Ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, we here at For The Win are previewing some key teams to watch in this tournament. Next up is the Argentina women’s national team. You can see the full list of team previews and read about the USWNT here.
Ranked fourth in the latest FIFA World Rankings, England is projected to win its group at the 2023 World Cup and go deep into the tournament.
But will the Lionesses be able to endure the losses of Euro 2022 Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson? Both crucial players will miss the World Cup due to injuries.
The good news is that England is still armed with Rachel Daly, Alessia Russo, Keira Walsh, Lauren Hemp, Ella Toone and Lauren James, each of whom have proven to be reliable creators of scoring opportunities at the club level.
Fresh off winning the 2022 Euros, England has momentum. Will it be enough to carry it to its best World Cup finish ever?
Let’s take a closer look at the Lionesses.
England's group and schedule
England’s group is no walk in the park. The Lionesses are paired with the 13th and 14th teams in the FIFA World Rankings, Denmark and China, respectively. Also in the group is Haiti, which will want to make an impression in its first-ever World Cup appearance.
Here’s England’s schedule in Group D:
- July 22 vs. Haiti | 5:30 a.m. ET on FOX
- July 28 vs. Denmark | 4:30 a.m. ET on FS1
- Aug. 1 vs. China | 7 a.m. ET on FOX
Key players for England
Lucy Bronze: With 105 caps, Bronze has been a mainstay on defense for the Lionesses for the past decade. This will be the third World Cup she has played in for England, and she’s had memorable moments in each of the previous two, including her game-winning goal against Norway in the 2015 Round of 16, and winning the Silver Ball at the 2019 tournament. A versatile right back, Bronze has established herself as one of the top players in the world and has won championships everywhere she’s been – from UNC-Chapel Hill to Manchester City to Lyon. She has placed three times in the top 10 voting for the Ballon d’Or Féminin, awarded annually to the top women’s soccer player in the world.
Rachel Daly: Perhaps one of the most in-form forwards entering the World Cup, Daly will be relied on to create goal-scoring opportunities for the Lionesses. She has the ability to play striker or left back, and can score from either position. She played left back at the 2022 Euros, but for her club team Aston Villa, she scored 22 goals in 22 games as a forward, winning the Women’s Super League Golden Boot for the 2022-23 season. No matter where Daly is on the pitch, she is sure to make an impact.
Alessia Russo: At 24-years-old, Russo is one of the game’s rising stars and recently signed a major contract with Arsenal after tallying 22 goals and seven assists in 46 matches with Manchester United across three seasons. Like Bronze, Russo matriculated at UNC-Chapel Hill under former U.S. national team coach Anson Dorrance and helped the Tar Heels appear in a pair of College Cup finals. She has just 22 caps so far with the Lionesses, but has made an impact since debuting for the national team in 2020. She tallied a hat trick in a 2021 win over Latvia in qualifying for this World Cup, and scored four goals – all as a substitute – during England’s run in the 2022 Euros.
BACKHEEL & NUTMEG 🤯
This goal from Alessia Russo for England’s third against Sweden in the semi-final was sensational.
🎥 @TUDNUSA pic.twitter.com/DYzy1k15f3
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 26, 2022
England’s recent World Cup history
In 2019, England made the semifinals of the World Cup for the second straight time. But the U.S. held the Lionesses to a single goal, sending England to the third-place game for the second straight year instead of the final. In the third-place game, England fell to Sweden, 2-1.
One memorable strike was made by Bronze in the 57th minute of England’s quarterfinal win over Norway.
Happy birthday, Lucy Bronze. To celebrate, here's her tremendous strike v Norway, voted Goal of the Tournament at France 2019. pic.twitter.com/jJfqk5ZvRW
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) October 28, 2020
What the experts say
Louise Taylor, The Guardian: “After winning a home Euros and reaching the last two World Cup semi-finals, lifting the trophy is a feasible ambition. Even so, England are on the tricky side of the draw.”
Florence Lloyd-Hughes, The Athletic: “This World Cup feels like a transition moment for Sarina Wiegman’s team. … England, undoubtedly (are the favorites in Group D) but given their poor form and injury issues, expectations have taken a significant dip.”
Joe Prince-Wright, NBC Sports: “England’s team is stacked and after winning the Euros they simply have to win this World Cup. Of course, making the final would be totally acceptable. But the expectation is that England are going Down Under to come back with the trophy.”
MORE WORLD CUP:
