Comprehensive predictions for the Women's World Cup
With the Women's World Cup kicking off today, we're peering into our crystal balls to predict what we think will happen during the next month in France.
Most excited about ...
Michael Chandler: Canada. Christine Sinclair called this squad the best Canadian team ever assembled, and few are a better judge than the player entering her fifth World Cup. Sinclair is just four goals shy of eclipsing Abby Wambach's international record of 184, and the iconic striker should manage the feat early on with Canada's first two matches against Cameroon and New Zealand.
Gianluca Nesci: The sheer talent on display. This is the best collection of teams in the history of the Women's World Cup, with no fewer than eight sides harboring realistic ambitions of capturing the title. Each of those nations boasts multiple superstars, and many opt for open, attacking brands of football - some at the expense of their defensive structure. Simply put, this will be the most entertaining World Cup yet.
Top scorer
Chandler: Vivianne Miedema. The Netherlands is one of the best attacking sides in the tournament and boasts a slew of world-class talents who excel when surging forward with pace. Arsenal star Miedema, who set the Women's Super League (WSL) record for goals in a season with 22, will combine with Lyon speed demon Shanice van de Sanden and 2017 Player of the Year Lieke Martens to great effect.
Nesci: Sam Kerr. Australia's captain, widely viewed as the best player at the tournament, is the all-time leading scorer in both the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and Australia's W-League. The Matildas' aggressive style lends itself to wild, high-scoring matches, so Kerr will need to find the net regularly to paper over some defensive concerns. With 23 goals in her last 26 international appearances, there's no reason to believe she won't.
Biggest flop
Chandler: Jill Ellis' United States squad is the oldest in the tournament, and even with an attack-first ethos guided by a star-studded core, the backline is a concern with Kelley O'Hara nursing an injury and Crystal Dunn playing out of position. An underwhelming calendar year that featured multiple goals conceded in successive matches for the first time since 2011 hints at what could be a shocking early exit. A quarterfinal loss to France beckons.
Nesci: England. The Three Lionesses are rife with skill, but there are questions about inexperienced - perhaps underqualified - manager Phil Neville's ability to put all the pieces together. His recent conservative tactics have set off some alarm bells, with defeats to Canada and, more worryingly, New Zealand suggesting he hasn't quite figured out the right balance. Not an ideal way to go into a tournament in which big things are expected.
Breakout star
Chandler: Delphine Cascarino. France's attack is boosted by the presence of the skillful right-winger. The 22-year-old Lyon star-in-the-making is nightmare fuel for full-backs thanks to a cocktail of dizzying dribbling and intricate interplay with the likes of Eugenie Le Sommer and Valerie Gauvin. Get those nutmeg counters ready.
Nesci: Lea Schuller. Lining up alongside playmaker extraordinaire Dzsenifer Marozsan certainly makes life easier, but the 21-year-old SGS Essen forward is perfectly capable of carving open opposing backlines on her own. Just ask the Czech Republic, against which Schuller scored four goals in a World Cup qualifier last year. A surprise Golden Boot win isn't out of the question for the German.
Dark horse
Chandler: The Netherlands. We're not sure if an eighth-ranked team that won Euro 2017 can be considered a dark-horse pick, but the star-studded names that litter the Dutch attack and midfield could be enough to ensure progression to the last four. Sarina Wiegman's lot are a mess at the back, but midfielder Danielle van de Donk is a technical wizard and the forwards are elite.
Nesci: Canada. Much like the previous pick, it feels strange to call the No. 5 team in the world an outsider, but aside from Sinclair, the Canadians lack the name recognition of other world powers. Don't let that fool you. The betting markets are sleeping on the Canucks, who are defensively solid, balanced from top to bottom, and come into the tournament in excellent form. A deep run is in the cards.
Tournament final - and winner
Chandler: France. On home soil with an experienced manager, Les Bleues will top the Netherlands in the final thanks to a balanced squad rife with match-winners. Wendie Renard and Griedge Mbock form a robust central defensive pairing, Amel Majri is a stellar full-back, midfield pairing Elise Bussaglia and Amandine Henry are reliable, and the attack is stacked.
Nesci: Defying my colleague's pick as a flop and going with the United States. A safe choice, no doubt, but it's hard to look past the star-studded roster, even if the team is carrying some injury concerns into the competition. Such is the depth of the USWNT. Canada will provide stern opposition in a feisty final, but the Americans, as they're wont to do, will once again get the best of their North America rival and retain the crown.