SYDNEY — Sarina Wiegman and Jorge Vilda are preparing for the biggest game of their coaching careers — the Women’s World Cup final between England and Spain here in Sydney. As the clock ticks down to kick-off, they must both make a huge decision that could shape their professional legacies.
It is about high stakes and making the right call; balancing cold, calculated judgment against emotion and the gut feeling about tactics and team selection.
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Ultimately, Sunday’s final could come down to the call Wiegman makes about Lauren James, and Vilda’s similarly crucial judgment on the fitness of Alexia Putellas.
In normal circumstances, James and Putellas would be named to start in Stadium Australia without a moment of hesitation. James is the 21-year-old Chelsea midfielder regarded by many as one of the star players of the tournament and a potential future Ballon d’Or Féminin winner; Putellas has already walked that path, winning back-to-back Ballons d’Or in 2021 and 2022.
By selecting James, available again after her two-game suspension for standing on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie during England’s round-of-16 win,…
