Georgia Stanway a World Cup runner-up: 'We're incredibly proud!'

Georgia Stanway is a World Cup runner-up! The FC Bayern midfielder was in the England team that narrowly lost 1-0 to Spain in the final of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Sydney on Sunday. In a high-quality contest that was worthy of a final, Olga Cormona scored the winning goal in the 29th minute. The Lionesses kept looking for an equaliser until the very end, but it wouldn't come and so Spain are world champions for the first time. Despite defeat in the final, everyone at FC Bayern congratulates their World Cup hero Stanway on second place!

Hainer: 'Had an impressive World Cup'

Herbert Hainer, president of FC Bayern: "In the end it was a narrow 1-0 defeat in the final. But even without the trophy, Georgia Stanway and the England national team have had an impressive World Cup. Our congratulations for that. Georgia can look back on an extraordinary year: first the Euro victory against Germany, then the Bundesliga title in her first season with FC Bayern – and now getting all the way to the final at this World Cup. We're incredibly proud that she's a part of FC Bayern. She's a personality who's good for our club on and off the pitch. We have big aims again this season and look forward to tackling them with our World Cup runner-up in the team."

Dreesen: 'Really wanted the World Cup title for Georgia' 

Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of FC Bayern: "The whole of FC Bayern really wanted the World Cup title for Georgia Stanway. We're still very proud of second place, though – congratulations to Spain too on lifting the trophy for the first time. Georgia took on responsibility throughout the whole tournament in Australia and New Zealand, shaped the Lionesses' play and showed the qualities that we also value so highly in her. She's a driving force, not just on the field but for women's football overall. We're already looking forward to going on the hunt for trophies again with her in the coming season."

Rech: 'Georgia took on big responsibility' 

Bianca Rech, head of women's football: "We're incredibly proud to have a World Cup finalist at FC Bayern and in the Women's Bundesliga in Georgia Stanway. Georgia started every match at the tournament, shone with outstanding performances and took on big responsibility in the England team after the loss of many key players. Georgia leads by example with passion, ambition and absolute will to win – on and off the pitch, for FCB and the Lionesses. We hope that she collects many more titles with us after the 2023 Bundesliga championship and that she can bring back some of the unbelievable enthusiasm for women's football down under with her to Munich."

Earlier, on Saturday, FCB summer signing Magdalena Eriksson contested the third place playoff with Sweden, claiming a deserved 2-0 win over co-hosts Australia and with it the World Cup bronze medal. "Sincere congratulations also go to Magdalena Eriksson, who achieved third place at this high-quality tournament with Sweden," added Rech. "Magdalena and her team were agonisingly close to getting to the final. She's a player with leadership qualities at the highest international level, which she proved again at this World Cup."

Allianz Arena appearance to look forward to

Stanway and Eriksson will join up with the FCB Women team in the next few weeks as they prepare for the new season. One highlight is already on the horizon with the Bundesliga home match against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Allianz Arena on 14 October.