My unpopular opinion. Aline, despite being very short for a GK, should be Brazil's starting GK. Fans of the college game may remember she was Amanda Cromwell's GK at UCF (Univ of Central Florida)
in my book, Germany's got 6 of the top 10 central midfielders in the world, but they lack a world class striker & be hard to put their top winger(named Huth) in the same category as Heath, Hansen, Martens & Cascarino. They'll a bit suspect on defence too. Due to over abundance of good mids though, they tend to place them either at defense or upfront, yet they usual drift back to their natural mid positions during the courseof a game & thus crowding the playing field. It was simply horrible during the Jones era! Then they got an interim coach that finally opened up play a bit. But like the great 'wildwood winds' all good things must come to an end as he didn't want to stay on the job anymore, and now they seem back to what looks like MVT's very over handed, Wagnarian complexity overtones. I mean 3 different tactics inthe 3 games she's coached so far, with the last one so confusing her players that the GK twice passes to a Japanese player instead!(for the easy goals)
Wow. I'd love to hear some TV experts and soccer journalists describe Germany that way to their audience. (I may steal it and revise it slightly to "heavy-handed, overly complex game strategy with Wagnerian overtones"
Unfortunately, the facts have overruled you, and Brazil's roster is still younger than the US squad. Brazil: Average age: 28 years, 4 months, 28 days WC newbies: 8
Lol, while I was writing that, I was sure I was calling for a punishment for my "hybris"! Are they at least the second oldest team so far?
Yes, I've written it in Greek, wasn't actually aware that in English the "y" had become "u" (in Greek, it was spelled as an "ü" anyway). Lol, well, this well deserved a rep! I give it to you that you're actually able to be self-ironic about your spelling habits.
Whoever saw Ji So-Yun play for Chelsea in the WCL semi-final vs OL knows the caliber of the player. It's a shame that Group A has France, South Korea, Norway and Nigeria: I guess potentially each of them could have advanced to knock-out stage, if drawn in the right group; this way instead, one of them, possibly two, will be eliminated at group stage!
List so far (courtesy of lil_one) USA: Average age: 29 years, 0 months, 15 days WC newbies: 11 Brazil: Average age: 28 years, 4 months, 28 days WC newbies: 8 South Korea: Average age: 27 years, 7 months, 17 days WC newbies: 11 England: Average age: 27 years, 7 months, 10 days Newbies: 11 Scotland: Average age: 27 years, 5 months, 1 day WC newbies: all 23 Sweden: Average age: 26 years, 11 months, 5 days WC newbies: 14 France: Average age: 26 years, 8 months, 18 days WC newbies: 14 New Zealand: Average age: 26 years, 6 months, and 13 days WC newbies: 6 Australia: Average age: 26 years, 3 months, 24 days WC newbies: 8 Netherlands: Average age: 25 years, 11 months, and 18 days WC newbies: 10 Germany: Average age: 25 years, 10 months, 10 days WC newbies: 14 Norway: Average age: 25 years, 9 months, and 25 days WC newbies: 13 Japan: Average age: 24 years, 7 months, 8 days WC newbies: 17
South Africa Squad for 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. Goalkeepers: Andile Dlamini (Sundowns), Kaylin Swart (Golden Stars), Mapaseka Mpuru (University of Pretoria) Defenders: Lebogang Ramalepe (Polokwane), Nothando Vilakazi (Lithuania), Noko Matlou (Polokwane), Janine van Wyk (Joburg), Bambanani Mbane (Bloemfontein), Bongeka Gamede (CT), Tiisetso Makhubela (Joburg) Midfielders: Refiloe Jane, Mamello Makhabane, Karabo Dlamini (Joburg), Leandra Smeda (Sweden), Kholosa Biyana (Durban), Busisiwe Ndimeni (Pretoria), Sibulele Holweni (PE), Linda Motlhalo (China) Strikers: Rhoda Mulaudzi, Amanda Mthandi (Joburg), Thembi Kgatlana (China), Jermaine Seoposenwe (Lithuania), Ode Fulutudilu (Spain). COACH: Desiree Ellis
I guess this list can give a rough idea of which teams are basically at the end of a cycle, which ones are in the middle of it and which ones are re-founding their squad for years to come. It could end not influencing so much the outcome of this World Cup, but it looks very interesting in perspective. Good job, @lil_one (and @Lechus7 for putting it together)!
I am SOOOO happy Yuki is a Chicago Red Star! We are a fortunate team - her skills and personality are fantastic!
I am having a brain cramp - who was the NCC player from Japan that had a seaon ending injury a couple of years ago?
Yuri Kawamura: after the ACL in 2017, she had another in 2018, a few games after she had come back to playing for North Carolina Courage. Subsequently she came back to Japan and she's now playing with Albirex Niigata Ladies in Nadeshiko League Division 1, but she's been too much time away from NT to be called for this World Cup. Actually being 30 by now (her birthday was today, 17th of May!!! ), it's doubtful if she'll ever come back to NT again.
Chile roster ARQUERAS Christiane Endler - PSG Féminines (Francia) Natalia Campos - Universidad Católica Ryan Torrero - FFCh DEFENSAS Rocío Soto - Zaragoza CFF (España) Su Helen Galaz -Zaragoza CFF (España) Camila Sáez - Rayo Vallecano (España) Carla Guerrero - Rayo Vallecano (España) Javiera Toro - Santiago Morning Valentina Díaz - Colo Colo VOLANTES Karen Araya - Sevilla FC (España) Claudia Soto - Santos (Brasil) Francisca Lara - Sevilla FC (España) Ana Gutiérrez - CFF Cáceres (España) Yessenia López - Colo Colo Elisa Durán - Colo Colo Daniela Pardo - Santiago Morning DELANTERAS Yanara Aedo - Valencia CF (España) Yessenia Huenteo - CFF Cáceres (España) María Jose Rojas - Slavia Pragha (República Checa) María José Urrutia - Associaçião Esportiva 3B Amazónia (Brasil) Rosario Balmaceda - Colo Colo Daniela Zamora - Universidad de Chile Javiera Grez - Curico Unido