Spain lifted the Women’s World Cup for the first time on Sunday as they beat England 1-0 in the final thanks to Olga Carmona’s winner. 

The result brings to an end an engrossing tournament in Australia and New Zealand that saw 32 teams compete for the first time, and here we have picked out our 11 best performers.

Goalkeeper - Mary Earps - England

England’s Mary Earps was unlucky to be on the losing side in the World Cup final, she was beaten by a very strong finish for Spain’s winner.

Earps went on to save Jennifer Hermoso’s penalty in the second half, alongside a string of other good stops to keep her team in the game. 

The Manchester United goalkeeper conceded just four times all tournament.

Right-back - Ona Batlle - Spain

Manchester United have lost the services of Ona Batlle to Barcelona and it is not hard to see why the Catalan club wanted her. 

The Spanish right-back was rock solid all tournament and kept England’s dangerous attackers quiet in the final.

Batlle also chipped in with an assist in her side’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica and played at both left and right-back, showing her versatility and importance to the team.

Centre-back - Alex Greenwood - England

England’s success at this year’s World Cup often came down to their defensive abilities as they conceded just four goals. A key part of that was the central defensive partnership between Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood.

A head injury couldn’t bring Greenwood off in the final and her ball-playing abilities mean she gets the nod over Bright here. 

Centre-back - Amanda Ilestedt - Sweden

Not many central defenders end a World Cup with four goals scored but Amanda Ilestedt’s aerial dominance means she did just that for Sweden at this year’s championship.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender impressed throughout as the Swedes ended up third-placed finishers. 

Left-back - Olga Carmona - Spain

Scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final is just about the pinnacle of soccer and Olga Carmona managed it this year as her decisive goal sealed victory for Spain over England.

She was a continual threat throughout and also netted in her county’s semi-final win over Sweden, showing she can rise to the occasion in the biggest games.

Central midfielder - Aitana Bonmati - Spain

The tournament was won and lost in midfield for Spain, they were able to dominate that area in all of their games bar the 4-0 loss to Japan and Aitana Bonmati was key to that.

The midfielder scored three goals and registered two assists, playing a pivotal role in the success her team had.

Central midfielder - Teresa Abelleira - Spain

Playing a more defensive role than her two midfield counterparts, Teresa Abelleira played the most key passes in the World Cup, 24, and helped start plenty of the Spanish attacks.

She chipped in with a goal and assist herself but it was her careful retention of the ball that allowed La Roja to be successful, providing a base from which to launch their carefully constructed attacking phases.

Central midfielder - Jennifer Hermoso - Spain

As Spain’s record goalscorer, expectations were high for Jennifer Hermoso coming into this World Cup.

The 33-year-old duly delivered, netting three times and picking up two assists playing in either the forward areas or in midfield. 

Hermoso did miss a penalty in the final but that did not come to matter as her side squeezed out a 1-0 win over England and her attacking performances throughout the tournament were crucial to the success of La Roja.

Right wing - Salma Paralluelo - Spain

Despite only scoring two goals in the tournament, Salma Paralluelo was crucial for Spain, with her off-the-ball work vital in her team’s high-pressing style.

Paralluelo was a constant nuisance in the final and at just 19 years old, this could well be the first of many impressive performances on big stages from the youngster.

Centre forward - Kadidiatou Diani - France

While France’s World Cup ended with a disappointing penalty shootout defeat to hosts Australia, Kadidiatou Diani was a bright spark for the side.

Scoring four goals and registering three assists in just five games, the striker cemented her place as one of the world’s best in the position.

Left wing - Hinata Miyazawa - Japan

The top scorer at this year’s World Cup, Hinata Miyazawa netted five times and registered one assist in a rather surprising turn of events, considering she has only scored once in the Japanese league this season.

The left-winger will surely have put herself on the radar of the biggest club’s in the world and will be able to take home the Golden Boot award.