Round of 16 power rankings: Top 5
The first round of the 2019 Women’s World Cup is over, and the tournament advances into the knockout stage. Die or advance. Points don’t matter anymore, although they were essential to determine the soccer showdowns.
At this point, with an objective point of view, which teams are the best in the competition? Which sides are going to advance to the next round?
Five national teams called my attention during the first round, all of them based on the way they play, the results they had and the support they get. These things are vital because the details matter in a World Cup. Football encompasses all of the three aforementioned points.
Round of 16 power rankings:
5. Netherlands
They had a doubtful beginning, but evolved match after match. And that’s crucial in a tournament that is also moving forward. The Oranges struggled with New Zealand, but they found the chemistry that led them to the European championship title. The key is Vivianne Miedema; the Dutch striker grants a power that no other national team has. The top scorer in the recent campaign of the English FA WSL, Miedema is physical, tall and lethal inside the box. And she participates greatly during the game. It’s hard to isolate one of the best — or perhaps the best — women’s striker.
4. France
A fast and very talented squad in every line. The French were dominant in all three matches, but simple defensive mistakes put them into challenging scenarios. Although Les Bleus have the home field advantage, the French fans pushed them forward in their struggle. In World Cup instances the support matters a lot, and even more so when your squad is a top candidate. The major advantage of Les Bleus is that they distribute their scoring burden. With Renard, Henry, Le Sommer and Gauvin, they don’t depend on the momentum of one player. All the lines convert.
3. USA
No team challenged the USWNT in the first round. However, we all know the capacity of the American squad in group stages and knockout circumstances. The team’s excellence crushed the first round of the tournament by setting a victory record with the most goals scored in a World Cup match. Nine out of nine points and no goals conceded, manager Jill Ellis evolved the American midfield with the addition of Rose Lavelle, an all-terrain player and a box-to-box footballer whose strong play left Carly Lloyd or Megan Rapinoe without a space in the starting 11. Add in Julie Ertz and Lindsay Horan, and the U.S. is stronger in the pillar of its game.
2. Germany
Die Nationalelf currently holds the second position in the FIFA rankings. They advanced in a very competitive group with a new generation of players who average 25 years old. Germany is a team that accelerated the national team evolution process, as 21 of 24 players were U-20 representatives. The narrative of Die Nationalelf is straightforward: 11 are stronger than one. And that’s something that game after game they show. Their collective effort is impeccable, and the individuals don’t shine isolated. Germany is not just Popp, Marozsan or Daebritz; the whole team works like a Swiss watch. They can break the game or propose it; they can hold the line or press the rival. Every scenario works for them.
1. England
A nation that exploited its national league, the English squad has been developing with the resources that the clubs are granting it. The Lionesses are the most physical squad of the tournament and have the best defensive line in football. England leverages every single inch of the field’s width; they send every lady into the attack. The exquisiteness of their performance reflects in the multiple variations of their game. The Lionesses always find a way to open up their rivals without losing aesthetics and verticality. The stable project of the Women’s Super League is fructifying fast in the English Women’s National Team, while the deficiencies of the past have disappeared. The Lionesses have all the aspects that a World Cup champion needs.
Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.
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