The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is expected to have some exciting encounters, with the number of participating teams expanding from 24 to 32 this time.
Group F, comprising France, Brazil, Jamaica and Panama, will see a repeat of the 2019 pre-quarterfinal clash between Brazil and France, wherein the latter secured a victory in extra time.
Panama is the only debutant in this group while Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw will hope to find success on the global stage with Jamaica, Down Under this summer.
France
France will be looking to channel the energy of head coach Herve Renard, who will be heading to his second World Cup in a year.
Renard was the coach of Saudi Arabia in the FIFA World Cup 2022 and, after his hortatory speech at half-time, the team stunned Lionel Messi’s Argentina, beating the eventual World Champion 2-1.
When France’s head coach Corinne Diacre fell out with the players, with captain Wendie Renard deciding to not play in the tournament, she was replaced by Renard. And it will be interesting how the 2011 World Cup semifinalist fares under the Frenchman.
- Number of World Cups played - Four
- Number of World Cup matches played - 19
- Number of World Cup goals - 32
- Current FIFA ranking - 5
- Road to World Cup - UEFA qualification Group I winner
- Captain - Wendie Renard
- Coach - Herve Renard
- Best Player - Eugenie Le Sommer
Though the team will miss out on Delphine Cascarino – who was ruled out with an ACL injury – Wendie, one of the most reliable centre-backs for France, has returned to the squad and will have Eugenie Le Sommer, France’s leading goal scorer with 88 goals, will lead the attack.
France squad:
Jamaica
In the last edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, in 2019, Jamaica had become the first country from the Caribbean to qualify for the tournament.
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However, it made an unceremonious exit with losses in all its group-stage matches.
Four years later, it will hope to change just that, starting its WWC 2023 campaign against France on July 23. It will rest its hopes for goals from City’s forward Shaw, who was the second-highest goal scorer in the Women’s Super League this season.
- Number of World Cups played - One
- Number of World Cup matches played - 3
- Number of World Cup goals - 1
- Current FIFA ranking - 43
- Road to World Cup - 2022 CONCACAF W Championship Group A runners-up
- Captain - Khadija Shaw
- Coach - Lorne Donaldson
- Best Player - Khadija Shaw
Jamaica has been an inspiration for rising from the ashes. In 2003, after failing to qualify for the World Cup, the team was disbanded a year later. But by 2019, it marked a strong presence in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship and the World Cup.
When the Reggae Girlz take the pitch this time, it will look to turn over another chapter of comebacks, looking for glory in Australia and New Zealand.
Jamaica squad
Brazil
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 may just be the last dance for the six-time FIFA World Player of the Year and Brazil legend Marta and she would look to end it on a high note.
The 37-year-old is the highest goal scorer in the history of the tournament and, despite struggling with injury, is expected to be one of the starters for Brazil.
Despite dominating South American football, Brazil has failed to conquer the World Cup so far, coming closest to the title in 2007, when it lost to Germany in the final.
- Number of World Cups played - Eight
- Number of World Cup matches played - 34
- Number of World Cup goals - 66
- Current FIFA ranking - 8
- Road to World Cup - 2022 Copa América Femenina SF winners
- Captain - Rafaelle Souza
- Coach - Pia Sundhage
- Best Player - Marta
The team will be emboldened with the addition of legendary coach Pia Sundhage, under whom the United States Women’s National Team won the Olympic gold medal twice.
Having added the Copa América Femenina to the cabinet in 2022 under the Swede, A Seleção will look for a similar result on the biggest stage of world football.
Brazil squad:
Panama
Panama came very close to qualifying for the Women’s World Cup 2019, when it lost to Jamaica on penalties (in the third place play-off) and then to Argentina in the inter-confederation playoff.
In the group stage itself, four years later, it will get a chance to settle scores with the team from the Caribbean, being drawn in the same group.
One of the most important reasons for its success has been Ignacio Quintana, the head coach of the Panama women’s national team.
The Mexican has played a key role to ensure both the men’s and women’s teams get the same treatment, in terms of salaries and conditions and it was under him that the team made history, securing a spot in the Women’s World Cup for the first time.
- Number of World Cups played - 0
- Number of World Cup matches played - 0
- Number of World Cup goals - 0
- Current FIFA ranking - 52
- Road to World Cup - Inter-confederation play-offs Group C winners
- Captain - Natalia Mills
- Coach - Ignacio Quintana
- Best Player - Lineth Cedeño
With a very young squad at its disposal, Panama – having captain Natalia Mills, defender Rebeca Espinosa and two of their goalkeepers are the only players aged over 30 – will hope to impress in Down Under.
However, none of the players has played at least 20 times for the country so far – something that might be the difference against high-flying Brazil, France and Shaw-led Jamaica.
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