WEALTH OF TALENT

With star player struggling to make an impact, Spain rests World Cup hopes on deep roster led by late-bloomer teenager

chances coming into the Women’s World Cup seemed to have hinged on the fitness of Alexia Putellas, but the Spaniards have enjoyed a remarkable run to the final despite their star player struggling to make an impact.

Instead, the likes of Salma Paralluelo, Aitana Bonmati and unsung midfield hero Teresa Abelleira have stood out for Jorge Vilda’s team, which beat Sweden, 2-1, on Tuesday to secure a place in Sunday’s showpiece in Sydney.

Putellas had to fight to make the squad after spending more than nine months out with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee suffered on the eve of the European Championship last year.

The player, who has won the Ballon d’Or and Fifa (International Federation of Association Football) Best award in each of the last two years, has started just three times on Spain’s run to its first World Cup final.

Her longest involvement was 62 minutes in the final group game against Japan, which ended in a 4-0 hammering that did not augur well for the knockout stages.

After brief substitute appearances in wins over Switzerland and the Netherlands, Putellas returned to the starting lineup against Sweden.

She was, however, withdrawn before the hour mark to make way for Paralluelo, the 19-year-old winger who is one of the most exciting prospects to emerge in this World Cup.

Vilda later admitted his strategy had been to use Putellas to help wear down Sweden before unleashing game-changer Paralluelo.

Athletics career

The teenager, who only gave up on an athletics career a year ago to focus on football, scored the extra-time winner in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands.

Deployed through the middle at Eden Park, Paralluelo scored the opening goal before Olga Carmona netted the winner.

“The plan was to control the game, try to tire them out with our possession and passing, and keep the pace, talent and quality of Salma and other players who we could bring on in the second half,” said Vilda, who was full of praise for the Barcelona starlet.

“Remember she is very young and has only been focusing exclusively on football for a year now.

“We need to just try to help her to see how far she can go. Nobody can say what her ceiling is.”

While Paralluelo spoke to the media after being named Player of the Match against Sweden, Putellas walked past reporters without a word. That has become customary for her during the tournament, as the 29-year-old has stayed firmly out of the limelight, in contrast to the radiant figure who appeared before the world on stage at so many recent award ceremonies. Vilda said during the tournament that he had a squad of “23 Ballons d’Or” after it was put to him that Aitana Bonmati could succeed her Barcelona teammate Putellas to win that particular prize this year. She has enjoyed a fine World Cup on the back of being named the best player in the Champions League as her club lifted that trophy despite playing most of the campaign without Putellas.

forward Salma ParallueSpain lo (No. 18) battles Australian defender Magdalena Eriksson during their semifinal duel.