The Women’s World Cup is firmly on the horizon and excitement is building.
As Australia and New Zealand prepare to host what could be a quite brilliant tournament, the SBOTOP Women’s World Cup betting odds make holders the USA, reigning European champion England and Spain as the favourites.
I am not looking beyond those three either.
Amongst the debates that will follow over the next six weeks or so, particularly close attention will be paid to the US who defeated Holland in the 2019 final, a match-up which, at the time, extended the Americans’ record to just one defeat in 44 matches.
But is their class of 2023 as strong as their predecessors?
Love them or loathe them, the Stars n’ Stripes are certainly a team you cannot ignore.
One reason for this is their veteran striker Megan Rapinoe who has a lot to say for herself.
Without going into detail about her insistence on equal pay to the men’s national team, she divides opinions.
Her cult of personality is so strong she has claimed prizes for on-field play ahead of more deserving teammates such as Rose Lavelle, Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn, Julie Ertz or Becky Sauerbrunn – the latter was the captain until a foot injury ruled her out of the tournament which is a big blow.
And so it is Rapinoe who shows the influence of this team, also influencing female athletes who have been fighting for similar causes over a long period. Lightning rods draw lightning, and while that’s surely difficult at times, she and her teammates are sure to get attention and build an intimidating mystique as the World Cup approaches.
You would expect them to deliver plenty of Women’s World Cup highlights too as Vlatko Andonovski’s squad is littered with talent.
Morgan, Kelley O’Hara and Rapinoe are heading to their fourth Women’s World Cup and bidding for a third title after being part of the 2015 and 2019 successes.
Among those making their first appearance at a World Cup is Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith who has been widely tipped as one of the stars to watch after an impressive season and she already has 12 goals in 29 appearances for the national team.
Also included in the squad is Alyssa Naeher, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan and Lavelle, who have a chance to win another World Cup title after playing at the tournament four year ago.
Yet are the US as favourites as they were then?
Sauerbrunn is not the only big name to be absent as another star from France 2019, Mallory Swanson, the team’s most potent attacking threat in recent times, is also out.
Two other important midfielders, Sam Mewis and Catarina Macario, will too miss the tournament after injury struggles.
Furthermore, Rapinoe will have turned 38 by the time of the big kick-off.
Looking ahead to the action, after opening up against Vietnam, the US then face a tough test and a repeat of the 2019 final against Holland, the world’s number nine ranked side, before rounding out the group stage against Portugal.
The Women’s World Cup will be the first to include 32 teams, up from 24 in the previous two, both of which were won by the US.
Can they make it three in a row? I am certainly not betting against them.
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