Argentina’s opponents in France
England FIFA RANKING: 3
QUALIFICATION: Won Group 1 of UEFA qualification.
WORLD CUP APPEARAN
CES: 1995 (6th), 2007 (7th), 2011 (5th), 2015 (3rd), 2019.
COACH: Phil Neville
KEY PLAYERS: Jodie Taylor, Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton.
WHAT TO KNOW: There were a lot of questions when Neville took over the team from Mark Sampson, who was fired because of inappropriate conduct. Neville, the former England fullback, had never coached a women’s team and most of his experience was as an assistant. But England has fared well under Neville and won the 2019 SheBelieves Cup, a tournament that included the United States, Japan and Brazil. Celebrities, including David Beckham and Prince William, announced the players on the team’s roster for the World Cup. Nickname is the Lionesses. Steph Houghton is the team’s captain.
STATE OF THE GAME: There are 11 teams in the professional Women’s Super League, the top tier of the women’s game. The league recently struck a multimillion dollar sponsorship deal with Barclays. Scotland FIFA RANKING: 20
QUALIFICATION: Won Group 2 of UEFA Qualification. WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 2019 COACH: Shelley Kerr
KEYPLAYERS: KimLittle,Rachel Corsie, Jennifer Beattie.
WHAT TO KNOW: Scotland is making its World Cup debut in France. The team made its debut in the Euros in 2017. Kim Little won the National Women’s Soccer League Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot awards in 2014 while playing for the Seattle Reign. She now plays for Arsenal. Shelley Kerr is a former centre back. As a coach, she led Arsenal to back-tobackFAWomen’sCuptitlesin2013 and 2014. Scotland and England wound up in the same group in France and will play on June 9 in Nice. Rachel Corsie is the team’s captain.
STATE OF THE GAME: In 2013, the federation pledged to invest more in women’s football, and the recent achievements of the team have been seen as the effort’s result. Japan FIFA RANKING: 7
QUALIFICATION: Won the 2018 AFC Women’s Cup.
WORLD CUP APPEARANCES:
1991 (12th), 1995 (8th), 1999 (13th), 2003 (10th), 2007 (10th), 2011 (Champions), 2015 (Runner-Up), 2019.
COACH: Asako Takakura
KEY PLAYERS: Rumi Utsugi, Kumi Yokoyama, Saki Kumagai.
W H AT TO K NOW: Asako Takakura took over as coach in 2016, replacing Norio Sasaki, who took the team to two World Cup finals, including the title in 2011 when Japan beat the United States on penalties. The US team got revenge with a 5-2 victory in the final in Canada in 2015. The team’s nickname is Nadeshiko. Japan won silver at the 2012 Olympics in London. Rumi Utsugi plays for the Seattle Reign in the National Women’sSoccerLeagueintheU.S.
STATEOFTHEGAME: Japanhas a robust three-tiered women’s professional league.