By OkayGoal 
Spain are U-20 Women’s World Cup champions once again.
La Roja defeated defending champions North Korea 4-3 on penalties Sunday after the two sides played to a scoreless draw through 120 minutes in Łódź, Poland. Goalkeeper Laia López was the hero for Spain, making two saves in the shootout as Spain converted all four of its attempts.
The victory gives Spain its second U-20 Women’s World Cup title, following its first championship in 2022. North Korea had won the previous edition in 2024.
Spain also dominated the tournament’s individual awards. Rosalía Domínguez was named Player of the Tournament, Pau Comendador won the Golden Boot after scoring six goals, and López took home the Golden Glove after her decisive performance in the final.
The title adds another piece to an extraordinary year for Spanish football. Spain now simultaneously holds the men’s World Cup, women’s World Cup and women’s U-20 World Cup titles.
Spain’s run to the title included a 2-0 win over Portugal in the round of 16, a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Brazil, and a 2-0 semifinal win over Italy before Sunday’s final.
As for the North American teams, Canada defeated France 3-1 in the round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals, where the young Canucks fell 2-0 to eventual finalists North Korea. The United States was eliminated by Brazil on penalties in the round of 16.
