Spain are the queens of world football! Winners & losers as Aitana Bonmati tears England apart in World Cup final as Lionesses count the cost of Lucy Bronze error

If Aitana Bonmati doesn't win the Ballon d'Or in a few months' time, it will be an absolute crime. After an absolutely sensational domestic season with Barcelona, in which she helped the Catalans win the league, the Super Cup and the Women's Champions League, the midfielder was consistently excellent during this World Cup.

Her two goal and two assist performance in the last 16 was the obvious highlight, but Bonmati's display in the final was elegant as ever, too. She completed all-but-two of her passes, both of which were in the final third, completed six dribbles and created two chances.

It's not just what she does in attack, though. The Spain star won possession back nine times in this match, too, made two interceptions and won both of her tackles. She was on another level in midfield, as she has been for the entirety of the last 12 months. A well-deserved winner of the Golden Ball.

The most experienced player in this England squad, to watch Bronze struggle in the manner she did on Sunday was certainly a surprise. This is someone who has won four Champions League titles and played at the highest level for so long, yet the way she gave the ball away in the middle of the park in the build-up to Spain's goal was incredibly poor.

Within moments, the space she had vacated from her right wing-back role had been exploited and Carmona had put La Roja ahead. Sadly, Bronze never really recovered from there in what was an error-laden display.

Spanish women's football has been on the rise massively in recent years, and this triumph on Sunday was the biggest example so far.

Last August, the nation won the Under-20 Women's World Cup for the first time. In October, they followed it up with a second U17 World Cup title in their history, having also won the previous edition in 2018. Then on Sunday, just two months after Barcelona had ensured the latest Women's Champions League winners were also from the Spanish league, La Roja topped it all off with a first ever senior Women's World Cup title.

The investment and growth in the game in Spain is evident from the incredible talent pool the country has available to it, as securing this trophy without 12 top-level stars really shows.

And that's the other thing it's important to remember. Spain won this trophy without 12 top-level stars, all of them withdrawing from selection until they had seen improvements within the federation that they were satisfied with.

Patri Guijarro, Mapi Leon and Claudia Pina of Barcelona; Ainhoa Moraza and Lola Gallardo of Atletico Madrid; Leila Ouahabi and Laia Aleixandri of Manchester City; and Nerea Eizaguirre and Amaiur Sarriegi of Real Sociedad are those that remain of 'Las 15', those names that initially stated their intention was not to be called up for Spain.

Many of them are among the best players in the world and they could have been part of this incredible history, but they chose to stand for what they believe is something bigger, sacrificing a lot in the progress.

This will have no doubt hurt them a little, then, even if they will be happy for friends and team-mates. They deserve credit, though, for continuing to fight for what they believe is right.

And on the flip side of that story is that head coach Vilda kept his job in and amongst all the off-field chaos, despite the players reportedly wanting more demanding training sessions, and now he is a World Cup-winning coach.

Had Spain crashed out early doors, serious questions would've been asked of the federation and of Vilda, but this victory will paper over those cracks. What happens next is anyone's guess, but Vilda has just coached Spain to their first ever senior Women's World Cup victory and that, for him, is a triumph.

Both Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly had more than played their part in England's run to the final. They had to adapt to new roles when Wiegman changed to a 3-5-2 system and did so brilliantly, Russo forming a great partnership with Hemp while Daly worked tirelessly up and down the pitch as a wing-back. Russo came up with huge goals in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, too, finding her clinical touch at the perfect time.

That both were hauled off at the break in the final, then, was a disappointing way for their tournaments - and their World Cup dreams - to end. Russo's lack of pace meant she struggled to have an impact, replaced by the quicker and more effective Kelly, while James came on for Daly in order for England to change formation.

Going into this tournament, Cata Coll had not won a single senior cap for Spain. She'd only played three games last season for Barcelona, even, becoming third-choice in the goalkeeper department. Yet, she assumed the role as Spain's No.1 when she made her debut in the last 16, Vilda making a bold decision to drop Misa Rodriguez.

It is one that has paid off, too, with Coll outstanding throughout the knockout stages and once again in this final. Her confidence in collecting the ball was excellent, her understanding of time management was beyond her years and she made a superb save, too, to deny James.

Her stock has risen massively in this tournament. It'll be interesting to see what happens from here, as to whether she remains so low down Barca's pecking order or gets a chance elsewhere.