Hermoso captured giving Kelly the middle finger during Women's World Cup final

An iconic photo has emerged from the World Cup final between England and Spain showcasing the sheer passion of the occasion.

It shows Spain's penalty-misser Jennifer Hermoso sticking her finger up at Chloe Kelly - after Earps had saved the Spaniard's penalty.

It has all the hallmarks of an iconic sporting photo because it encapsulates the full-bloodedness of the occasion and the often barbed competitiveness between two elite teams.

It came in the wake of Earps unleashing the full extent of her emotions when she yelled expletives into the Sydney air after taking a penalty.

After Earps had dived left and caught Hermoso's tame penalty, the England goalkeeper proceeded to wave her arms and shout 'f*** off' in a display of passion.

It was not clear who exactly she was shouting at as it was not directed at anyone in particular, but it appeared to be an overflowing of emotions after a stupendous save - and a bid to get England going again after warding off a potential goal that would have extinguished their hope.

Earps came in for praise on social media from fans who loved her in-your-face attitude - though some weren't as keen and thought she could have controlled her emotions better.