Sydney, 20 Aug (Xinhua) -- He quickly inserted it, burst into the penalty area, and calmly volleyed with his left foot into an absolute dead end. In the women's World Cup final on the 20th, Olga Carmona once again decided the match.
Scoring the only goal of the game, keeping an eye on the opponent's attacking core, breaking into the box to create a penalty... At the Australian Stadium in Sydney, the 23-year-old captain of the Spanish women's football team can do almost anything.
Spain's Olga Carmona (right) scores on August 20. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhu Wei
Through the sea, the true colors of the hero are revealed. In the semifinals on the 15th, it was Carmona who played a wonderful long-range shot in the 89th minute to help Spain "kill" Sweden. A left-back who rarely scores, Carmona scored two of the most important goals in the history of Spanish women's football in five days, leading the team to the top of the world for the first time.
Who would have thought that she was once a girl who was not allowed to play football. Spanish football almost lost its treasure.
In 2000, Olga and her twin brother were born in Seville, Spain. In this city with a strong football atmosphere, the siblings have a great passion for football since childhood. However, the parents apparently had different ideas about the twins, sending their younger brother to the football academy while firmly opposing their sister playing football.
The parents' reason was simple and convincing – at that time, girls had little future in football. Even in a traditional powerhouse like Spain, women's football has long been neglected. Spain had never played in the Women's World Cup until 2015.
Olga Carmona (left) competes for the top spot on August 20. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Ting
Under his mother's arrangement, little Olga learned tennis, learned to swim and later to learn flamenco. But she didn't like any of that, she would rather sit on the edge of the football field, watch her brother play, and imagine that she could run on the field. She simply loves everything on the football field.
Finally, little Olga's persistence impressed her mother, and she decided to fully support her daughter in football. After studying football systematically, Olga's talent soon became apparent and she entered the Sevilla women's first team in 2017. Her personal efforts coincide with the development of the times. In recent years, Spain has vigorously promoted the professionalization of women's football, and La Liga giants Real Madrid immediately recruited her as soon as the women's team was established in 2020. At Real Madrid, Olga wore the number 7 shirt and gradually entered the ranks of top players.
In 2021, Olga Carmona entered the Spanish team for the first time. Just a year later, she was named vice-captain of the national team. With captain Andres already playing very little, Carmona became the one to wear the captain's armband on the field. In September last year, there was infighting in the Spanish team, with 15 players announcing their retirement from the national team after opposing coach Bilda. This junior "post-00s" girl showed maturity far beyond her age and took on the heavy responsibility of uniting the team.
"It's not the captain's armband that matters, it's letting all my teammates know that I'm someone they can rely on in difficult times. I'm proud to be captain. But whether I'm captain or not, I'll step up when the team needs it. Carmona said.
On August 20, Olga Carmona (front center) kisses the champion trophy at an awards ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Xu
In order to play better at the World Cup, Carmona's preparation does not stop at the pitch, she has been seeking the help of a sports psychologist since a few months ago. "The whole counseling process started with why I chose to play football and looked back at how I got to where I am today. Psychological issues have always been a weakness of mine, and through counseling, I learned to let go of pressure from the outside world and focus on football itself. Carmona said.
In the World Cup, Carmona seemed to be the little girl who stood on the sidelines and watched the ball, she enjoyed every minute on the football field, she became a hero of Spain. Carmona revealed that her mother also came to the final. What a proud mother she must have been, and her decision that year rewrote the history of Spanish football.
When asked what she wanted to say to herself, Carmona said, "If you don't dare to dream, nothing will happen." Keep doing what you love and do your best every day. ”
This is the story of Olga Carmona – breaking through barriers to find what you love, giving it all to it, and ultimately succeeding. Perhaps this is the meaning of the World Cup, which always reminds people that every love is worth giving it their all.