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 Japan women’s national team. You can see the full list of team previews and read about the USWNT here.
The German women’s national team heads to Australia and New Zealand as FIFA’s second-ranked team in the world — even if it’s only got the fourth-best odds to lift the cup at the end of the tournament. That leaves the two-time former champions looking for a breakthrough after a string of merely good performances over their last three World Cups. With a stacked lineup of veteran talent, 2023 could be the year the DFB-Frauenteam returns to glory.
Here’s what you’ll need to know about the German national squad ahead of the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
Germany's group and schedule
Germany is in Group H with Morocco, Colombia and South Korea. The DFB-Frauenteam are heavily favored to win the group with -1600 odds, per DraftKings. Here’s the team’s group stage schedule:
- July 24 vs. Morocco | 3:30 a.m. ET on FS1
- July 30 vs. Colombia | 4:30 a.m. ET on FS1
- August 3 vs. South Korea | 5 a.m. ET on FOX
Key players for the Germans
Kathrin Hendrich: An experience defender who doesn’t shy away from contact, Hendrich is in her 10th season with the national team. She’s an erasing force in her own half and capable of creating the through passes and even finishing goals (five in 58 caps) when called upon.
Lina Magull: Magull is the most likely source of offense for the Frauenteam’s midfield. She had three goals in six matches in last year’s Euro and, more importantly, is a gifted facilitator with great vision and touch to set up her forwards in big moments. Her 0.34 assists per 90 minutes ranks in the 94th percentile of all midfielders over the past year.
Alexandra Popp: Popp is a viable candidate to take home the Golden Boot as 2023’s top scorer. She’s the sun around which the German offense rotates, peppering the net with shots and distributing effectively as a passer. Her six goals at the 2022 Euro tied for the tournament lead despite missing the final due to injury and she’s twice been named Germany’s top female soccer player.
Germany's recent World Cup history
2019: Quarterfinalists
2015: Fourth place
2011: Quarterfinalists
2007: Champions
2003: Champions
What the experts are saying about Germany
The team of vice European champions is led by captain Alexandra Popp and goalkeeper Merle Frohms from VfL Wolfsburg. Chelsea midfielder Melanie Leupolz was called up to the squad just eight months after the birth of her son.
In addition to Giulia Gwinn from Bayern Munich, goalkeeper Almuth Schult (pregnancy) and Gwinn’s teammate Linda Dallmann (syndrome tear) are also missing from the squad. The core of the squad consists of the players from Champions League finalists VfL Wolfsburg (10), followed by Eintracht Frankfurt (6) and Bayern (5). In addition to the 28 nominees for the provisional squad, 10 other players are available on call.
Overall, Germany’s Women’s National Team possesses a talented and balanced squad with a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters. Under the guidance of their coach, they will aim to showcase their skills, tactical understanding, and teamwork to compete at the highest level in the World Cup.
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