The journey to the World Cup from Australia and New Zealand to Portugal was long. No other team in world football has played as many games to secure a place in FIFA’s top competition. Coach Francisco Neto took advantage of the marathon of qualifying matches -group stage, European playoffs and intercontinental playoffs- to create a cohesive group of players that has changed little between calls. This stability is one of Portugal’s weapons in a group that includes the two teams that were in the last World Cup final, the Netherlands and the United States (two-time world champion), but also the Vietnam team.
In addition to the challenge of equalizing the odds on the field, there is also the need to balance the conditions off the field. In Portugal, equality in the prizes distributed by the federation between women’s and men’s teams continues to be a promise with a distant date -2030 as the goal defined by the Federation-, an opportunity that many of the players who are present in this World Cup have. cannot be used.
Portugal appears in the world with one of the groups with the greatest international coverage. In addition to the rise in the FIFA ranking in recent years -Portugal reached the World Cup in 21st place-, the Portuguese team appears on the big stage with seven athletes with more than 100 appearances with the team’s jersey. These are the cases of Sílvia Rebelo, Carole Costa, Dolores Silva, Tatiana Pinto, Ana Borges, Carolina Mendes or Jessica Silva, an important base of the team.
The experience in Euro 2022 helps the Portuguese team to face the tournament with another peace of mind. The result against the Dutch team (3-2 defeat in the second round of the group stage) makes the team believe that it can beat the best.
Balance of forces inside and outside the field
In 2011, the Japanese national team shocked the soccer world with a final victory over the United States national team. Since then, the reality in many of the countries participating in the 2023 edition has changed radically. In Portugal, the growth in the number of players and the investment of many clubs, such as Benfica, Sporting, Sporting de Braga or Famalicão in the lead, valued player training, added opportunities for foreign players to increase their competitiveness, they attracted coaches and trainers, professional elements for the technical teams and structures.
In the last four years, strikes and trials -more or less violent- in federations such as Denmark, Norway, the United States, Canada, France or Spain have brought the conditions of the players closer to the reality of men’s soccer. FIFA revenue grew, but so did competitions such as the Women’s Super League (in English football the equivalent of the Premier League), the Spanish league -with Barcelona as a bulwark-, equaling the leagues of France, Germany or the competitions nordic
But there are still noticeable differences in athlete conditions that can tip the scales. The Jamaican team appears in the world after the public denunciation by the players of the doubts about the commitment of the local federation in this participation.
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The complaints about the internal disorganization of the federation, the lack of logistical preparation for a World Cup in a distant country, even forced the families of the athletes and the Reggae Girlz Foundation to create two fundraising programs to pay for the presence of the Jamaican team in the World Cup Until the day before the start of the race, the two initiatives raised more than 100 thousand dollars.
praise for talent
Within the four lines there is an expectation that new figures of the modality will emerge from this world championship. The USA’s dominance will be tested once again at this World Cup. Winners of the last two editions of the World Cup, the North Americans see in Australia and New Zealand the end of a generation of players who left their mark on the sport.
Alex Morgan (33 years old), Megan Rapinoe (37 years old) or Alyssa Naeher (35 years old) should say goodbye to the big stages and hand over to some of the emerging talents. The North American league continues to be dominant and capable of regeneration, with the likes of Sophia Smith poised to take the stage by storm.
In Spain, the local team has one of the youngest teams in this World Cup. A generation led by Alexia Putellas or Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona players), but still with the commanding voices of Irene Paredes (31 years old, Barcelona), or Jenni Hermoso (33 years old, Pachuca, Mexico). The recent investment of Real Madrid -it is already the team with the most players in this group- and the dominance of Barcelona brings the weight of this team closer to that achieved in the men’s field. Lack of international titles.
In France, coach Hervé Renard left the Saudi Arabia men’s team – which beat Argentina in the 2022 World Cup in the group stage with a staunch defense – to stop the flight of players in protest against the methods of the former national team, Corinne Diacre.
England, for its part, won Euro 2022 and showed that the current generation can bring the current power of the local league to the national teams, capable of attracting (like the Premier League for men) the greatest talents. Prominent names include Lauren James (sister of Chelsea right-back Jeece James).
We must also take into account the Nordic teams, Norway (with Ada Hegerberg or Caroline Hansen), Denmark (Pernille Harder) or Sweden (who beat Portugal 5-0 in the European Championship last year). A 2023 World Cup that is for Marta, the ’10’ shirt of Brazil, the sixth soccer World Cup (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019), continues in search of the greatest soccer prize, in a selection that, with “the Queen” on the field, reached the final in 2007 (defeated by Germany).
Source: TSF
