All about England's Women's World Cup final group stage opponents China
After clinching an unexpected Asian Cup title last year, hopes are high for China heading into this summer’s World Cup.
The Steel Roses got past both South Korea and former World Cup winners Japan to lift their first title in 16 years, with victory raising expectations for their time Down Under despite a difficult draw in Group D.
Ranked 14th in the world, China will likely prove a stubborn test for the Lionesses, who will hope to have qualification for the knockouts sewn up by the time they arrive in Adelaide for their final group game.
Expectations Down Under
Despite their recent silverware, getting out of the group would be a huge success for China.
England and Denmark will be strong favourites to progress, while Haiti are a largely unknown quantity, meaning the Steel Roses will have to pull off some sort of upset in order to reach the last 16.
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How will they play?
In a word, defensively.
England can expect to come up against a low-block in Adelaide, meaning the likes of Lauren James, Ella Toone, and Lauren Hemp will have to be at their creative best to prise them open.
In attack, captain Wang Shanshan can operate as a target when not moonlighting at centre-back, while Wang Shuang will be tasked as creator-in-chief to make the most of their direct forward play.
Fixtures
22 July – Denmark v China, Perth
28 July – China v Haiti, Adelaide
1 August – China v England, Adelaide
Form Guide
China’s recent results should make fairly good reading for England fans, with two wins against Russia plus an exhibition victory over Real Betis their only victories this calendar year.
Otherwise, the Steel Roses have lost comfortably to Spain and Sweden and registered 0-0 draws against Ireland and Switzerland.
Their Asian Cup victory shows they are not to be underestimated, however, and they picked up draws against Japan and South Korea in last year’s East Asian Championship.
Star Player
The undisputed star for the Steel Roses is forward Wang Shuang, upon whose shoulders most of China’s hopes rest.
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The playmaker, who plies her trade for Racing Louisville in the NWSL and also counts PSG amongst her former clubs, will be the focal point of China’s attack this summer.
A tumultuous childhood saw Wang abandoned by her parents to live with her aunt and uncle aged five following their divorce, but football proved her solace and a first international cap came aged just 17.
The 28-year-old has been the leading light for China almost ever since, netting five goals in her side’s Asian Cup victory last year and being one of the few players to emerge from the Tokyo Olympics with any sort of credit.
Racing Louisville star, Wang Shuang, has scored 43 goals for her country (Soobum Im/Getty Images)Wang has good pedigree against England too, scoring twice the last time the two sides met in 2015 as China ran out 2-1 winners at the Yongchuan International Tournament.
Ones to Watch
Midfielder Zhang Linyan is the name everyone is talking about following a superb first season with Grasshopper Zurich, where she was named Swiss Super League Player of the Year.
The diminutive midfielder stands at just 5ft 1in but is one of the few Chinese players to play abroad. has more than stood up to the rigours of European football.
The 22-year-old has even attracted the attention of David Beckham, who congratulated her on her Asian Cup performances where she netted a crucial equaliser in the final.
Elsewhere, fans of Scottish football will need no introduction to midfielder Shen Mengyu, with the 21-year-old impressing over the last two seasons for Celtic.
Who's in charge?
Shui Qingxia has been at the helm since November 2021 and took just three months to lift silverware at the Asian Cup.
The 56-year-old was part of the China side that earned silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was also part of the Sydney 2000 squad but missed out on her nation’s run to the 1999 World Cup final.
How did they qualify?
China's victory at the Asian Cup was enough to book their tickets to Australia and New Zealand, with all four semi-finalists securing their place in India last year.
World Cup Record
A runners-up medal in 1999 is China’s best showing at a World Cup, with the quarter-finals the furthest the Steel Roses have progressed since.
Sun Wen was the star back at the turn of the millennium, winning the tournament’s golden ball and finishing as joint-top scorer with seven goals as China lost the final on penalties to a USA side boasting legends like Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers.
That followed up a fourth-place finish in 1995, but performances since have been largely uninspiring including failing to qualify in 2011.
Their 2019 tournament ended at the last 16, where they were beaten 2-0 by Italy.
Anything else I should know?
While the Lionesses might have been donning the latest offerings from Marks & Spencer, China’s players have been slipping into something more expensive.
Luxury Italian brand Prada have teamed up with the Steel Roses to kit them out for formal occasions and travelling.
Replete with a black blazer and trousers as well as a pair of loafers, the designer label is apparently set to give the team "a fresh and contemporary off-field image."
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