FIFA WWC'23 3 on 3: Episode 4

Instead of doing the usual three day round-up, I decided to wait until all the final group games have been played, because the groups were so open and few had definite qualifiers. The potential for surprise very much delivered, as I write this still in disbelief that Germany are on the plane home. (I’m also probably breaking the 300-word rule I set myself as well).



1. The absence of the expected

In the build up to the Women’s World Cup, one of the (many) taglines used to describe the event was this was meant to be the World Cup like no other. Well they were quite right, because which other World Cup had Germany out after the group stages? This comes as a shock to me as many others: I had Germany winning the tournament and lauded their achievement and efficient gameplay in my second instalment. I also said.. I hope they didn’t peak too soon. And I guess they did. After that win, they lost to Colombia and failed to beat South Korea - allowing Morocco’s Lionesses move into the knock out stages just like their brethren did in Qatar 2022.

But that wasn’t the only surprise. Joining Germany at the airport are Olympic gold medallists Canada and Brazil. For some, Canada’s exit was not too surprising — they won the gold without scoring an outfield goal in the knockout stages and I personally have casted doubt on them still having to rely on talisman forward Christine Sinclair without no natural successor.

As for the Brazilians: well, despite playing the same flair and creativity, the women have not yet reached the status of the men’s team. Nevertheless, the growth in their women’s game spearheaded by the iconic Marta has come in leaps and bounds. Marta herself is Brazil’s top football goalscorer and currently holds the record of the most goals scored at the Women’s World Cup. Many wanted her to go out with a swansong like Messi’s, and had Brazil down as dark horses for the tournament with their increasingly impressive squad of players like Rafaelle, Kerolin, Debinha and Ary Borges.

Alas, not to be.

It would be remiss though here, in a discussion of absences, to not mention an almost absence which would have had an even bigger seismic effect. I am of course talking about the USA side, whose qualification into the second round was made possible only by a goalpost. Keeper Alyssa Naeher was beaten and had the ball not gone off the post and instead went into the net, it would have been Portugal who would be playing Sweden next week.

The US Women’s National team during better times

But the reigning holders live to fight another day. The question is, though, does their tactically conservative coach Vlatko Andonovski have anything left up his sleeves?

2. The efficiency factor

Speaking of tactics, where Andonovski looked wanting and befuddled, Japanese coach Futoshi Ikeda found the answer many other teams have struggled with when it came to the Spanish passing game.

In a masterclass of efficiency, he let the Spanish team have as much possession as they wanted, passing their way for 90 minutes but denied them any real goalscoring opportunity - and instead made sure that whatever chance Japan got, they converted. You can pass the ball until the cows come home, but what matters are goals.

ImageSource: FIFA Statistics

Japan beat a Spain side - chosen by many as a possible winner - by making only 265 passes to Spain’s 965; of which 174 were completed (Spain had 834) but scoring 4 goals and letting in none. Many people sleep on Japan as a footballing superpower, forgetting the fact that in 2011, they won the World Cup beating a USA side that featured Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath in their ascendancies.

This Japan side, featuring midfield maestro Yui Hasegawa, can tactically adapt to any team they have faced so far - and the next test for them is a somewhat rejuvenated Norway side that, despite having found some sort of rhythm, still look as nervous as a nerd on a prom date. If you are unfamiliar with Hasegawa, let’s just say she filled a Keira Walsh sized hole in the Manchester City midfield last season in the WSL.

Bunny Shaw and Yui Hasegawa featuring for their WSL club, Manchester City

3. The Jamaica story

Brazil’s exit from the World Cup saw Jamaica forging ahead in their place. Nicknamed the Reggae Girlz, Jamaica’s lethal finisher Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw is their marquee star. They have lit up the World Cup with their presence, but their place on the plane to Australia was in jeopardy weeks before the tournament because of a funding dispute with their federation regarding costs, facilities and resources (a tragically all too familiar refrain in the women’s game).

The backstory behind their current existence has a minor celebrity element: in 2008 the women’s football program was disbanded (although the men’s program carried on). In 2014, this absence was noticed by none other than Cedella Marley, Bob Marley’s daughter. Through her fundraising efforts the Reggae Girlz made it to the 2019 World Cup - and you would think that this would have made the Jamaican Football Federation sit up and take notice.

But no.

In 2023, it took a crowdfunding effort by one of the player’s parents to garner enough funds to help them address transportation and accommodation costs to get to the competition venues. And now, on their sophomore effort at the World Cup, they have set up a date with Colombia in an all Americas tie while the world looks on to see what their football federation does next. Does it need to be said that the men’s program that have continued to receive funding have not qualified for the World Cup championship since 1998 - their solo appearance to date?

Podcasts to Listen To:

In the spirit of breaking all rules in this edition, rather than recommend a match for you to watch, I’d like to recommend three World Cup themed podcasts with different country perspectives.

The US Perspective: The RE-Cap Show

The UK Perspective: The Offside Rule

The Australian Perspective: The Far Post

I’d recommend a German or a Brazilian perspective pod as well but you know..

(all links are Spotify. The podcasts are available on all other good podcast providers)