The Lionesses will face Spain in their first-ever World Cup final this weekend after knocking tournament co-hosts Australia out of the competition on Wednesday night in Sydney.

Should the European champions succeed in lifting the trophy on Sunday, they will have to navigate their way past a Spanish side rife with talent – including nine players from 2022/23 Champions League winners Barcelona.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five players to watch when the monumental meeting kicks off in front of over 75,000 fans at 11am BST.

Lauren James

The 21-year-old forward missed England’s quarter-final and last-four ties while she served a two-match ban for a red card she was shown after stepping on the back of defender Michelle Alozie in the Lionesses’ last-16 battle with Nigeria.

Before the incident, World Cup debutant James netted three times and is still in a three-way tie for the competition’s joint assist leader with three, despite her absence.

Replacement Ella Toone scored England’s opener in their 3-1 semi-final victory, so it remains to be seen whether England manager Sarina Wiegman will risk modifying a line-up that has more recently clicked in favour of James’ early-tournament potency, or save her as a weapon off the bench.

Jennifer Hermoso

With double Ballon D’Or winner Alexia Putellas seemingly struggling with her fitness, controversial Spain head coach Jorge Vilda has benefitted from strong showings by other members of his side.

Barcelona striker Hermoso – team-mate of England’s Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh and her side’s all-time top goal-scorer – has looked especially fearsome, scoring three times and providing two assists en route to Spain’s first World Cup final.

Team-mate Aitana Bonmati shares identical statistics, giving La Roja a potent power in attack even without Putellas on top form.

Mary Earps

Lionesses’ goalkeeper Earps could be called into action more than any other time in this tournament against Spain, who enter Sunday’s encounter with a competition-leading 17 goals.

The 30-year-old has thrived since becoming Wiegman’s first-choice between the sticks and last year was crowned the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper after conceding just two goals and keeping four clean sheets across England’s Euro 2022-winning campaign.

The Manchester United shot-stopper has made some vital, potentially result-defining saves so far in this World Cup while conceding just three times –  Spain, meanwhile, have let seven in across their six matches.

Ona Batlle

You do not have to scroll far down lists of World Cup statistics before coming across Spain defender Batlle.

The former Manchester United full-back leads the competition in both passes and crosses into the penalty area and has won the most tackles, 15, of any player in the 32-team tournament.

Battle, 24, is also second to just England’s Alex Greenwood for touches taken with 37 fewer than the Lioness’ 669, and leads the competition with 34 progressive carries.

Alessia Russo

Russo got out to a quieter start to begin this World Cup after winning England’s starting centre-forward role from Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner Rachel Daly.

Her maiden World Cup goal came four minutes into England’s thumping 6-1 win over China in the group stage, an anomalous result in a campaign that had otherwise not seen the Lionesses score more than twice in a match until Russo netted late against Australia to set up the Spain showdown.

The summer Arsenal signing, who also scored the winner against Colombia in England’s 2-1 quarter-final clash, now leads the World Cup in both shots (22) and shots on target (12) and will hope at least a few more find the back of the net in Sydney on Sunday.

Ellen White will be sad to see several talented Spain players miss the Women's World Cup over a dispute with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and head coach Jorge Vilda. 

Last September, 15 Spain players pledged to resign from the national team unless Vilda was dismissed, claiming his tenure was having a negative impact on their "emotional state".

The RFEF stood by Vilda, who has coached La Roja since 2015 but has failed to take the side beyond the last eight of three major tournaments, and just three of the players involved in the dispute have made the trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Barcelona duo Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati – as well as Manchester United's Ona Batlle – have been recalled by Vilda, but 12 others remain frozen out.

Speaking at the launch of Pixel FC, a collective of dedicated women's football creators helping to close the visibility gap within women's football, White lamented their absence and said players' conditions need to be discussed.

"I think it's important to have those conversations," England's record goalscorer said. "I can't say what side [I would be on] because I'm not 100 per cent sure on everything, but I think it's really important.

"To be honest, it's really sad that we haven't got some of the best players in the world playing for their nation because of a number of different reasons. 

"I think that's really sad. In the World Cup, you should see the best players on show, so I feel really disappointed and sad for them. 

"I'm hoping that as time goes on and the conversations are had, those grievances are heard and they are able to continue to play for their country in the manner in which they want to."

France were also impacted by a player revolt earlier this year, with the withdrawal of captain Wendie Renard influential in Les Bleues' decision to part company with coach Corrine Diacre.

Former Saudi Arabia boss Herve Renard has since taken over and recalled the Lyon defender, and White hopes that move has had the desired effect on France's squad.

"Well, obviously, they've now brought in the new manager, so I'm hoping that's galvanised the squad and brought more excitement," she said. 

"These conversations need to happen for change to happen, and I'm hoping that they keep pushing for the change that they want.

"But the new manager has come in, and the players that originally said they wouldn't join the squad have now rejoined the squad, so I'm hoping it's moving in the right direction.

"I can't speak for the players, but I'm hoping that they feel comfortable enough to play for their nation and the conversations are really important to have."

Spain are "not scared" of facing England in the European Women's Championship quarter-finals and are extra motivated to eliminate the tournament hosts, according to midfielder Aitana Bonmati.

La Roja beat Denmark 1-0 at the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday through a late Marta Cardona goal to set up a last-eight showdown with a much-fancied England side on Wednesday.

England won all three of their group matches, scoring 14 times and conceding none, while they have netted at an average of 5.8 goals per game in their 17 matches under Sarina Wiegman (98 goals in total).

Just as remarkably, the Lionesses have conceded just three goals across those 17 games under Wiegman and never more than once in a single contest, keeping 14 clean sheets in the process.

Spain are ranked one place above England in the latest FIFA rankings, however, and Bonmati does not see any reason for her side to fear the rampant hosts in Brighton next week.

"It's motivating," said Bonmati, who plies her club trade for Barcelona. "I'm not scared and I think my team-mates aren't scared either.

"We played against England in the Arnold Clark Cup. We know that they are a good team and they have had many good performances.

"We have seen their three group games and they did very well. But we think we can beat them if we improve our style and play better [than against Denmark]."

England and Spain have faced each other on 15 previous occasions, with the Lionesses (six) winning twice as many games as La Roja (three) across all their meetings.

However, Spain are unbeaten in the past two of those meetings, beating England 1-0 in the SheBelieves Cup in 2020 (1-0) and drawing 0-0 against them in the Arnold Clark Cup in February. 

Only once previously have Spain gone three in a row without defeat against England, doing so between 1993 and 1996 (four games).

Echoing the views of team-mate Bonmati, Ona Batlle is optimistic of advancing to the semi-finals, where a showdown with one of Sweden or the Netherlands may await.

"We've seen a lot of their games and I think they play really well, really good. They have a really good squad and it is not just the starting players. Everyone there is a good player," she said.

"They are very strong and they are playing in England, so they have that [home advantage]. But that's going to be a boost for us because we know everything [about them] and we are ready for them. I think we can do it."