The FIFA women’s World Cup is set to start on Thursday July 20 in Australia and New Zealand as the host, we have a list of the big names in women that you should keep your eye on. With the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup set to kick off in the next few days,
Alexia Putellas (Spain)
Alexia Putellas, a midfielder from Spain who plays for Barcelona, wants to make a strong comeback in the Spanish national team at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Unfortunately, she suffered a terrible injury before the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros, causing her to miss most of the 2022/23 season.
However, she managed to play in six matches towards the end of the season to regain her fitness in time for the World Cup.
Putellas, who won the 2022 Ballon d’Or Féminin and FIFA The Best Women’s Player of the Year awards, aims to reclaim her position as one of the best players in the world and will be the key player for Spain’s team at the World Cup
Sam Kerr (Australia)
Another incredibly talented footballer to keep an eye on is Sam Kerr, who plays for Chelsea. Australia will rely heavily on the goal-scoring abilities of Kerr, who plays as a forward for Chelsea to move far in the world cup
Despite being only 29 years old, Kerr has already made a significant impact in international football. She made her debut for the Australian national team when she was just 15 years old and has since played over 120 matches for her country.
On average, she scores a goal every other game and netted five times during the 2019 World Cup.
Kerr’s goal-scoring prowess is equally impressive at the club level. Playing for Chelsea, she has scored an impressive 29 goals in 38 appearances this season.
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)
Asisat Oshoala, a five-time winner of the African Women’s Footballer of the Year award, has been selected as part of Nigeria’s 23-player squad for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Oshoala, who recently won the UEFA Women’s Champions League with the Barcelona will showcase her exceptional skills on the global stage.
With her proven ability to score goals and her influential presence on the field, Oshoala will play a crucial role in Nigeria’s pursuit of success in the tournament.
In the 2022/2023 season of the Primera Division Women, Oshoala has scored an impressive 21 goals in 28 matches. Among these goals, 11 were scored in home games, while 10 were scored in away games.
Despite facing injuries, Oshoala still managed to score 21 goals in the league this season
Keira Walsh (England)
England’s chances of winning the World Cup for the first time have been affected by injuries to several important players. As a result, there is even more pressure on midfielder Walsh to perform well.
Walsh’s skills in passing, understanding of the game, and ability to regain possession were crucial in England’s victory in the Euro 2022 tournament held on home soil.
She played a significant role in England’s triumph, including being named the player of the match when they defeated Germany 2-1 in the final at Wembley in extra time.
Lieke Martens ( Netherlands)
Lieke Martens, a forward from the Netherlands, will be bringing on her A-game at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Martens is highly regarded as one of the top players in the world. Her remarkable performances with the Netherlands national team earned her the titles of UEFA and FIFA Women’s Player of the Year in 2017.
In 2017, Martens played a crucial role in leading the Netherlands to their first-ever major title by winning the UEFA Women’s Euros.
She was honored as the Player of the Tournament and also received the Bronze Boot award for her outstanding contributions
Megan Rapinoe (United States)
Megan Rapinoe, a legendary soccer player known for her skills and personality, has announced that she will retire from professional soccer after the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.
Rapinoe has made a name for herself with her incredible abilities on the field, including her creative goal-scoring and beautiful performances in important matches throughout her career.
As a member of the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), she has won the World Cup in both 2015 and 2019. If the team secures a victory in the upcoming tournament later this year, they will become the first team, male or female, to win three consecutive World Cups.
Throughout her career, Rapinoe has represented the United States in 199 matches, scoring 63 goals and providing 73 assists. Currently, she plays for OL Reign in the United States.
Ada Hegerberg (Norway)
The Norwegian was the first winner of the Women’s Ballon d’Or, in 2018, and is a prolific striker with leading French side Lyon.
Former Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg alongside FC Barcelona forward Caroline Graham Hansen will help Norway look to put the woes of last summer’s Euro 2022 firmly behind them.
Her Norway career has been stop-start, however. She withdrew from the international scene in 2017, citing concerns over the inequality of treatment given to men’s and women’s teams by the Norwegian federation. She only returned last year.
