SYDNEY: Skipper Millie Bright said her team were embracing an 鈥渋ncredible opportunity鈥� to do something an English side has not managed since 1966 鈥� win a World Cup.

The Lionesses powered into Sunday鈥檚 final in Sydney against Spain after a ruthless 3-1 dismantling of co-hosts Australia, with their relentless energy grinding down a Matildas side that had few answers.

It set up England鈥檚 biggest game since Bobby Moore lifted the men鈥檚 trophy at Wembley 57 years ago.

鈥淚鈥檓 really happy for the fans back home, for our nation,鈥� said Chelsea stalwart Bright, with men鈥檚 skipper Harry Kane and even King Charles III sending congratulations.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we鈥檝e all been driving toward and it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 been missing. Now the opportunity we have is incredible.鈥�

The European champions have grown through the tournament, with their ruthless attacking football and defensive resilience proving a tall order for the opposition.

But it has been their adaptability that has driven them to the brink of history, built on the back of the tactical genius of coach Serena Wiegman who led them to the European title last year.

鈥淵ou can win in many different ways and, for us, we鈥檝e faced so many challenges at this tournament,鈥� Bright said on Fifa.com.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard for people to see on the outside, but as players, we know that there鈥檚 more to football than just pretty passes and connecting.

鈥淚n each game, we鈥檝e proved something different about how we play, what we鈥檙e capable of. We鈥檙e very adaptable to what teams throw at us.

鈥淏ut things are really starting to click now and we鈥檙e getting the ball in the back of the net.鈥�

This is ominous for Spain, who have also shown resilience after their tournament preparations were thrown into disarray.

Last September, 15 players sent an email to their football federation saying they did not want to be considered for selection. The protest was aimed chiefly at coach Jorge Vilda, including complaints that he was too strict.

Vilda held on to his job and has steadied the ship, but England will nevertheless be favorites on Sunday with Wiegman at the helm.

The Dutch coach has reached four major tournament finals in a row, leading the Netherlands to the European title in 2017 then the World Cup final in 2019, where they lost to the United States.

With England, she took them to European glory on home soil last year and now has another chance to win the biggest trophy of them all.

鈥淲e made the first final in 2017 and thought this is really special, it might not ever happen again,鈥� she said.

鈥淭hen you make the second, the third and the fourth and still think this might never happen again because there is so much competition,鈥� she added.

鈥淚 can hardly describe how proud I am of the team.鈥