We’re expecting an avalanche of goals at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. In fact, we’ll see the most ever, as this time around, there will be 32 teams competing in Australia and New Zealand.
So the 146 goals scored at the 2019 finals at an average of almost three a game will be blown out of the water, as there will be 64 games in 2023 compared with the 52 of four years ago. Every team at the showcase tournament will arrive full of hope but, for the unfortunate, those hopes will be quickly shredded when they face the best attacking teams.
With less than a month to go before the action begins; let’s take a look at the five front lines which will give defenders nightmares and the rest of us some pretty spectacular Women’s World Cup 2023 highlights.
USA
We covered the announcement of the USA team here at SBOTOP, and there is no doubt this is the nation feared by most. And when you look at the Stars and Stripes’ attack, you can see why.
The emergence of Sophia Smith and Alyssa Thompson ensures that America will have a potent attack for years to come, but the big name at the spearhead is San Diego striker Alex Morgan. The 33-year-old has long been recognised as on of the very best goal scorers in the world and is a two-time World Cup winner.
With 121 goals from 206 games, Morgan is a lethal finisher and has played alongside the talismanic Megan Rapinoe for much of her international career.
This year, it will be interesting to see whether USA starts with both Morgan and Smith, who burst onto the scene last season, scoring 12 goals from 29 games, while 18-year-old Thompson will hope to add to her three caps.
The Women’s World Cup 2023 betting odds back the Stars and Stripes to retain the title, and if Morgan and Smith are anywhere near top form, then it will be difficult to see then falling short.
Brazil
The 2022 Copa America champions will welcome back the legendary Marta, who lost much of last season through injury and will be playing in her last World Cup at the age of 37.
The Orlando Pride striker has scored 115 goals in 175 internationals. Regarded by many as the greatest women’s football player of all time, Marta is a six-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year and will be desperate to go out with a bang.
The future for the Selecao looks bright too with Barca’s 24-year-old striker Geyse and Kansas City’s Debinha both highly talented.
Germany
Few neutrals would dispute the idea that Germany would have won the European Championships last year had captain Alexandra Popp not picked up an injury in the semi-final. She’s a versatile forward for both Wolfsburg and Germany and has scored 61 goals in 127 games for her country, and she had bagged a goal in every round of Euro 2022 before she missed the final.
Popp will play alongside Bayern Munich’s emerging star Klara Buhl or her teammate Lea Schuller, who has 30 goals in 46 games for Germany and is seen as the natural replacement for the physical Popp.
Schuller is consistency personified, scoring 16 goals for Bayern in each of her last three seasons. And at 25 years of age, she is yet to reach her prime.
England
Though Ellen White has retired and Beth Mead is injured, the Lionesses still have one of the most exciting frontlines in the competition with Manchester United’s charismatic star Alessia Russo set to take centre stage again after she scored four goals at Euro 2022, each time coming off the bench when her clever backheel against Sweden was the pick of the lot.
The 24-year-old Russo can play as a striker or equally can drop deeper, and it is the flexibility of England players which make them an attractive team to watch.
Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly can play in defence, midfield or attack. She won the Golden Boot in 2022-23, scoring 22 goals so England will play her up front in Oz.
Australia
Any team with Sam Kerr in its side has an attack to fear and the tournament hosts will believe they have a good chance of going all the way. Kerr, at 29 years of age, is in the prime of her career and is the only player to win the Golden Boot in three different countries – in Australia, the USA, and now England where she plays for Chelsea.
She became the first player to break the 20-goal barrier in consecutive seasons for the Blues, scoring some spectacular efforts as Chelsea marched to another title in 2023.
Kerr scores all manner of goals, header, volleys, long range efforts, and poacher’s goals, and that has brought her 63 goals in 120 appearances.
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