1st France
Overview
Maybe the most complete team in the world right now. Together for years, the core of France has learned from past failings and seems poised to take the final step to become champions.
There are no real weaknesses, only a couple areas that are less good. The team, however, is about the midfield strength and its ability to dominate possession against even the best teams.
A lot of Canadians are going to fall in love with this team this month.
Player to watch:
Louisa Necib
The best passer in the women’s game. She will pull the strings in the midfield.
Possible Achilles heel:
They lack a truly dominating No 9. They have a lot of players who can score, but they lack the killer No 9 that a lot of the other contenders have.
Schedule:
June 9 v England (1pm ET – Moncton), June 13 v Colombia (1pm ET – Moncton), June 17 v Mexico (7pm ET – Ottawa)
How will it end:
Standing in confetti in Vancouver.
2nd England
Overview:
A team that shed its WoSo 1.0 ways with the parting of ways of long-time manager and women’s football pioneer Hope Powell (who, for the record, was short listed for the Canada job in 2011) and became the better of it.
Canadian coach John Herdman talks about tiers in the women’s game. Tier 1 is your Japans, USAs, etc. Canada and, until recently anyway, England were clear Tier 2 programs.
CSN will argue that England is now a Tier 1.5 program. Not quite among the world’s best, but probably the best of the rest.
Give the English league another four years to grow and it might just shed that .5.
Player to watch:
Eniola Aluko
With a brother in the Premier League (well, sort of. He’s with Hull) and a Match of the Day appearance under her belt (first ever by a female. She criticised Wayne Rooney (ed: I like her!)) Aluko is becoming the face of post-Powell England.
Oh, and she scores a lot too.
Possible Achilles heel:
Lack of a veteran leader’s voice.
For years England was (in addition to Powell) Kelly Smith. Both women are gone. Who will fill the void?
Schedule:
June 9 v France (1pm ET – Moncton), June 13 v Mexico (4pm ET – Moncton), June 17 v Colombia (4pm ET – Montreal)
How it will end:
England is interesting. Although they have been drawn with a tough opponent in France the second place spot in the knock-out is going to be well positioned. They could likely play Norway in Round of 16.
The winner of that game goes through the 1A spot, which could be Canada or a third place winner. At the risk of losing our passport, CSN says if England wins its Round of 16 game (against a beatable opponent) it could easily find itself playing in a medal game.
3rd Mexico
Overview
The Mexicans have not taken advantage of their upset win over the US in Olympic qualifying from three years ago. In fact, they’ve gone backwards to the point that Costa Rica bypassed them in CONCACAF.
There is little reason to expect things to change at the Finals.
Player to watch:
Monica Ocampo
The diminutive player is capable of magic…including long stretches of invisibility.
Possible Achilles heel:
Confidence
It’s been a tough road for Mexico over the last few years and this team will need to be firing on all cylinders to challenge England or France.
Schedule:
June 9 v Colombia (4pm ET – Moncton), June 13 v England (4pm ET – Moncton), June 17 v France (4pm ET – Ottawa)
How it will end:
They might just have enough to get one of the best third place finisher’s places, but no more.
4th Colombia
Overview
CSN is picking them last with a giant caveat—no team in this World Cup has a bigger upside.
They are young and they appear to have talent. We say appear because South America is a bit of a wasteland for the women’s game and it’s hard to judge until we see Colombia play against the top sides.
Europe might be a step too far, but Mexico? Yeah, it’s possible Colombia could be good enough to challenge there.
Player to watch:
Yoreli Rincon
Just 21 (and looks even younger), mark Rincon down as “player from bottom of draw team most likely to be snatched up by far sexier club team after World Cup.”
Possible Achilles heel:
The schedule.
It’s such a green team and they play their most important game right off the hop. The promise is nice, but the gap between England and France is too large to expect an upset. So, can they come in 100 percent focused and not overwhelmed by the occasion in the game that, really, is their World Cup against Mexico?
Schedule:
June 9 v Mexico (4pm ET – Moncton), June 13 v England (4pm ET v Moncton), June 17 v France (4pm ET – Ottawa).
How will it end:
2015 is probably a cycle too soon, but the future is much brighter.