![]() forward Sophia Smith, 22, the reigning National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) MVP who will make her World Cup debut on July 21, when the U.S. “Some of the songs they’re all listening to, I have no idea what they are,” says U.S. While older players scoff at the habits of the near-teenagers on the squad, with their TikToks and uses of phrases like “rizz”-that’s Gen Z shorthand for charisma-the young guns find the oldheads just as baffling. In that sense, the USWNT locker room is not unlike most modern-day American workplaces. South Korea offer Germany’s biggest challenge, though this is their fourth World Cup and they have qualified from the group stage once, in 2015.Generational behaviors often confound the members of the 2023 U.S. Morocco are making their World Cup debut, while Colombia failed to qualify in 2019 having reached the last 16 in 2015. Secure victory and they play the runner-up of Group F, likely to be France or Brazil, and then a possible Euros final rematch with England is on the cards. The Euros runners-up impressed in England and are ranked third in the world behind the USA and Sweden. Group H – Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea South Africa and Argentina will be targeting improvement on the 2019 edition after the former lost all their games and the latter drew twice and lost once at the group stage. Should the Italians finish second then the winner of Group E, likely to be the USA or the Netherlands, awaits. Italy had a hugely disappointing summer, where they finished bottom of Group D at the Euros behind France, Belgium and Iceland with one point and scoring only twice. Sweden will be favourites to clinch the group with their pedigree. Group G – Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina Jamaica make their second appearance and one of Chinese Taipei, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea and Panama complete the group. They have lost three, drawn three and won twice against European opposition this year, including a 2-1 defeat to France. Brazil will compete in the World Cup without influential midfielder Formiga for only the second time in the competition’s history. Katoto is in a race against time to come back from her ACL injury for next summer but it is possible. Instead, it was an injury to Marie-Antoinette Katoto that caused them to stutter. The off-field drama, with manager, Corinne Diacre, falling out with Eugénie Le Sommer and Amandine Henry, did surprisingly little to disrupt a strong Euros performance. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Īfter newsletter promotion Group F – France, Jamaica, Brazil, playoff C winnerįrance could do very well in 2023 if they get their act together. For more information see our Privacy Policy. Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. The battle for second place is where the juice is, with China, ranked 15th in the world, up against Denmark (18th in the world) and built around Pernille Harder. The challenge comes in the last 16 as Australia or Canada potentially lie in wait. They have also avoided the dreaded cross-country trip to Perth the other two confirmed sides have to make for their opener. The draw has been kind to England with Denmark, China and the winner of playoff B (Chile, Senegal or Haiti) all unlikely to troublethem. ![]() Group D – England, playoff B winner, Denmark, China With the winner and runners-up of Group A guaranteed to play lower-ranked sides a deep run is a tantalising prospect. Costa Rica and Zambia, making a second and first appearance respectively, are unlikely to trouble Spain regardless of who is on the pitch, or Japan. Spain’s pre-World Cup situation is complicated by the dispute of many of its senior players with the federation and coach, Jorge Vilda, but their understudies showed they can beat the best, with an unlikely victory over the injury-hit USA in a recent friendly. Spain and Japan will be eyeing a very smooth run to the quarter-finals. Photograph: DPPI/Photo Kishimoto/LiveMedia/Shutterstock Group C – Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan Canada are aiming to top Group B after becoming 2019 Olympic Champions in Tokyo.
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