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The Spanish star who scored the winning goal against England in Sunday’s World Cup final has offered a tribute to her father who she found out had died after the game.

Olga Carmona’s 29th-minute strike was all that separated the sides in Sydney, securing a 1-0 win.

Carmona, 23, posted her tribute on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “And without knowing it, I had my Star before the game started.

“I know that you have given me the strength to achieve something unique. I know that you have been watching me tonight and that you are proud of me. Rest in peace dad.”

The Spanish FA announced she found out about the death of her father after the full-time whistle.

“We send out most sincere hugs to Olga and her family in a moment of deep pain,” it said on X.

“We love you, Olga, you are the history of Spanish football.”

The Real Madrid star wheeled away in delight when her precise left-footed shot found the corner of Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps’s net.

She lifted her shirt to reveal the message “Merchi” on her compression top, which was reportedly a tribute to a friend whose mother recently passed away.

The defender, who scored a late winner in the semi-finals against Sweden, was named player of the match.

Real Madrid said the club’s “condolences and love” were with Carmona, her family and friends.

‘Pride’ over Lionesses – relive World Cup final as it happened

Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Spain v England - Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia - August 20, 2023 Spain's Olga Carmona scores their first goal past England's Mary Earps REUTERS/Carl Recine
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Carmona’s shot finds the bottom corner in the 29th minute

Spanish team ‘had something special’

Carmona took part in the post-match celebrations with her teammates on the Stadium Australia pitch; dancing, getting her medal and kissing the trophy.

According to the Spanish FA, Carmona’s father, who had a long illness, died on Friday – before the final got under way.

However, Spanish media outlet Relevo reported that family and friends decided not to tell her the news so that she could focus on the match.

Carmona’s mother and brothers had rushed back to Spain – having been in New Zealand for the group stages – but arrived in Australia on Saturday to support her in the final.

It’s the first time Spain have won the competition.

“We felt this team had something special,” Carmona said after the game.

Before news of her father’s death, the Spanish FA had said title celebrations would take place in Madrid when the squad return home on Monday.

Analysis: Spain turn disharmony into delirium to beat England

Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Spain v England - Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia - August 20, 2023 England's Chloe Kelly in action with Spain's Olga Carmona REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
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Carmona grapples with England’s Chloe Kelly

FA boss facing questions over kissing player

Meanwhile, the Spanish FA president is facing questions after footage emerged of him embracing and kissing a player during the post-match scenes.

Luis Rubiales appeared to kiss Jennifer Hermoso, Spain’s all-time record goalscorer, on the lips.

She has been quoted in an interview with Spanish media as saying she did not enjoy the moment.

Hermoso played in the final, but missed the chance to score when her second-half penalty was saved by Earps.

Sky Sports News has contacted the Spanish FA for comment.

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Powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake causes tsunami in Russia’s Far East – with warnings issued for Japan, Hawaii and Alaska

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Powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake causes tsunami in Russia's Far East - with warnings issued for Japan, Hawaii and Alaska

A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake has struck off Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, causing a tsunami.

A tsunami of up to four metres (13 feet) was recorded in Kamchatka Peninsula, leading to evacuations and damaging buildings, officials said.

Tsunami warnings have been issued for Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii and parts of Alaska in the US.

The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management in Hawaii has called for the evacuation of some coastal areas, writing on X: “Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected.”

The first waves in Hawaii are expected to hit at 7pm local time (6am UK time).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has said waves of one to three meters (three to 10 feet) above tide level were possible along some coastal areas of Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands.

Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov had earlier said: “Today’s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors.”

Follow latest: Tsunami live updates

Several people in the region sought medical assistance following the quake, Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister told Russia’s Tass state news agency.

“Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,” Mr Melnikov said.

Russia’s Tass news agency reported from the biggest city nearby, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, that many people ran out into the street, while cabinets toppled inside homes, mirrors were broken, cars swayed on roads and balconies on buildings shook noticeably.

Power outages and mobile phone service failures were also reported in the capital of the Kamchatka region.

The first tsunami wave hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Russia’s Kuril Islands in the Pacific, according to the local governor Valery Limarenko.

He said residents were safe and staying on high ground until the threat of a repeat wave was gone.

A regional branch of Russia’s geophysical service has said that “significant, noticeable” aftershocks with magnitudes of up to 7.5 after expected to continue for at least another month.

Japan issued a tsunami warning, saying it expects waves as high as three metres to arrive along large coastal areas along the Pacific Ocean.

Waves off the coast of the Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan after the tsunami warning was issued. Pic: AP
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Waves off the coast of the Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan after the tsunami warning was issued. Pic: AP

It has ordered the evacuation of some areas.

The National Tsunami Warning Center, based in Alaska, issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Alaska Aleutian Islands.

A tsunami warning also was extended to the US state of Hawaii, with the National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center saying a tsunami from the quake had been generated that could cause damage along the coastlines of all the Hawaiian islands.

A tsunami “watch” was issued for portions of the West Coast, including California, Oregon, and Washington.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred about 125 km (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 along the coast of Avacha Bay. It revised the magnitude up twice from 8.0 and 8.7 to 8.8 earlier.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s disaster management agency has warned that the country’s coastal areas could expect “strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore”.

In a national advisory alert, Civil Defence New Zealand said there was no immediate need to evacuate but said citizens should stay away from beaches and shore areas.

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Children ‘eating out of piles of garbage’ as Gaza aid trickles in

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Children 'eating out of piles of garbage' as Gaza aid trickles in

“Children are eating out of piles of garbage” – that was the answer from UNICEF’s Salim Oweis when I asked if aid was now getting to those who need it.

