Spain’s Under-17 women reclaimed the World Cup crown after a goalless final against North Korea was settled from the penalty spot, with goalkeeper Laia again the decisive figure. Two years after facing the same opponents in the final, Spain held their nerve as Laia stopped North Korean attempts in the shootout to deliver the trophy.
| Match stage | Score | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Half-time | Spain 0-0 North Korea | Neither side had failed to score before the interval during the tournament. |
| After extra time | Spain 0-0 North Korea | Pak Ju and Laia preserved the deadlock. |
| Penalty shootout | Spain won | Laia’s saves secured the world title. |
Coach Aznar used his bench in search of a breakthrough, introducing Agote to bring pace on the right before sending on Marisa as a central attacking reference and Carla Juliá for the tiring Pau Comendador and Rosalía. Spain continued to dictate possession, but North Korea’s compact defending and goalkeeper Pak Ju repeatedly denied them.
Laia keeps Spain alive before deciding the final
The contest began as a meeting of contrasting approaches between the tournament’s two strongest sides. Spain played out from the back despite North Korea’s aggressive press, with Pau and Alba Cerrato making runs to stretch a disciplined Asian defence. North Korea instead sought speed from wide areas and early deliveries into the box.
Ji Il created the first threat for North Korea, but Laia collected securely. Spain soon found openings of their own: Pau was stopped by Jong, while Noe struck from the edge of the area following a corner. Noe, particularly lively down the right, later found Cerrato in the box, only for Pak Ju to make the save.
North Korea had their moments without finding a way through Spain’s structure. Pak Ok tried an ambitious effort from close to halfway after a midfield turnover, forcing Laia to turn the ball behind. Noe then sent a dangerous ball across goal which lacked a finishing touch.
North Korean coach Chol Han changed his lone forward in the 37th minute, but the clearest first-half moment came from a misunderstanding between Silvia Cristóbal and Laia. Ho Kyong pressed, won possession and appeared set to score, only for Laia to produce a crucial save. The sides went into the break level at 0-0.
Pak Ju withstands Spain’s pressure
Spain resumed with the ball, attempting to move North Korea out of position, while their opponents maintained a high press and continued to target the flanks. Cerrato broke through on the left but was denied again by Pak Ju.
North Korea created danger from corners, with Ji Il almost capitalising on a loose ball, yet Spain generated the sharper chances. Rosalía linked well with Ainoa before seeing her shot saved, then headed another opening created by Pau’s burst into space straight at the goalkeeper.
Agote’s arrival brought immediate impact. She beat her marker and sent a cross into the middle; when the clearance dropped to Pau, her strike towards the top corner drew another outstanding stop from Pak Ju. Spain had the greater attacking momentum, but the goal would not arrive.
Extra time leads to a familiar finish
As the game stretched, Aznar made further changes and Spain kept trying to create from the right through Carla Juliá. Marisa was presented with a one-on-one opportunity, but Pak Ju again won the duel.
The second period of extra time became increasingly scrappy. Jon Il tested Laia from outside the area, and Marisa headed an Agote cross towards goal, only for Pak Ju to divert it for a corner. With neither goalkeeper beaten in 120 minutes, the final moved to penalties.
There, Laia delivered the defining intervention. Spain’s goalkeeper, entrusted with the same responsibility against North Korea two years earlier, made the saves that returned the Under-17 world title to Spain.
