In the world of women’s soccer, there is no team more dominant than the USWNT. They have won the World Cup four times, including back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019. Now, they have a chance to make history by securing a three-peat in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The USWNT is the favorite to win the tournament, with odds of +250 according to Covers.com. England is the next closest contender at +350, followed by Spain. However, the road to a three-peat won’t be easy.
After winning their second consecutive title in 2019, the USWNT saw the departure of their head coach, Jill Ellis. She was replaced by Vlatko Andonovski, who spent seven successful years coaching in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
The USWNT’s journey will begin this Friday with a match against Vietnam in Auckland. This will be the first time the two teams have faced each other. The team will then face the Netherlands on July 26 in Wellington and Portugal on August 1 in Auckland.
In his first year with the USWNT, Andonovski led the team to victory in all eleven of their games, setting a record for the best start by any coach in USWNT history. Now, he will look to continue that success and guide the team to another World Cup title.
The USWNT’s journey will begin this Friday with a match against Vietnam in Auckland. This will be the first time the two teams have faced each other. The team will then face the Netherlands on July 26 in Wellington and Portugal on August 1 in Auckland.
The USWNT is a mix of experienced veterans and young players competing in their first World Cup. In total, fourteen players will be making their World Cup debut, including three former Penn State players. Alex Morgan, Kelly O’Hara, and Megan Rapinoe will be making their fourth appearance in the tournament.
Rapinoe, O’Hara, and Morgan have already achieved great success in the World Cup, with each of them winning the tournament twice. Rapinoe was awarded the Golden Ball in the 2019 World Cup, while Morgan won the Silver Boot. Rapinoe is also among the top ten players in USWNT history for goals and assists.
Morgan and Lindsey Horan will share the captaincy for the 2023 World Cup, replacing the injured Becky Sauerbrunn. Sauerbrunn, who became the team captain in 2021, will, unfortunately, miss the tournament due to an injury.
The USWNT’s biggest competition in the upcoming World Cup is expected to come from England, who are currently the second favorite to win the tournament. The last team to win a World Cup other than the United States was Japan in 2011. However, Japan is considered to be among the bottom four teams in chances of winning the 2023 title, according to Covers.com.
The pressure is on the USWNT as they strive to make history. The entire nation, and the world, will be watching to see if this star-studded and incredibly successful team can secure a third consecutive World Cup title. If they accomplish this feat, it will solidify their status as one of the greatest teams in women’s soccer history.