The phone call was intended for background to try to get a clearer idea of the latest aid distribution in Gaza, but it’s a conversation I won’t forget.

“Parents are crushing whatever they can into water, most likely unclean water, because there is no infant milk or formula. The reports are horrific,” says Salim.

“Our colleagues are struggling to find enough food for themselves.”

Latest: Trump tells Sky he’s trying to get Gaza ‘straightened out’

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Sky News on Gaza aid-drop plane

A woman with an airdropped food parcel in Gaza City. Pic: Reuters
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A woman with an air-dropped food parcel in Gaza City. Pic: Reuters

It’s been three days since Israel announced humanitarian pauses to allow aid to get to starving people in Gaza but it’s not yet being felt on the ground.

I’m told more aid trucks have entered Kerem Shalom – the border crossing between Gaza and Israel – but that’s only the first stage of the journey.

The aid then needs to be collected and brought inside the Gaza Strip, then taken to partners on the ground for distribution.

It’s a lengthy process, and it needs to be accelerated with urgency.

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So far, lorries carrying famine preventative supplies have been collected – that’s high-energy biscuits, food for children between six months and two years, infant formula, vaccines and nappies.

Therapeutic food, which has a peanut butter like consistency, and is aimed to treat malnutrition has arrived at Kerem Shalom but there’s no confirmation yet on whether it’s made it in.

I had not heard of therapeutic food before. I’ve since learnt it is high in energy and micronutrients and won’t treat the complications of malnutrition, but will get a child out of the danger zone.

UNICEF collected vials of the DTP vaccine and infant formula at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday. Pic: UNICEF
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Vials of the DTP vaccine and infant formula were collected at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday. Pic: UNICEF

There is an ongoing issue of desperate people attempting to loot these lorries as they enter Gaza.

“The more aid that goes in, the more the looting will decrease because people will trust that there is now food coming back in,” says Salim.

But the amount getting in is still a fraction of what is needed.

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Israeli organisations accuse Israel of genocide

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The situation is so desperate, not everyone can wait until tomorrow for help. People are now dying everyday in Gaza due to hunger.

There is no time for wrangling over detail. Food is needed in mass quantities immediately. We have had warnings for months that Gaza was on the brink of famine. It’s now here.

For those working to help the most vulnerable and innocent in Gaza, it feels extremely personal.

“The rest of the world has failed the children and the civilians of Gaza,” says Salim.

“The world is numb and leaders of the world are apparently deaf.”

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Mile after mile of grey rubble – the view from a plane dropping aid to Gaza

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Mile after mile of grey rubble - the view from a plane dropping aid to Gaza

We are on our way to Gaza with the Jordanian military.

The aircraft is hot and noisy and as we get closer, the atmosphere gets more tense. Aircrew gesture with their hands to tell us how many minutes there are to go. Fifteen. Six. One.

The Jordanian military C-130 flies out over the sea before banking and heading inland for Gaza. The parachutes, attached to the top of each of the eight pallets, are prepared for the drop.

As land approaches, I look down. The ground is modern and built up – we’re still over southern Israel.

Then a few short minutes later, it’s clear we’ve crossed Gaza’s border.

The ground turns grey, the shapes of buildings disappear, there are no cars, no people.

You can see the outline of communities and villages that are now flattened. Mile after mile of grey rubble.

This mission by the Royal Jordanian Air Force is one of the first aid drop flights since Israel announced they could resume. It is carrying eight tonnes of food and baby formula.

Jordanian military personnel load aid parcels onto a plane that will be airdropped over Gaza, in Zarqa, Jordan.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Jordanian military personnel load aid parcels on to a plane in Zarqa, Jordan. Pic: Reuters

Jordanian military personnel load aid parcels onto a plane that will be airdropped over Gaza, in Zarqa, Jordan.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

Foreign nations know this is a deeply flawed way of delivering aid – road convoys are far more effective and can carry far more – but the Jordanian flight crew say the need in Gaza is so urgent, it’s simply an attempt to do something.

When the aircraft ramp opens, the aid is pushed out and it’s gone in seconds.

The parachutes seem peaceful as they open and their fall slows. But dropping food from the sky is a dangerous and undignified way to feed people.

On the ground it’s chaos.

Our colleagues in Gaza say the fighting for food has become lethal – gangs are now punching and stabbing people to reach it first. Most critically, it’s not getting to the weakest. To those who really need it.

One man becomes emotional as he describes racing to find food and leaving with nothing.

“I came only for my son,” he says. “I wouldn’t come here if it was just for me. When you have a child, they need bread.”

He’s an engineer in normal times and seems in disbelief that his life has come to this. “The aid comes from the sky and we have to run after it. I’ve never had to do this in my life.”

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Jordanian military personnel air drop aid parcels over Gaza, July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jehad Shelbak
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Jordanian military personnel drop aid parcels over Gaza. Pic: Reuters


Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over Central Gaza Strip as seen from Khan Younis Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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Humanitarian aid is airdropped over the central Gaza Strip, as seen from Khan Younis. Pic: AP

It is hoped Israel’s humanitarian pauses in fighting will rapidly increase food distribution by road but it’s very unclear how that is going.

Hospitals in Gaza have reported another 14 deaths from starvation in the last 24 hours, the Gaza health ministry said on Monday.

Airstrikes killed another at least 78 Palestinians across Gaza on Monday, local health officials said.

We cannot verify these numbers because Israel has not allowed international journalists access to Gaza.

And Monday’s flight came with strict media conditions.

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We were told the Israeli side had warned that any shots of Gaza filmed from the air could result in these aid flights being cancelled.

But Israel’s tight grip has not stopped the images from Gaza getting out, horrifying people around the world.

The question now is what more the international community will do about it.

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