transfer activity and with a new bold, front-foot approach set to be adopted by Postecoglou.
“It’s an amazing club,” Van de Ven reflected after his debut. “I had a good meeting with the trainer and it was a really good meeting.
“He’s a really good trainer. I love the club, I love the players and I think there is so much potential under this trainer so we will see where this season heads.
“He has a good view on football, that’s what I think. Attacking football is what I love, playing with a lot of space in the back doesn’t matter for me.
“Offensive football is what I like and I think if we play a lot of offensive football and we train, we train, we train then I think we can do some beautiful things.”
Spurs had chased Netherlands Under-21 captain Van de Ven all summer and eventually secured his services on August 8 for an initial £34.5million fee, which could rise to £43.1million in add-ons.
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Despite featuring for Wolfsburg during pre-season, the 22-year-old had not completed 90 minutes all summer, but Postecoglou’s decision to include him in the starting XI was vindicated.
Van de Ven admitted: “Everything is harder, it’s going quicker and it’s going up and down, up and down. There is no moment in the game where you feel you can rest a bit, you always have to be sharp and 100 per cent focused.
“It is my first game with the team, so of course at the beginning we have to watch a bit how everything is going and afterwards you feel more comfortable. The guys are talking positive to you so that is also helping.
“I trained three days with the team but they gave me some confidence and the trainer was talking to me and also gave me some confidence. I didn’t stress at all that I can’t do it.
“All the trainers were positive, all the players were positive saying ‘do your job, do what you can do and we will help you’ and I think it went well.”
Comparisons to Jan Vertonghen, another left-footed centre-back who started out in Eredivisie, occurred before Van de Ven had even signed his contract at Tottenham.
The ex-Volendam defender revealed he used to study Vertonghen before the Belgian moved to Spurs, where he went on to make 315 appearances and become a hugely popular figure with the club’s fanbase.
“I was always in the stadium when Jan Vertonghen was playing for Ajax so I always saw him play and always said he was a good left-footed, centre-back. I learned some from him as I watched videos of him,” Van de Ven added.
“I watched a lot of times Spurs because a lot of players from Ajax also went to Spurs and also players from Holland.
“Always when you see a player go to Spurs it is an amazing step if you went from Ajax, AZ, PSV to Spurs.
“Of course with the history they didn’t win a prize for a long time but you never know what is going to happen.”
Georgia Stanway has revealed she is leaning on the support of former Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick to navigate the highs and lows of England’s World Cup campaign.
The Lionesses, who are bidding to reach the final of the competition for the first time, will take on tournament co-hosts Australia on Wednesday in Sydney for the right to face Spain – 2-1 victors over Sweden in Tuesday’s semi-final – in Sunday’s showpiece.
Bayern Munich midfielder Stanway was introduced to “mentor” Chadwick through her agency while she was still playing for Manchester City, and speaks to him at least once a week – even from 10,000-plus miles away in New South Wales.
Stanway said: “I’m not afraid to say it, I went through a time at City where it was a little bit up and down in terms of my mentality, my position, everything was changing.
“(Chadwick) was my go-to in terms of getting clarity on my position, clarity on what I wanted to achieve in that season.
“It’s just little things. You rely upon a good luck message before the game and he never fails. Always after the game he’s always the first to say something positive and then says, ‘Let me know when you want to talk’. It’s always on my terms, which is so understanding.
“He’s honestly one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet and he cares for absolutely everybody. And I think the most important thing is that he removes himself from any equation, and he’s just so focused on making sure that he improves the individual and wants them to be the utmost successful individual as a player and as a person.
“I think it’s just (about) finding yourself. I’ve found what works for me, so I’m not going to change that.”
Chadwick, now 42, made his senior United debut just months after Red Devils won the treble in 1999, but the joy of seeing his lifelong dream fulfilled was soon overshadowed when the teenager found himself routinely ridiculed for his appearance on the popular BBC panel show They Think It’s All Over.
His mental health suffered severely. Chadwick became “obsessed” with what people might be thinking about him every time he left the house, later admitting in an interview on the club website that he “really did suffer in silence”.
Chadwick, who also played for England at youth level, was privately haunted by the experience for two decades before opening up in 2020, a revelation that resulted in an apology from presenter Nick Hancock.
He has since used his experience of facing adversity as fuel to help players like Stanway reach their full potential, a holistic approach that includes everything from pre-game goal-setting on the eve of matches to ensuring her Munich flat was fitted out with everything she needed.
Though still just 24, Stanway has evolved into one of the leaders on Sarina Wiegman’s 23-woman squad, one of seven England players in this tournament who also featured four years ago in France, when the Lionesses were knocked out 2-1 by eventual champions the United States in their semi-final.
Her maturing process has resulted in a new appreciation for facts over sometimes-misleading feelings when it comes to evaluating her own performances.
Stanway said: “I am big on numbers. I could come away from the game feeling on top of the world and then my mentor could bring me back down to Earth, and say, ‘Oh, no, your passing was shocking today’.
“So it’s vice-versa and it’s just kind of (about) staying level and staying consistent and being consistent in the way that I am as a person and the way that I am on the field.”
England have been embraced by locals since they arrived in Australia nearly six weeks ago, but Stanway appreciates the semi-final match-up might have cooled down the warm welcome.
She added: “Everyone we speak to, they always say, ‘Good luck until you play Australia’, so we’re kind of feeling that a little bit now.”
Australia opener David Warner has taken a cheeky dig at England ahead of the Women’s World Cup semi-final.
The Lionesses face Australia in Sydney in the last four on Wednesday morning.
The Australia cricket team were unhappy when the ball was changed mid-innings during England’s victory in the fifth Ashes Test last month.
It is something Warner clearly has not forgotten as he wished Australia good luck ahead of the semi-final clash.
He wrote on Twitter: “An early good luck to the The Matildas. Just keep an eye out in case the Poms ask to change the ball.”
Fellow batter Usman Khawaja also chipped in, tweeting: “They going to go with the 2010 ‘Jubulani’ ball.”
The winners of Wednesday’s showdown will face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday.
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