FIFA Women's World Cup: Spain's Aitana Bonmati wins Golden Ball; England’s Mary Earps awarded Golden Glove

Spain has emerged victorious in the Women’s World Cup, securing their title with a 1-0 victory over England, thanks to Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute goal. Let’s delve into the recognition bestowed upon outstanding individuals in this tournament, including the Golden Ball, Golden Boot, and Golden Glove award winners. Additionally, we’ll highlight some remarkable moments and statistics. Golden Ball Aitana Bonmati, the talented midfielder from Spain, has enjoyed a remarkable year. Her achievements now encompass becoming a World Cup champion and recipient of the Golden Ball award.

The adidas Golden Ball Award goes to Aitana Bonmatí! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/zTl7fEY9bx

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 20, 2023

In the face of a challenging 4-0 group play loss to Japan, Bonmati displayed her prowess by contributing two goals and two assists in a resounding 5-1 victory over Switzerland, marking the start of the knockout round. Her early fifth-minute goal set the tone for the match. She also secured a goal in Spain’s 3-0 opening group triumph against Costa Rica. Golden Boot Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa clinched the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer. Miyazawa’s five goals were tallied across five matches, including three during the group stage and two in the knockout rounds. Miyazawa played a pivotal role in Japan’s victory over Spain, contributing two goals in a 4-0 triumph that capped the group stage. She also showcased her scoring prowess with a pair of goals in a 5-0 tournament-opening win against Zambia. Her final goal of the tournament came in the 81st minute against Norway during the Round of 16.

The adidas Golden Boot Award goes to Hinata Miyazawa! 👏 pic.twitter.com/CS9L904CUF

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 20, 2023

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Notably, she follows in the footsteps of Homare Sawa, becoming the second Japanese player to earn the Golden Boot. Sawa achieved the same feat with five goals in the 2011 tournament, culminating in Japan’s championship victory. Golden Glove Mary Earps of England rightfully earned the Golden Glove award, having conceded only four goals across seven matches.

The adidas Golden Glove Award goes to Mary Earps! 🧤 pic.twitter.com/C25R45tfbm

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 20, 2023

Her performance in the final was especially noteworthy, as she made a crucial penalty kick save in the 70th minute, preserving Spain’s slender 1-0 lead. Earps’ standout moment came during the final, where she made a significant penalty kick save in the 70th minute to maintain Spain’s 1-0 advantage.