Lower than a yr after the worldwide breakout success of the FIFA Girls’s World Cup in Australia, an excellent variety of that event’s greatest gamers might be again; this time, the worldwide soccer epicentre might be Paris Olympics 2024 with 12 groups combating for the gold medal.
World champions Spain is among the many favourites to style glory, though the staff will make its Olympic debut within the French capital, whereas perennial heavyweights the US might be searching for redemption after struggling their worst-ever World Cup end result.
Staff USA’s neighbours Canada are the defending Olympic champions after they did the unthinkable on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, defeating highly-favoured Sweden within the gold medal match. Disappointingly, the Swedes won’t participate within the Paris 2024 Olympics after failing to qualify.
Becoming a member of them on the absentees checklist would be the United Kingdom, who couldn’t safe an Olympic berth by way of the inaugural Girls’s Nations League.
With senior skilled gamers and full-strength squads, the 12-team ladies’s Olympic soccer occasion presents a star-studded and premier international soccer competitors of the very best high quality when in comparison with the 16-team males’s occasion, which is restricted to under-23 gamers with an allowance for less than three over-age skilled gamers.
The fan curiosity in ladies’s Olympic soccer competitors is anticipated to be increased than ever, due to the success of the 2023 World Cup, which attracted report international tv viewing figures.
USA: A staff in transition
With a brand new coach at its helm and a squad that includes upcoming stars, a new-look Staff USA will compete on the Olympics.
England’s Emma Hayes has been employed to show across the staff’s fortunes and the skilled coach may very well be a breath of contemporary air that the American ladies’s recreation wants.
Hayes, who led Chelsea to seven Girls’s Tremendous League titles, took over the reins simply earlier than the Olympics, though her appointment was introduced late final yr after Vlatko Andonovski resigned within the wake of their bitter World Cup exit.
After successive triumphs in 2015 and 2019, the US was anticipated to finish a “three-peat” of titles on the 2023 World Cup, however the Individuals have been knocked out within the final 16, dropping to Sweden on penalties.
The strain is on Hayes as she manages a staff looking for its manner again to the highest of the world rankings, having slipped to their lowest-ever spot (fifth). There’s additionally pleasure on the road for the four-time world champions.
“Everyone knows the primary components of the American DNA, and that won’t change underneath my stewardship,” Hayes stated in her first press convention as head coach in June.
US captain Lindsey Horan, who was a part of the facet that gained bronze on the Tokyo Video games, stated the staff has moved on from their World Cup heartbreak and goes for gold in Paris.
“After the World Cup, we actually regrouped,” Horan informed reporters this month.
“You have a look at the younger gamers coming in, the leaders on this staff, you understand, simply [a] massive mesh of what now we have. I believe what you’re going to see and what’s in retailer for us is unimaginable.”
Staff USA’s 18-player Olympic roster options thrilling new expertise similar to ahead Sophia Smith and defender Naomi Girma, whereas veterans Horan, Alyssa Naeher and Crystal Dunn add high quality depth to the squad.
In a shock omission, Alex Morgan, one of many final hyperlinks to the nice US ladies’s soccer staff dynasty, was ignored by Hayes. Will probably be the primary time for the reason that 2008 Olympics that the high-profile ahead won’t swimsuit up for the nationwide facet in a significant competitors.
Staff USA has gained a medal in all however one of many seven Olympics which have featured ladies’s soccer, together with 4 gold medals, the final of which got here at London 2012.
Goalkeeper Naeher stated the Paris Olympics will give the staff an opportunity to start a brand new chapter, as they give the impression of being to regain their supremacy on the worldwide stage.
“We’ve talked to this entire yr about wanting in the direction of the long run and turning the web page and having this new id and transferring ahead,” Naeher informed reporters.
“That is the beginning of that,” she stated.
“With Emma in right here and the complete new employees and the roster being set, I believe now that is the chance to formally sort of transfer in that ahead route. And that is the primary event for that. You may really feel the power.”
The US are in Group B alongside 2016 Olympic champions Germany, Asian heavyweights Australia, and Zambia, whose squad consists of the world’s costliest feminine participant, Racheal Kundananji.
Can Spain do the double?
Spain emerged because the 2023 FIFA World Champions in Australia and New Zealand regardless of coping with off-field points together with an ugly participant revolt. Later, their title triumph was marred by a scandal triggered by ex-Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales.
Rubiales provoked worldwide outrage by kissing star participant Jenni Hermoso with out consent in the course of the medal ceremony after the World Cup last. The disgraced former official is ready to stand trial in February 2025, whereas his shut ally Jorge Vilda was additionally sacked because the coach by the Spanish FA.
In contrast to the World Cup, Spain will head to the Olympics with out distractions and has the possibility to develop into the primary staff to win the Olympic Gold-World Cup double.
The Olympics might be a brand new expertise for the top-ranked Spaniards however having gained the World Cup and the Nations League final yr, they know what it takes to win at a significant event.
Their squad is wealthy in world-class expertise, that includes 2023 Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, all-time prime scorer Hermoso, veteran midfielder Alexia Putellas and promising winger Salma Paralluelo.
“We’re an bold staff and I’m an bold one that by no means will get bored with profitable,” stated Bonmati, who gained Liga F and the Champions League with Barcelona final season.
“Crucial factor now could be to deal with profitable gold.”
Spain, taking part in underneath new coach Montse Tome, are in Group C with 2011 world champions Japan, two-time Olympic silver medallists Brazil, and Nigeria, the top-ranked African staff.
Marta steps up for Brazil, Canada excessive on confidence
Brazil will head to Paris 2024 seeking the gold medal that has eluded them, having gained the silver in 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
Head coach Arthur Elias’s squad consists of top-of-the-line gamers of all time, Marta. The 38-year-old might be taking part in in her sixth and last Video games earlier than retiring from worldwide soccer on the finish of the yr, and the legendary ahead would like to lastly add a gold medal to her prolonged checklist of profession achievements.
“She brings loads to the desk, she’s the best athlete of all time,” Elias stated of Marta, who’s Brazil’s main objective scorer.
Canada have caught with a significant chunk of their gold medal-winning squad as coach Bev Priestman known as on 13 gamers who have been a part of the Olympic success in Tokyo.
Captain Jessie Fleming, one in all six ladies on the 18-player squad competing of their third consecutive Olympic Video games, stated the eighth-ranked staff are assured of an excellent efficiency.
The Canadians are the one facet to have reached the rostrum in ladies’s soccer at every of the final three Olympic Video games.
“We’ve grown loads within the final yr as a staff and are assured we are able to repeat the success now we have had traditionally on this event,” stated Fleming, who took over the captaincy after long-time skipper Christine Sinclair retired late final yr.
Canada is in Group A with hosts France, Colombia and New Zealand.
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You may observe the motion on Al Jazeera’s devoted Paris 2024 Olympics event web page with all of the information and options, in addition to occasion build-up and stay textual content commentary on chosen soccer, basketball, tennis and boxing fixtures.
