Tor:
Mary Earps (England): When Earps won the 2022 World Goalkeeper of the Year award, she had one major argument on her side: winning the European Championship at home. The 30-year-old goalkeeper from Manchester United only had to get behind her twice in seven tournament games. At the World Cup, the final woman wants to prove her class again, maybe as a dancer. After the European Championship triumph against Germany last year, she not only crashed the hall at head coach Sarina Wiegman’s press conference, but also conquered the podium – and “Mary Earps dancing” the internet.
Reuters/Molly Darlington Mary Earps is the mainstay of the reigning European champions from England
Defense:
Lucy Bronze (England): The forward-thinking right-back has already won an international title this season. With FC Barcelona, she triumphed in the final of the Champions League after being 2-0 down and defeated VfL Wolfsburg 3-2. The fact that the 31-year-old was responsible for the first goal conceded was therefore a side note. Her defensive qualities, which are usually present, have been known to the somewhat broader specialist audience since 2020 at the latest – when Bronze was the first defender to be named world footballer.
Wendie Renard (France): On the day of the World Cup opening game, the grande dame of French football celebrates her 33rd birthday. Renard has been collecting trophy after trophy for over 15 years: she has won the French championship 15 times, won the cup nine times and won the Champions League eight times, all with Olympique Lyon. She made headlines in the spring when the world-class defender announced her retirement after almost 140 international matches. Differences with national coach Corinne Diacre were the reason. In the end Diacre had to go, Herve Renard replaced her – and Renard came back.
Women’s World Cup on ORF
The women’s football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand from July 20th to August 20th promises to be a sports festival of superlatives. More than a million fans are expected in the stadiums, and 32 teams are taking part for the first time. You can see all games live on ORF1 and ORF Sport +.
Fridolina Rolfö (Sweden): Like so many world-class players, Rolfö, who once played for FC Bayern and VfL Wolfsburg, is now employed by FC Barcelona. The 29-year-old only underlined her value for the Spanish star ensemble again in the most recent Champions League final. Rolfö scored the 3-2 winning goal against Wolfsburg, with the technically skilled Swede playing the role of left-back. In the team she should be found further up.
Midfield:
Megan Rapinoe (USA): At the last World Cup in France, Rapinoe was by far the most influential figure of the tournament, which, in addition to strong performances on the pitch, was mainly due to her political statements. In the event of a World Cup triumph, she had announced that she would not go to the “fucking White House”. After all, Donald Trump, then US President, was a sexist and racist.
picturedesk.com/AP/Fernando Llano Megan Rapinoe was the face of the last World Cup in France
In protest, Rapinoe left the singing of the US anthem to others, but not the scoring. Her converted penalty to make it 1-0 in the final against the Netherlands (2-0) was her sixth goal of the tournament. Rapinoe left France as top scorer, best player and new socio-political icon. Whether the 38-year-old is still sporty at this World Cup remains to be seen.
Alexia Putellas (Spain): The twice world footballer offers a lot of material for a Hollywood film. “I practiced free-kick shooting with garbage cans on the street,” she said in an interview with the newspaper “La Vanguardia” about growing up in modest circumstances. Difficulties have always shaped the private life and sporting career of the 29-year-old. As an 18-year-old she had to cope with the untimely death of her father. A few days before the start of the tournament, she missed the EM 2022 due to a cruciate ligament rupture. Now Barca’s playmaker wants to shine at the World Cup.
IMAGO/Sports Press Photo/Karl W Newton /spp Reigning world footballer Alexia Putellas missed out on Euro 2022 finals
Caroline Hansen (Norway): The trade journal “kicker” compares your dribbling skills with those of the former Bayern hero Arjen Robben, probably rightly so. When Hansen comes rushing down the right flank, it’s almost too late for the opposing defense. The 28-year-old can provide precise assists with her right foot or just do the Robben move: fake right, put the ball on the left, finish. After a number of titles at club level in Norway, Wolfsburg and with her current employer FC Barcelona, a World Cup triumph would be the crowning glory for the time being.
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
Schedule and Results
The same applies to Lyons Ada Hegerberg (27), who left Norway in 2017 to protest unequal treatment. Hegerberg has been back since 2021 – she would certainly appreciate a Robben move by her teammate in the final.
Pernille Harder (Denmark): At the age of 30, the Dane, who will soon play for Bayern Munich, can already look back on a number of positions and even more national titles in Sweden, Germany (Wolfsburg) and most recently in England (Chelsea). Europe’s footballer of the years 2018 and 2020 has never taken part in a World Cup. When Denmark last qualified for a world tournament (2007), Harder, who had left Wolfsburg for the then world record sum of 350,000 euros, did not yet appear in national dress. She is now captain and would certainly be happy about a World Cup final against Sweden: Harder’s partner Magdalena Eriksson defended in the 2019 World Cup third place.
Attack:
Samantha Kerr (Australia): The great hope of the Australian national team is called “Sam” Kerr. The 29-year-old Chelsea striker knows exactly where the goal is. The record scorer of the “Matildas”, as the Australian national team is called, has won the top scorer several times in the strong US league. After three quarter-final appearances at a World Cup, the “Matildas” want to make it even further this time with home advantage and superstar Kerr. In addition to scoring goals, the strike leader is also adept at goal celebrations – her occasionally celebrated backflip enjoys cult status.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Luis Veniegra Samantha Kerr is to shoot the “Matildas” to as many wins as possible at the home World Cup
Alexandra Popp (Germany): The 2016 Olympic champion rose to stardom last year with her six goals, even though she was injured in the final against England (1-2). She was the first woman to be named “Personality of the Year” by the German specialist magazine “kicker”. She is opinionated and pointed in her statements: As an interview partner, she is constantly in demand. The trained animal keeper could end her team career after this World Cup.
Alex Morgan (USA): Like Rapinoe, Alexandra Krieger, Carli Lloyd, Tobin Heath (all USA) and Birgit Prinz (Germany), Morgan has been in three World Cup finals. The 34-year-old striker won the last two finals (2015 and 2019) with the USA and is now aiming for the hat-trick. Morgan has managed to sell a brilliant sporting career profitably like hardly any other professional footballer. In this regard, her colleague Trinity Rodman, who is also on the US squad, could be her successor. The highly talented 21-year-old became the highest-paid US kicker last year – and as the daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, she is in the spotlight anyway.
“The Joker”:
Marta (Brazil): Brazil’s legend wants to know it again. Marta, now 37 years old, has already taken part in five World Cup tournaments, scoring more goals (17) than anyone else. The six-time world footballer has not yet been able to win the title. The last attempt should be in 2023, after which she wants to leave the World Cup stage. She experienced a lot on this one. Particularly bitter: In 2007, the ball artist lost with the Selecao Brasileira Feminina, the Brazilian national team, in the final 0: 2 against Germany, when the score was 0: 1, Brazil’s number ten missed the equalizer with a penalty kick. This time, after a sluggish preparation due to injury, she initially only faces the role of “Joker”.