Soccer Star Olga Carmona Learned Her Father Had Died After She Scored Winning World Cup Goal for Spain

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"We love you, Olga," the Royal Spanish Football Federation wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) as it announced the sad news

Olga Carmona's winning goal to seize the Women's World Cup for Spain has sadly been followed by a family tragedy.

After the 23-year-old athlete's goal clinched a victory for Spain in Sunday's final against England, she learned that her father had died, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced on X, formerly known as Twitter. The RFEF did not reveal when Carmona's father died or provide a cause of death, nor did they say when Carmona was told the news.

Carmona was among the Spanish teammates celebrating the win on the field, and she participated in the trophy presentation, per the AP.

"We deeply regret that we must announce the death of Olga Carmona's father," the RFEF wrote in its post. "We send our deepest condolences to Olga and her family at this time of deep sorrow. We love you, Olga. You are part of the history of Spanish football."

Olga Carmona (right) scored a first-half goal in the Women's World Cup final in Sydney, Australia.
Olga Carmona (right) scored a first-half goal in the Women's World Cup final in Sydney, Australia.

Carmona's club, Real Madrid, also issued a statement: "Real Madrid, the president and the board of directors are deeply saddened by the passing of the father of our player Olga Carmona. Real Madrid would like to extend our condolences and heartfelt sympathy to Olga, her family and all her loved ones. May he rest in peace."

Related: Spain Makes History as the 2023 Women’s World Cup Champions After a 1-0 Win Against England

Carmona scored her winning goal in the first half to give Spain a 1-0 victory over England. She was named most valuable player on Sunday, and celebrated by revealing the word "Merchi" on her undershirt in honor of a friend's mother who recently died.

“I think all of us, we felt that this team had something special," Carmona said after the game, according to the AP.

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Olga Carmona learned her father had died after playing in the World Cup final match on Sunday.
Olga Carmona learned her father had died after playing in the World Cup final match on Sunday.

Carmona also came to Spain's rescue in the semifinal against Sweden on Tuesday, scoring an 89th-minute goal that led the team to a 2-1 win. With Sunday's goal, she became the first player since American Carli Lloyd in 2015 to score in a World Cup semifinal and final.

Related: Prince William Reacts to England's Finish in the Women's World Cup Finals

England was trying to bring a World Cup back home for the first time since the men won it in 1966, but they were unsuccessful in their quest. England captain Millie Bright spoke to the BBC following her team's defeat, saying the loss was "really hard to take."

"We gave it everything. In the first half we weren't at our best, we bounced back in the second half," Bright added. "We had chances, hit the bar but we just didn’t have the final edge and they got theirs in back of the net."

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