Women's World Cup 2023 key players to look out for as experts predict winners

20 July 2023 , 09:51

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Women's World Cup 2023 key players to look out for as experts predict winners

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is finally here and while USA remain the biggest favourites along with European Champions England, there are a number of debutants in the first ever women's tournament to have 32 teams.

Both the 2015 and 2019 editions were game-changing in their own right, but this tournament has the potential to achieve so much more.

Eight teams are making their tournament debut, while the likes of World Cup veterans USA, England and Spain will battle to make their way to the final.

Our women's football team look at who their key players for the tournament will be, the fierce battles to look out for and who they think will be overall winners.

Beth Lindop

Logic dictates that the USA are perhaps best placed to win a third consecutive World Cup this summer. The reigning champions are blessed with an exciting blend of youth and experience, particularly in attacking areas. With the likes of Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman in their ranks, Vlatko Andonovski’s side will almost certainly go deep into the tournament, however my money is on Germany pipping the reigning champions to the post.

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The EURO 2022 runners-up pushed England all the way last summer, and Wolfsburg duo Alex Popp and Lena Oberdorf’s excellent form going into the tournament might just propel them to glory.

Germany are bidding to overcome last year's Euros disappointment (Jürgen Fromme/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Of course, England will have their say and I’m expecting them to reach the latter stages, but I think injuries - particularly the absence of captain Leah Williamson - might just prove costly. While Sarina Wiegman has a wealth of attacking options at her disposal, I think the question marks hanging over England’s back-line could pose some serious problems against strong opposition.

Brazil, the reigning Copa America champions, also look poised to have an exciting tournament, while host nation Australia, with talisman Sam Kerr leading the line, could most definitely cause an upset.

Louise Wilkes

To make a name for yourself in the biggest Women's World Cup tournament in history is no easy feat. Although so much young talent is cropping up everywhere - USA's Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith look dangerous on the attack, as does Jamaica's Khadija Shaw and not to forget England's Lauren James to add to the juicy mix of talent.

Haiti's Melchie Daelle Dumornay undoubtedly will look to make an impression ahead of her move to Lyon post-tournament - all eyes will be on the epically pacey 19-year-old when they take on England's Lionesses in their inaugural clash in their inaugural World Cup.

Ona Batlle is set for a big tournament with Spain

Home Nation Australia also has untapped talent in their realm. Yes, Sam Kerr takes up most of the Matildas spotlight however Hayley Raso and Mary Fowler are two forwards to keep an eye on. Both have been part of Manchester City last season however with limited domestic minutes under Gareth Taylor, I think they will be looking to make waves - especially as Raso moves to Spanish giants Real Madrid for the 2023/24 La Liga F campaign.

The most interesting battle I'm looking forward to is anyone who chooses to take on Spain's Ona Batlle. The Spaniard's sit in group C with Costa Rica, 2011 winners Japan - which will be a thrilling match of technical meets technical - and Zambia who upset Germany with a 3-2 in preparation for the tournament - look out for Zambian captain Barbra Banda.

Laura Hartley

Not only is this year’s tournament the biggest ever Women’s World Cup we’ve ever seen, but it’s also wide open. It’s still so easy to see World Cup champions USA getting to the final and potentially winning it for a fifth time, but we also have so many debut teams who are fighting to make a name for themselves in the most historic era of women’s football.

England have suffered injuries which have changed the team in terms of how it looked from last summer’s Euro 2022 triumph. But we have our own identity under Sarina Wiegman. She knows every single one of those players and uses it to our advantage, and in the words of the great Mary Earps - be unapologetically yourself. And I think that’s exactly what England needs to do to be successful in this tournament. To use our identities and our skill, the personality of each player that seeps through onto the field - that’s how we can be an England team to beat.

Stina Blackstenius and Magdalena Eriksson can star for Sweden (Celso Junior)

In terms of teams to watch out for other than our Lionesses, we have to consider the likes of Sweden and Norway who have an incredible amount of WSL players in their squads. The level of playing that we’ve seen from the Women’s Super League will no doubt transfer over to the international stage, and to see the likes of Stina Blackstenius and Lina Hurtig for Sweden who have played crucial roles in Arsenal ’s squad in the absence of key players - it’s something that can’t be ignored.

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Jack Lacey-Hatton

There are many reasons why this will be the biggest and best Women’s World Cup ever. But arguably the most important is that this will be a genuinely open competition.

Anywhere between four and seven teams have a realistic chance of landing the biggest prize in women’s football. Sarina Wiegman’s England are certainly one of them and were it not for the trio of injured absentees, in Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby, I would have them down as narrow favourites. I still think they could do it, but over the last few weeks I have a nagging feeling that Germany will edge out the rest of the leading pack, led by the inspirational Alexandra Popp.

A very specific prediction, I expect the overall winner to come from a tight England-Germany quarter-final and Popp could prove the difference after she missed the Euros final at Wembley last summer. Captain Williamson will be the toughest to replace and with Millie Bright also a major fitness worry, the Lionesses may be exposed by lack of depth in the middle of defence, once the tournament reaches the business end.

Elsewhere with the likes of Geyse, the legendary Marta - in what will be her sixth, yes sixth appearance at the World Cup, Bia Zaneratto and the experienced Debinha, Brazil have an attacking arsenal to hurt anyone. However, they need to top Group F to avoid Germany in the last 16. Finally, expect a big tournament from Sophia Smith. I don’t believe the USA are as strong as they were back in 2019, but if the 22-year-old is on form she can be unplayable.

Laura Hartley