Canada and cohost Australia are two of the most intriguing teams in the tournament. They met in a pair of friendlies in Australia last September, both won by Canada. But seven months later the Aussies took down European champion England. Australia’s all-time leading goal scorer, Sam Kerr, is a bona fide star, as evidenced by her appearance on the cover of FIFA 23. She’ll lead the Matildas as they look to reach the semifinals for the first time.
IMAGO
The World Cup may be a last shot at glory for Canada’s Christine Sinclair. The 40-year-old has scored more international goals—190—than any player in history, men’s or women’s. She scored three in the World Cup 20 years ago when her team finished fourth but hasn’t matched that result since. Canada comes into the tournament with serious hardware, having won gold at the Tokyo Olympics. A disappointing last-place finish at the SheBelieves Cup in February won’t be enough to dampen Canada’s hopes.
