THEIR TURN TO RULE WORLD
Here is a breakdown of the contenders, pretenders and those teams just happy to be in Canada:
Contenders
USA, Germany, Japan, France, Brazil, Sweden, Canada.
You’d be hard-pressed to choose a favorite of this group, with strong cases for each to hoist the trophy on July 5. The Americans are the Olympic champs with depth and talent, but they haven’t won a World Cup in about 16 years. Scoring goals could be an issue if Alex Morgan’s bruised knee continues to be a problem. The U.S. was also placed in the proverbial Group of Death, having to navigate through Sweden (coached by former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage), Australia and Nigeria. The Germans, winners of two of the previous three World Cups, are always in the mix, and this year is no different behind midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsán. But they arrived in Canada without reigning FIFA Player of the Year Nadine Kessler because of a knee injury. Nadine Angerer, considered the best goalkeeper of all time, is retiring soon after the tournament, trying to make Germany the first country to win the men’s and women’s World Cup in back-to-back years.
Japan was the surprise champion in 2011, and 36-year-old legend Homare Sowa is set to make her record sixth World Cup appearance (the most appearances for a male in the World Cup is five). France is trying to gain a foothold as an international power, building off its semifinal appearance in 2011. It boasts the most exciting attack in the tournament.
Brazil really needs a World Cup title to validate its golden age in women’s soccer. It’s not enough to have the greatest player in Marta, or to just make another final. The Canadians finished dead last at the 2011 World Cup, but the hosts are a dark horse because of momentum from the crowd and Christine Sinclair’s ability to carry the load like she did during her country’s 2012 run to Olympic bronze.
Pretenders
England, Norway, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands, China, Spain, South Korea.
Since the first women’s World Cup 24 years ago, only seven countries have finished in the top 3. It’s an exclusive list that will be difficult for any of these teams to crack (China and Norway have already done it, but not since 1999). England certainly feels like it has a chance behind captain Steph Houghton, who led the squad to an undefeated record in qualifying. The defender recently inked an extension with Manchester City and met with Prince William before jetting off to Canada. Expectations are pretty high for the Lionesses. The Netherlands boasts teenage sensation Vivianne Miedema, who led all of Europe in qualifying with 16 goals. The Bayern Munich striker, who has already been tabbed the female Arjen Robben, is one to watch for as long as Holland
remains in the tournament.
South Korea is coming off a scoreless draw last week with the U.S. at Red Bull Arena. China, once a powerhouse that nearly won the 1999 World Cup, is trying to climb back to respectability after failing to qualify in 2011. For the Asian teams, the road to the World Cup was made easier by FIFA’s move to ban North Korea because five of its players tested positive for steroids in 2011.
Happy to be here
Ivory Coast, Thailand, Cameroon, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, New Zealand, Mexico, Nigeria.
FIFA expanded the field to 24 teams for the first time, and eight — including five in this group — are making their World Cup debuts. African, Central American and South American countries, with the exception of Brazil, have been slower to develop in women’s soccer. That will be evident in the group stage.
Nigeria has one of the most exciting players in the tournament in Asisat Oshoala, who will get her chance against the U.S. on June 16 in Vancouver. New Zealand has failed to get out of the group stage in its three previous World Cups, but it has a top defender with American ties in Ali Riley. The 27-year-old was born in L.A. and attended Stanford, but the daughter of a New Zealander missed out on a chance to play for the U.S. after getting passed over by the youth teams. This will be her third World Cup.