NWSL's 🇺🇸 Top Stars ⭐️ Head Down Under

Welcome to The Women’s Game, our new email newsletter, designed to deliver a concise, intelligent framing of every day of football during the World Cup so you can maximize your viewing pleasure. If you like what you read below, our only request is you forward it to a football-loving (or football-curious) friend.

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It’s Wednesday, July 12. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup.

“Figure out what your values are and stick to them, it will make difficult choices much easier.”

- Ada Hegerberg, Lyon’s renowned Norwegian striker and the first ever recipient of the Ballon D’or Feminin, spoke with Rog about her decision to sit out the last World Cup as a protest for change in a new Episode of The Women’s Game Podcast. Check it out here. 

I. NWSL’s 🇺🇸 top stars head Down Under

Earlier this year, the NWSL held a press conference with league chairman Jessica Berman to preview the coming year, in what marks its 11th season. High on the list of Berman’s looming highlights and achievements (a list that includes a steady increase to year on year ticket sales, attendance, and viewership) was the number of NWSL’s playing pool that might soon head to the 2023 World Cup.

With all 32 World Cup rosters now official, the NWSL confirmed this week that of the 736 footballers playing Down Under, 60 of them play in NWSL. That number is spread out across the nation, representing each of NWSL’s twelve clubs. They will also represent 16 of the 32 countries at this summer’s tournament, a testament to the elite global competition on display in NWSL.

The US is by far the most represented nation in terms of NWSL players. Of US manager Vlatko Andonovski’s 23 player team, all but co-captain Lindsey Horan currently ply their trade on home soil. And with five US players, OL Reign is the most American-repped club (it's also the most represented club at the World Cup in terms of sheer numbers, as they’ve also sent two players to represent Canada).

Beyond the US, Canada, Brazil, Nigeria, Denmark and Ireland all have robust representation with three or more players in the league. Veterans of the global game in Christine Sinclair (Canada/Portland Thorns) and Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride) represent NWSL in their sixth straight World Cup, a record for the tournament that dates to their debut in 2003. And Racing Louisville hold claims to being the most globally repped club, as their crew heads Down Under to play for Australia, Brazil, China, Nigeria, South Africa and the US.

II. Group C Preview

i. Spain 🇪🇸

Spain’s lauded rise in the women’s game has yet to pay dividends with a major international trophy (though Barcelona are Champions League queens). But their early knockout round exits from the last two major outings don’t tell the full story of their rising threat, as La Roja fell valiantly in close games to eventual tournament victors both times— first falling to the US at the World Cup in 2019, then England at the Euros in 2022. La Roja now prepare for a group they’re near certain to dominate, coming in hot off a strong run of pre-tournament friendlies. With two-time Ballon D’or winner Alexia Putellas freshly returned from ACL injury acting as their talismanic leader, Spain’s depth of talent and trademark tiki-taka Spanish style will look to possess and pass their way to serious trophy contention. A major caveat to their chances, though, could be ongoing and perhaps unsettled tension between La Roja and manager Jorge Vilda, who found himself at odds with vast swathes of his player pool throughout the past year.

ii. Zambia 🇿🇲

Zambia are a team capable of amassing goals with attacking finesse, as well as haphazardly conceding them. What feels sure is that The Copper Queens group stage games will be gripping ones, and the first men’s or women’s Zambian side to meet a World Cup might truly turn heads on arrival. Zambia head into the tournament running on the confidence-boost of strong pre-tournament friendlies, astounding performances that include a 3-2 victory over FIFA’s number two ranked nation and presumed trophy contenders, Germany. Two of those goals, as well as one of the three scored on Switzerland, came from Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli); it’s a name you’ll surely know following the tournament, if it’s somehow unfamiliar beforehand.

iii. Costa Rica 🇨🇷

Portland Thorns’ loyal supporters will recognize Las Ticas’ all-time top scorer, Raquel “Rocky” Rodríguez, whose most memorable goals include this NWSL playoff volley from last fall, as well as Las Ticas’ first ever World Cup goal in 2015. That inaugural goal came in a 1-1 draw with Spain and eight years on, Rodríguez will lead her team as they face Spain once more in Costa Rica’s second-ever World Cup. Rodríguez reports confidence but their path out of the group is a steep one, and will rely on defensive set-ups with Rodríguez looking lethal on the counter.

iv. Japan 🇯🇵

Japan shattered the hearts of US fans (and a young Alex Morgan who missed a penalty in the traumatic penalty shoot out) in 2011, when they overcame the Americans on penalties to become just one of four nations to win the World Cup. They haven’t collected a major trophy since. But a new generation of technically gifted footballers are deserving of our confidence as they navigate Group C. They’ll be led by a collection of highly gifted players perhaps best embodied by Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City), who brings an elite vision to Japan’s midfield as she orchestrates the attack.

Check out our Group A and Group B previews from earlier this week.

III. News and notes:

• The US recorded their first official training session in New Zealand this week. The reigning champions will train just outside of Auckland throughout the tournament. In a day reported to be half-rain, half-sunshine, the training was open to the public and allowed for fans on location to snap some pics.

• We wrote about ACL injuries haunting the women’s game in yesterday’s newsletter. Since then, Zambia’s starting goalkeeper Hazel Mali is reported to have torn her ACL while preparing for the tournament. The unimaginable heartbreak of injury 8 days before the World Cup begins highlights continued tragedy for women’s footballers, who are more susceptible to ACL tear.

• Megan Rapinoe was asked by reporters in New Zealand about the timing of her retirement announcement, coming before the World Cup begins. Rapinoe said she wanted to get it out of the way, allowing herself and her teammates to focus.

• Australia’s Matildas held a special ceremony in Australia this week, with each member of the Matilda squad presented a shirt by a young girl with the name Matilda. Each Matilda was flown in to present a footballing Matilda with their shirt.

IV. Parting Shots

“THANKS FOR THE INSPO”: A blue-haired Megan Rapinoe meets Tazuni, FIFA’s blue-haired mascot for 2023.

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Thank you to all those that signed up to The Women’s Game! We endeavor to bring you the brightest and most pressing stories daily throughout this historic tournament.

Message from Jen W., who wrote us at [email protected]

“I love this. I can’t keep up on the WWC news with my annoying day job. This is perfect to keep me going on the highlights and click those enticing links when I am bored on conference calls. My daughter and I are leaving for Australia and New Zealand on Aug. 2 for the last three weeks of the tournament. Now I will be up to speed with all the news and gossip."

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