England Defeats Brazil To Be Crowned The First-Ever Women's Finalissima Champions After A Penalty Shootout.

England have beaten Brazil in a dramatic penalty shootout to win the first Women's Finalissima at the iconic Wembley stadium on Thursday night.

The Women's Finalissima sees the European champions come against the South American champions.

The Lionesses won Euro 2022 title to book their place in the first-ever women's Finalissima after becoming European champions last July, beating Germany 2-1 in the final. They have since also lifted the 2023 Arnold Clark Cup in February.

Brazil on the other hand, arrive in the final after winning their eighth Copa America Femenina title last year.  They beat Colombia 1-0 in the same month that England defeated Germany.

Pia Sundhage's side participated in the 2023 SheBelieves Cup in USA where they finished third.

The Lionesses were given their biggest test of the year by a talented, albeit injury-hit, Brazilian side, but the encounter in front of a jam-packed Wembley crowd, ended with the familiar sight of captain Leah Williamson lifting a trophy.

Manchester City's 25-year-old forward Chloe Kelly scored the winning spot-kick as England wins 4-2 via penalty shootout to settle the inaugural Women's Finalissima after a dramatic evening against Brazil.

23-year-old Man United striker Ella Toone netted her 16th goal for England in the 23rd minute when Lucy Bronze cut the ball back for her teammate to slot in from the edge of the six-yard box. It was the game's only goal going into the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

But substitute Andressa Alves '30', who plays as a midfielder for AS Roma, managed to send the game to a shootout when she equalised in the 93rd minute, pouncing on a loose ball that England keeper Mary Earps had trouble controlling.

Georgia Stanway scored the first penalty for the home side before Brazil's Adriana levelled matters. Toone and Brazil's Tamires both missed their spot kicks, before Rachel Daly scored hers.

Brazil captain Rafaelle then missed and England's Alex Greenwood scored. Kerolin kept the South Americans in the shootout until Chloe Kelly scored the deciding penalty as Wembley erupted.

The game, which drew 83,132 fans to the stadium and sold out in early October paid tribute to the late Pele at the start, and was a key part of preparations for the Women's World Cup in July and August later this year.

Sarina Wiegman's side have now gone 30 games without a defeat (26 wins, 4 draws, 3 trophies), and will look to extend that streak when they host Australia in next week Tuesday pre-World Cup friendly at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, before they begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July, while Brazil play Germany on Tuesday in Nuremberg.

England would hope to keep the momentum going ahead of this summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

"I feel privileged," Wiegman said after the victory. 

"It's such an incredible group, and the team is so committed and we want to learn every day and it's so nice to be a part of."

The nailbiting back-and-forth game was a perfect tune-up for the World Cup, Wiegman said.

"The first half was really good, the second half we got challenged a lot," she said. "I'm happy, it's good that we have that information and we take it from here."

"It's great being back here at Wembley in front of our home fans," Kelly the match winner said. "They were brilliant again tonight. It's home to me and the girls gave a brilliant performance again tonight, and we keep moving forward."