By 
As we approach the highly anticipated Women’s World Cup final scheduled for Sunday, featuring a showdown between England and Spain, it’s fitting to highlight and acknowledge the exceptional performances of the standout players who have graced the tournament.
These remarkable individuals have consistently demonstrated their prowess and skills on the field, leaving an indelible mark on the competition.
Aitana Bonmati (Spain)
In the absence of Alexia Putellas due to a significant knee injury, Spain needed other players to step up for a shot at winning the World Cup. Bonmati, who plays alongside Putellas at Barcelona, answered that call.
The 25-year-old showcased her skill by scoring a remarkable goal against Costa Rica and delivering two more exceptional goals during the 5-1 victory against Switzerland. Her performance wasn’t limited to scoring; she also contributed two assists, displaying a masterful midfield performance.
Bonmati was among the three players who returned to the Spanish team for the World Cup after being part of the 15 players who declared last September that they wouldn’t be available for selection.
Her performances have been so impressive that she’s now a strong contender to succeed Putellas and win this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Alex Greenwood (England)
England, the reigning European champions, didn’t always shine, but their journey to the final was aided by their strong defense.
Alex Greenwood, the 29-year-old defender from Manchester City, played a pivotal role in maintaining England’s defensive solidity while also contributing to their passing game from the back.
During the group stage, England secured clean sheet victories of 1-0 against Haiti and Denmark. They managed to hold Nigeria to a goalless draw in 120 minutes and advanced to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 win on penalties.
Greenwood, somewhat underrated, emerged as a hero, displaying the same reliability in penalty shootouts as she did in defense. She calmly converted from the spot against Nigeria.
Beyond her defensive prowess, Greenwood’s passing skills, particularly in tight situations, were also impressive, making her arguably the best center-back in the tournament.
Linda Caicedo (Colombia)
The 18-year-old Real Madrid attacker brought her rare talents to a global audience for the first time.
She scored on her World Cup debut against South Korea, albeit with a helping hand from a goalkeeping howler, and netted again in a famous 2-1 win over Germany.
It was one of the goals of the tournament. Caicedo received the ball in the German box, beat two players and bent the ball into the opposite top corner.
The teenager, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 15 but made a full recovery, was though at the centre of another health concern.
Despite her young age, Caicedo has faced health challenges before. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 15, she made a remarkable recovery. Although she encountered another health scare during training, medical tests confirmed her well-being.
Hinata Miyazawa (Japan)
Japan bowed out 2-1 to Sweden in the quarter-finals but there is every chance that Miyazawa will win the golden boot for top scorer at the tournament.
The 23-year-old tops the charts with five goals, two of them coming in a 4-0 thumping of Spain in the group phase.
The attacking midfielder, who plays her football in Japan’s domestic league, also got an assist in that game.
What is even more impressive is that Miyazawa had never been prolific in front of goal prior to this for club or country.
But coach Futoshi Ikeda found a way to get the best out of her, Miyazawa often running at pace from deep on the counter-attack, then keeping her head to do the rest in front of goal.
Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)
The 30-year-old defender, who signed for Arsenal just before the tournament from Paris Saint-Germain, became a surprise contender to win the golden boot as she scored three times in Sweden’s first two games at the World Cup and then netted a fourth goal in the 2-1 win over Japan in the quarter-finals.
Ilestedt was a constant threat in opposition boxes at set-pieces as Sweden made it to a third semi-final in the last four World Cups. She also formed a formidable centre-back partnership with Magdalena Eriksson as Sweden went more than seven hours without conceding before Japan scored against them.
But it was her goal-scoring prowess that really made a mark and at one point prompted a reporter to ask if she had considered asking her coach if she could play up front.
Comments