Women's World Cup: Ellen White - 'England have momentum but game of chess awaits in final'

Ellen White columnBBC Sport

I feel like we've been waiting for that performance from England.

Beating Australia 3-1 and reaching the World Cup final - it was one of the best performances England have produced at this tournament.

We felt it in the 6-1 win against China, then they dipped a little bit against Nigeria, but they always had that strong mentality and found a way to win.

It was a more complete performance against the co-hosts on Wednesday. England were defensively sound and attacking-wise, they looked a real threat. The relationships the players have built now in this formation are really good. It feels exciting and it looks like they are enjoying it.

The squad has been through such a rollercoaster of a tournament and they really showed resilience and patience.

They showed professionalism too - doing the niggly things that maybe we wouldn't have done a few years ago. Things like keeping the ball in the corner at the end or committing a couple of fouls just to get the crowd going. It was interesting to watch.

England were walking out in front of 75,000 people who were all supporting Australia, so to quieten them down showed they thrived off that pressure.

It was a performance they can be proud of and they can use that as momentum going into the final against Spain.

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'Sarina made my dreams of winning Euros come true'

We've always had great talent in England throughout the tournaments I've played in but it was about making everything come together.

Finding the right formation, bringing the group together, perfecting the culture, pulling together the staff and then finding the right manager that compliments it.

Sarina Wiegman is who we have been waiting for - she brings it all together.

We needed someone to bring everyone's strengths together on and off the pitch and allow them to be free to express themselves.

She has helped create a winning mentality so it is not a one-off. It is now habitual and every player that comes into the England squad is a winner and buys into that culture she has created.

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Sarina is just a genuinely lovely person that shows a lot of empathy towards you. She wants to know you on a human level, not just as a player. She has conversations with you about your family.

You want that in a manager as well as having one who is very good at their job! Her communication levels are on another level to what we have experienced before.

It's the fact she knows each player individually and knows what makes them tick. You know what you're going to get from her. She's the leader essentially but she's mainly just a good person.

I will always hold a special place in my heart for Sarina. She made my dreams of winning the Euros come true.

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'Toone put her stamp on things'

England have performed well in these last two games. They were solid from a defensive point of view first and foremost which is why I think Sarina will stick with that same team, because you have to be super disciplined against Spain.

Ella Toone started the tournament then came out of the side. Lauren James came in and lit up the World Cup before being sent off against Nigeria.

Ella was sat there waiting a little and that's credit to her as a person and also the way Sarina manages her players that she has come back in and done really well.

Everyone needs to be ready and you can't sit there with your head down. They know their roles and Ella has grabbed her chance with both hands.

You could see in her goal that there was a little edge to it and some emotion in it. She was saying 'I'm here to take us to the final and I want to be one of the names in that starting XI.'

She really put her stamp on things and is giving Sarina a headache. Fair play to her for performing the way she did.

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'Spain final will be like a chess match'

It was a tough match when we beat Spain in the Euros quarter-final last year and we knew it would be. They like to possess the ball and you have to be really strongly defensively and well-disciplined.

You can't go out of your position and leave spaces for them to glide into. The first hour of the game felt like a chess match. We were six minutes away from going out. But we showed our resilience to hold on and we knew if we had a chance we would take it and win the game.

It is about being patient with this Spanish side. Both England and Spain are very possession-based now. You probably wouldn't have said that a few years ago about an England team. It's going to be a chess match again and it will be really tough.

But a lot of the players in the team for the Euros match can draw on those experiences of what we did and achieved. Sarina will have a plan I'm sure, then we just need to be disciplined and wait for our moment to take the opportunities when they come.

I just don't know how I will feel watching the final because it's absolutely mental! It would be an incredible moment for women's football in England and this group of players if they won.

What they are achieving together is amazing and they are bringing everyone together as a nation. I'm just super proud of them.

Ellen White was speaking to BBC Sport's Emma Sanders.

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