The Associated Press has listed 10 players expected to shine at the 2023 Women's World Cup, including Alex Morgan and Marta.


Another record holder heading to the 2023 World Cup is striker Christine Sinclair , who will represent Canada. No player has scored more goals for a national team than Sinclair, either men's or women's, with 190 goals in 319 appearances for Canada. The 40-year-old striker will be participating in her sixth World Cup and has no intention of retiring. Sinclair has won eight international titles with Canada, including a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics.


Wendie Renard is a key player for Lyon, a team that has won the French league 16 times and the Champions League eight times. The 33-year-old, 1.87m tall center-back is considered one of the greatest French players of all time. Renard took a break from playing for the national team in February 2023 because she "did not support the current environment." But after coach Corinne Diacre was sacked and Herve Renard took over, she returned to the national team and participated in the World Cup with her teammates.

Another player at Lyon who has attracted even more attention is striker Ada Hegerberg – considered the Lionel Messi of women's football. In the last nine seasons with Lyon, the 28-year-old striker has averaged 1.1 goals per game, scoring 243 goals in 219 matches. The Norwegian center forward has won the Champions League six times and was the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner. Hegerberg's team also drew a relatively easy group at the 2023 World Cup, alongside hosts New Zealand, the Philippines, and Switzerland.

Alexia Putellas rose to prominence after Hegerberg, but is considered the best player in Europe right now. The Spanish international won the Ballon d'Or twice in a row in 2021 and 2022, when she helped Barca win the Champions League twice. However, Putellas suffered a knee ligament injury last year, sidelining her for about 10 months. Returning in time for the World Cup is already a success for Putellas, but can she help Spain reach the quarter-finals for the first time?

Also returning from a long-term injury is Marta – a legend of women's football, although she has never won the World Cup. The Brazilian international holds the record for six FIFA Player of the Year awards, double the number of awards won by second-place Birgit Prinz. However, the 37-year-old forward's form is not good as she has just spent 11 months recovering from a knee ligament injury. Brazil's coach, Pia Sundhage, said that Marta might be a substitute at the 2023 World Cup.


Germany is also a contender for the 2023 World Cup title, and they will need striker Alexandra Popp to shine to achieve that goal. Last year, Popp was the first player to score in five Women's European Championships. She scored six goals in the tournament, helping Germany reach the final. However, an injury during warm-up forced Popp to sit out as her teammates lost to England. She also lost to Wolfsburg in the 2023 Champions League final, despite leading Barcelona 2-0. Nevertheless, the 32-year-old striker's career remains glorious, with three Champions League titles and a 2016 Olympic gold medal.

Vnexpress.net






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