Sarina Wiegman shares the message she gave players in post-match huddle after crushing loss

Speaking after the match, Wiegman revealed that she had told the team that they could be proud of the way they had conducted themselves throughout the tournament.

Asked by the BBC what she had said to the players, the manager said: "Of course it feels really bad now, we're really really disappointed. You go to the final you want to win the final, and then you lose it. But that happens in sport.

"I think what we have done, how we have shown ourselves, who we are, how we want to play as a team, over coming so may challenges I think we can be very proud of ourselves... although, it doesn't feel like that at the moment."

Wiegman’s side still achieved a best-ever second-place finish, despite their 1-0 loss to Spain in Sydney.

FIFA Best goalkeeper Mary Earps produced several fine saves to keep England in the contest, including the vital block to deny Jennifer Hermoso’s second-half spot kick as her determined team-mates tried to stage a comeback.

That never came, and while the Lionesses had their chances they ultimately could not find a way past speedy Spain.

In a separate interview, Wiegman added that she had no regrets about the way her team had played.

She explained: "We gave everything. The opponent was very strong. We changed it at half-time and then we got momentum and I thought now we would get back in the game.

"The momentum went out of the game with the penalty, which took forever, and the injury of Alex (Greenwood).

"That was at a stage when I thought they were struggling with us.

"At the end when we tried to force it we did not execute very well.

"No regrets. We gave it everything we could. We tried different tactics. You have to give credit to Spain.

"Over the tournament they played the best football, so congratulations to Spain."