The Women’s World Cup kicks off on Thursday 20 July. Co-host New Zealand kicked off their campaign with a grueling match against Norway, who are in transition.
Ferns’ FIFA world ranking has fallen to 26, its lowest, from a high of 16 in 2015. Making the knockout stages for the first time, from a group that includes Norway, the Philippines and Switzerland, is the ambition. But the signs are not good.
new faces
Injuries have opened the doors for interesting newcomers such as striker Millie Clegg. The 18-year-old has attracted the interest of the manager after “impressive performances” at the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups. But a lot will depend on the veterans, including captain and right-back Ali Riley (capped 152 times).
At the age of 35, Riley will be playing in her fifth World Cup. She’s been doing well with her US club, Angel City, and is optimistic that the national team will do something to please the fans.
“It is my hope that we will live up to the mantra of ‘Beyond Greatness’ by creating a legacy for the Ferns who come after us,” she said.
Being Ferns’ top player in terms of speed and aggression, a lot will also rest on CJ Bott’s shoulders. She was sorely missed as she recovered from injuries while preparing for the World Cup. With nearly 40 caps to her name, the Leicester City player is highly regarded for her defensive abilities as well as her willingness to lead attacks.
Eden Park, one of the FIFA Women’s World Cup venues in Auckland, New Zealand, July 19, 2023 (Photo: EPA-EFE/How Hwee Young)
She had a challenging apprenticeship before establishing herself as first choice right-back for Ferns football. Butt said the World Cup on home soil would be the pinnacle of her career.
She said, “This is just something that wasn’t even an option to grow up with.” Sky Sports. “No matter what team I play for, this will be the biggest moment of my career. I will be very proud.”
New Zealand have played 15 matches in all World Cup tournaments and won none, so getting to the knockout stage can be very difficult. However, the positive start against Norway will have the nation hoping for more glory.
Norwegian pride
In the manner of Football Ferns, the Norwegian national team, which has undergone a tremendous transformation since the 2022 European Championship, stands as it was knocked out in the group stage and suffered a humiliating 8-0 defeat against England. Head coach Martin Sjogren W In came former Norway international Hege Riise.
“We have to acknowledge where we are at the moment and work from that,” Reese said upon his August 2022 appointment.
She didn’t have the best of beginnings. The day after her first-team selection, Barcelona player Caroline Graham-Hansen announced she would be taking a break from international duty due to exhaustion.
A few weeks later, one of the team’s stars, Ada Hegerberg, was injured for seven months. Captain Marin Milde and Ingrid Serstad-Engen have also been out of Barcelona for spells. However, all four returned to participate in the World Cup.
During the absence of these players, Reis’ “new Norway” gave good performances in friendly matches against such strong teams as Holland, France, England and Sweden. By that time, they had already secured qualification for the World Cup – they finished at the top of their qualifying group, without any defeats.
Riise clearly made them play the way she wanted them to. As midfielder Guru Ritten said TV 2 Norway After the team’s 0-0 draw against France in February: “We play against us tough and annoying – just as we want to be.”
The match kicks off at 9 am KSA. DM
