How architect of iconic Qatar 2022 upset became ‘absolute surprise’ coach at Women’s World Cup

Now, the focus turns on-field, as France go into the World Cup as one of the favourites to take home their maiden piece of silverware. The French bowed out in the quarter-finals in 2019 for the second straight tournament and lost in a heartbreaking semi final defeat to Germany at the Euros last year – courtesy of a double from gun striker Alexandra Popp.

This time around, they are determined to go that little bit further and the expectation back home is just the same.

“The expectations are very, very high, especially after the Euro last year going to the semi-final,” Hingant said.

“Everybody was convinced they would go to the final and then Alexandra Popp happened… We suffered Alex Popp’s talent there.

“The expectations are high. We’ve got a new coach as well, so everybody’s looking forward to see what’s going to happen with that, what the players are going to do as well, especially the quarter final in 2019 was so disappointing, although it was against the USA, so it was kind of expected.

“But I think everybody was really disappointed being at home losing in the quarter finals. That wasn’t great.

“Especially after that, the semifinals were going to be in Lyon, which is a big city for women’s football, so that was quite disappointing and I think now everybody is looking forward to having a good tournament.”

Renard shapes as an integral piece in France’s push for the World Cup over the next month.

The 32-year-old centre-back has been a force at Lyon and for the national side for years, blending superb speed, strength and smarts with a tremendous technical skillset – along with being a weapon at set-pieces with her heading ability.

In what will be her fourth World Cup, Renard is looking to add a piece of international silverware to go with an already unbelievable resume – which includes a record 15 French league titles and eight European Cups.

And Hingant isn’t ruling out her riding into the sunset should she finally claim an elusive World Cup crown.

“It could be,” she said when asked by Gill if it could be her last World Cup.

“She’s still performing extremely good and she’s the captain. She’s the leader.

“She’s known everywhere in the world, not just in France, Like she’s idolised everywhere in the world, probably more than she’s idolised in France. It happens a lot with France and French players who are loved outside and not very much back home, but no, she’s loved at home as well.

“It could be her last. She’s played so many games with Lyon, going to the end of most competitions, club competitions. I mean, it has to have a toll on on your body as well then.

“It will be her decision, as well. It depends how it goes. If we win the World Cup, 100% it could be her last.”

Hingant: “It really depends who we’re meeting in the in the Round of 16, we could meet Germany, and then who knows what can happen?

“It’s difficult to predict. I’m not sure France will go all the way. I wish that for them, I don’t know. It’s very, very hard.

“It’s hard to tell for France. I’d rather not say anything about it because we should be going to a semi final or a final, but I don’t know. It’s really hard to tell, with one game, it can change, anything can happen.”

Gill: Progress to the knockout stage as group winners

Cannuli: Progress to the knockout stage as group winners

Form

Brazil fell to a penalty shootout loss to England in the Women’s Finalissima in April: the intercontinental super cup which contests the winners of the Copa America and UEFA Euros. It was the last time Brazil experienced the high-pressure environment of a final prior to the World Cup, and the shootout defeat will leave the South American powerhouse with plenty to ponder heading into the World Cup group stage.

Brazil have since enjoyed friendly wins over Germany and Chile, the latter of which coming in early July in the form of a resounding 4-0 win.

Eyebrows were raised around the world recently when the Brazil men’s international side appointed Carlo Ancelotti as head coach. The Italian is the first foreign head coach to take charge of the men’s outfit. But the women’s side has had Swede Pia Sundhage at the helm since 2019, on a deal set to last until beyond the 2024 Olympic Games. In the process, Sundhage has revitalised the national team.

Sundhage won two Olympic gold medals as manager of the United States women’s international side in 2008 and 2012, and won Olympic silver as Sweden head coach in 2016. The 2012 FIFA World Women’s Coach of the Year has overseen the rejuvenation of the Brazilian side in her tenure; not selecting legendary striker Cristiane for the World Cup despite her excellent form for club side Santos is a testament to that fact.

Throughout her time as Brazil coach, Sundhage has signalled her intent to rid the squad of “popcorn time” – a phrase she uses to describe players standing and watching when they lose possession. Sundhage demands energy from her squad both with and without the ball – it’s a fact that may result in 37-year-old seeing her minutes restricted at the World Cup.

Brazil’s legendary number 10 Marta has confirmed the 2023 Women’s World Cup will be the sixth and final of her illustrious career.

Marta is one of the all-time greats – not to mention the all-time record goalscorer at World Cups, with 17 goals across 20 appearances and five tournaments. Much like the United States, who head into the 2023 edition of the tournament prepared to send the retiring Megan Rapinoe out on a high, it is Brazil’s number one objective to send Marta as deep into the tournament as possible. Delivering the nation its first-ever Women’s World Cup title would be the ultimate send-off for a legend of the game.

There’s so much talent in this Brazil squad, but you simply cannot look past a player widely considered as the greatest of all time in the women’s game in Marta.

The Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner at the 2007 World Cup has won almost everything there is to win as an individual in the game, including recognition as FIFA World Player of the Year six times – but the World Cup still eludes her.

Prediction

Gill: Progress to the knockout stages in second place

Cannuli: Progress to the knockout stages in second place

Jamaica went through a World Cup tune-up at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Women’s Games, playing three fixtures across late June and early July.

But the results of those three games don’t make for happy reading: Jamaica lost 5-2 to El Salvador and drew 1-1 with Puerto Rico before a 7-3 hammering at the hands of Mexico on July 4.

In February, Jamaica travelled to Australia to compete alongside Spain, Czechia and the Matildas in the 2023 Cup of Nations; they lost all three games, conceding nine goals and scoring two.

Jamaican former footballer Lorne Donaldson took charge of the Reggae Girlz in 2022, after serving as an assistant during Jamaica’s 2019 Women’s World Cup campaign. Donaldson took on the role in June of 2022, and had overseen the nation’s qualification to the 2023 World Cup just one month later. Qualification was sealed just days after his Real Colorado U17 side – who he coaches concurrently to the Jamaican national team – won the national championship in the United States.

Jamaica is one of a number of national sides at odds with its footballing federation as preparations for the World Cup continue.

In late June, every member of the current squad issued a unified statement expressing their “disappointment with the Jamaica Football Federation” in regard to a number of concerns, including “subpar planning, transportation, accommodations, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to proper resources” along the road to the World Cup.

“In recent months, due to extreme disorganization of camp logistics, we have missed several official FIFA friendly matches,” the statement continued. “This will undoubtedly impact our preparation for Australia. The Reggae Girlz consist of professional and collegiate footballers who are spread out across the world. To be left questioning whether a camp will even take place two or three days before the expected start is unprofessional and often unfairly prohibitive for some of our players.”

The statement continues below:

The situation has become so dire for the Reggae Girlz that Sandra Brower (Solaun), mother of Jamaica international Havana Solaun, began a GoFundMe to “cover some of the expenses incurred on this incredible adventure Down Under” for both players and staff.

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw is a name recognised around the world thanks to her exploits as a fearsome striker at Women’s Super League side Manchester City.

The CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year finished second on the WSL scoring charts in 2022-23, with her 20 goals for the season eclipsed by Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly alone.

“We’ve got to talk about Khadija Shaw,” Cannuli said.

“She’s an in-form goalscorer that has been playing int he WSL for Manchester City.

“You can just see the type of quality she has, and to have someone like that on your team is a massive (plus) for Jamaica.”

Prediction

Gill: Eliminated in the group stage

Cannuli: Eliminated in the group stage

Panama qualified for the World Cup in February via a 1-0 intercontinental play-off win over Paraguay. They have since defeated Dominican Republic (twice), lost and drawn to fellow World Cup attendees Colombia, and recorded both a 7-0 win and defeat: the former came against Gibraltar while the latter came in a crushing loss to Spain on June 30.

Panama will face Japan on July 14 in their final game before the World Cup.

Ignacio Quintana took charge of the Panama women’s national football team in 2021. His greatest achievements to date as Panama head coach have been to qualify the nation for its very first Women’s World Cup, as well as ensure equal pay and conditions with the men’s international team.

Speaking to FIFA.com in the lead-up to the tournament, Quintana revealed the inspiration that helped his side qualify for the major tournament for the very first time: “The ambition. The ambition we all had – the federation, the players, the fans and myself – was the same: win everything, go to the biggest competitions, get Panama where it belongs and, for me, become one of the best coaches in the world,” he said.

“From the first day I set foot in this country, I felt the people here all had that same desire to shine and go far.”

It’s a World Cup debut for Panama, who secured the very last place at the tournament with playoff victory over Paraguay in February. This is a nation who, under Quintana, is eager to show its potential to the world after repeat failure in qualification to secure a spot at the World Cup in years past.

Marta Cox: scorer of screamers.

The 25-year-old is Panama’s great hope at the World Cup; feast yourself to a catalogue of screamers to see why Cox looms as the CONCACAF nation’s best avenue to goal at their very first World Cup.

Gill: Eliminated in the group stage

Cannuli: Eliminated in the group stage

France v JamaicaDate: Sunday, July 23Time: 8 PM (AEST)Venue: Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney

Broadcast: Optus Sport

Brazil v PanamaDate: Monday, July 24Time: 9 PM (AEST), 8:30 PM (local)Venue: Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide

Broadcast: Optus Sport

France v BrazilDate: Saturday, July 29Time: 8 PM (AEST)Venue: Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane

Broadcast: Optus Sport

Panama v JamaicaDate: Saturday, July 29Time: 10:30 PM (AEST), 8:30 PM (local)Venue: Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth

Broadcast: Optus Sport

Jamaica v BrazilDate: Wednesday, August 2Time: 8 PM (AEST)Venue: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne

Broadcast: Optus Sport

Panama v FranceDate: Wednesday, August 2Time: 8 PM (AEST)Venue: Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney