Women’s World Cup 2023 LIVE: Lionesses receive heartwarming homecoming as attention turns to next game

England’s Lionesses have received messages of appreciation from the showbiz world after losing to Spain in the Women’s World Cup final.

Spain secured a final 1-0 victory in Sydney on Sunday following Olga Carmona’s first-half goal. However, Sarina Wiegman’s side still achieved a best-ever second-place finish.

Read more about the messages of support below:

England’s World Cup finalists received a warm welcome as they started their long journey back to the United Kingdom on Monday morning.

The Lionesses, who reached the final of the Women’s World Cup, were agonisingly beaten by Spain 1-0 on Sunday.

It was the first time any England team had reached the World Cup final in 57 years, but it was not to be and Olga Carmona’s goal secured a first trophy for Spain’s women’s team.

Starting their journey home, the Lionesses were applauded through Sydney Airport by passengers in a heartwarming moment.

Spain star Jenni Hermoso insisted she “did not enjoy it” after being kissed on the lips by Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales.

The incident occurred as Hermoso made her way to the podium after Spain defeated England in the Women’s World Cup final thanks to Olga Carmona’s strike.

After being given her medal by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Hermoso was given a hug by Mr Rubiales, who lifted her off her feet.

A brief conversation between the pair followed, before Mr Rubiales grabbed Hermoso around her back and kissed her on the lips.

Luis Rubiales, the Spanish FA president at the centre of a storm following the Women’s World Cup final, has been caught making an obscene gesture during celebrations at full-time.

Rubiales has come under fire in the aftermath of Spain’s 1-0 win over England in Sydney for kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on the lips on the presentation stage.

Asked about the moment, Hermoso intially said: “Eh... yeah, I did not enjoy that.” Later, via quotes put out by the Spanish FA, she described the kiss with the organisation’s president as “mutual and spontaneous”.

England midfielder Georgia Stanway vowed the Lionesses would carry on fighting for top spot on the planet after finishing runners-up to Spain in the World Cup final in Sydney.

The Lionesses were among the pre-tournament favourites in Australia and New Zealand, with punters pointing to their dominant run to last summer’s European title, but injuries to Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby and the retirement of Ellen White left Sarina Wiegman without four players who started every match of that triumph before she even named her World Cup squad.

Wiegman barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief after learning key midfielder Keira Walsh’s knee injury, sustained in England’s second group-stage encounter, was not as serious as initially suspected before the influential Lauren James was sent off in the last 16 and issued a two-match ban.

Rishi Sunak would have “loved to” have watched the Lionesses in the Word Cup final but has “a huge amount of work to do”, a minister has said.

Claire Couthinho also claimed the prime minister would also not have flown to the World Cup final if the men’s team were playing because he is “so busy”.

Asked whether the PM would have made the trip to Sydney, Australia if Gareth Southgate’s team were in the final two, the children’s minister said she did “not think he would have”.

England’s World Cup Final with Spain was watched by an average of 13.3 million people on TV, a new UK record for a women’s football match and one of the biggest audiences of the year so far, figures show.

The number of viewers peaked at 14.8 million in the closing minutes of the Lionesses’ 1-0 defeat in Sydney, according to overnight data released by the ratings organisation Barb.

The figures are the combined TV audience from kick-off to final whistle across BBC One and ITV, both of which showed the game live.

The Women’s World Cup has offered thrills, shocks and brilliant individual moments during the biggest competition in its 32-year history.

The tournament, which began on July 20, has seen 32 nations compete in Australia and New Zealand, with many writing their names into women’s football folklore.

Spain lifted the World Cup for the first time in their history after Olga Carmona’s goal proved the difference against England in Sydney on Sunday.

England fans have been left visibly devastated following the Lionesses’ Women’s World Cup loss against Spain, with La Roja taking a 1-0 lead early on.

Fans at London’s Boxpark, Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, and up in Harrogate were filmed watching the game, with people putting their head in their hands at the devastation.

With so much still unsaid around this Spain team, three statements in the final stages of this Women’s World Cup run stood out all the more, that illustrate much of the story of their run to the title.

One was Tere Abelleira immediately after the semi-final victory over Sweden in Auckland. “Now we can talk about a ferocious team spirit,” she said. It was as the midfielder was saying this in the Eden Park mixed zone that Jenni Hermoso was striding behind and shouting: “Come on! We’re in the final of the f***ing World Cup!”

That is now the most important fact of all. It was amid this mood of jubilation, however, that the abrasive Spanish federation boss Luis Rubiales came out with something that was much more open to dispute.