Carmona, the hero of the World Cup, discovered news of his father’s passing after propelling Spain to triumph.
Over the course of the weekend, Spain’s Women’s World Cup heroine Olga Carmona went through both a career peak and a profound loss, the latter of which was shielded from her to ensure her focus on Sunday’s final.
Carmona, who secured Spain’s decisive goal against England, was informed of her father’s passing following the match, as stated by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
“The RFEF deeply regrets to announce the passing of Olga Carmona’s father. The footballer received the sorrowful news post the World Cup final.”
“Our most heartfelt condolences go out to Olga and her family in this time of immense grief. Olga, we stand by you,” RFEF further conveyed.
Carmona’s club, Real Madrid, also issued a statement expressing their sympathies.
“Real Madrid C. F., along with the president and the Board of Directors, is deeply saddened by the loss of our player Olga Carmona’s father. Real Madrid extends its condolences and sincere sympathy to Olga, her family, and all her dear ones. May he rest in peace,” the statement conveyed.
Carmona’s 29th-minute goal proved to be the deciding factor, making La Roja only the second nation, following Germany, to clinch victories in both the men’s and women’s World Cups.
After scoring the goal, Carmona raised her shirt in celebration. Following the game, she explained that she did so to honor her best friend’s mother who recently passed away.
Carmona’s goal led Spain to victory against the odds. The fact that La Roja emerged triumphant against the reigning European champions and the pre-match favorite, despite the controversies and divisions that marred the national team throughout the tournament, renders this accomplishment extraordinary.
In the previous year, 15 Spanish players made themselves unavailable for selection, expressing dissatisfaction with the training methods of head coach Jorge Vilda. He had referred to the situation at that time as a “global disgrace.”
Only three out of those 15 players who had sent letters to RFEF last year, citing the “situation” within the national team’s impact on their “emotional state” and well-being, were chosen for the World Cup squad.
The country now reigns supreme in the world, yet the future of those excluded players on the international stage remains uncertain. Despite the victory, the questions surrounding the national setup and whether or how the dispute can be resolved persist.
Should the off-field issues find a resolution, Spain’s future looks bright, as now, astonishingly, the Iberian nation has secured Women’s World Cup victories at the Under-17, Under-20, and senior levels.
