Women’s World Cup 2023

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      Fans spot controversial tattoo on Argentina star Yamila Rodriguez’s leg at Women’s World Cup

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      FANS have spotted a controversial tattoo on the leg of Argentina star Yamila Rodriguez.La Albiceleste got their Women’s World Cup campaign under way on Monday, losing their opener to Italy 1-0.
      Yamila Rodriguez has a controversial tattooCredit: Getty
      The attacker has both the faces of Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona on her legCredit: Getty
      Rodriguez, 25, came off the bench in the game but supporters were left shocked after seeing a tattoo of Cristiano Ronaldo’s face on her leg.
      The Al-Nassr star has had a long rivalry with Argentine hero Lionel Messi in a battle to be regarded as the greatest player ever.
      And after his World Cup triumph in Qatar last year, surely all from his home nation back Messi in the GOAT debate.
      But Rodriguez is firmly in team Ronaldo.
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      Speaking ahead of the World Cup, she explained her tattoo, saying: “Ronaldo is, without a doubt, the best player in the world.
      “I watched him play and thought: how can he be so perfect? He surprises me with everything that he does.
      “With this tattoo, now I have Cristiano with me forever.”
      Rodriguez also named Ronaldo as her idol and stated “not Messi” in an interview last summer.
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      The forward plays her club football for Brazilian side Palmeiras after previously being on the books of Boca Juniors.
      Rodriguez also cites Diego Maradona as another one of her role models and she also has his face on her thigh. More

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      Lionesses legend Jill Scott vows to get extremely X-rated tattoo if England win Women’s World Cup

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      JILL SCOTT has vowed to get an extremely daring tattoo if England win the World Cup.The England Lionesses legend, 36, made the claim on her BBC podcast, Jill Scott’s Coffee Club.
      Jill Scott gives Germany’s Sydney Lohmann a piece of her mind during the Euro 2022 finalCredit: Reuters
      She was talking about her infamous swearing incident, when she was spotted mouthing off at a German player during the Euro 2022 final, admitting she would get an acronym of her swearing tirade.
      Scott said: “I’m going to make a pact now live on the podcast, OK?
      “I don’t know if I should be doing this, I’ve had a few coffees today.
      “But when England win the World Cup, I will get FOYFP tattooed on me.”
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      The incident referred to when Scott was fouled by Germany’s Syndey Lohmann. The England star immediately sprang to her feet to give her opponent a piece of her mind.
      She could be seen saying: “F*** off you f***ing p****” which was caught on camera.
      BBC commentator Robyn Cowen apologised to offended viewers straight away as it was clear what Scott said, even without sound.
      Scott has since revealed she hates swearing and was embarrassed by the viral moment.
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      She told talkSPORT: “Keira Walsh said I came on the pitch and was like ‘everyone calm down, keep your head, we’ve got a job to do for extra time’ and then obviously that went viral, me swearing at her.
      “I do apologise for the swearing, I actually hate swearing away from football but once I cross over that white line I feel like I have to be angry and emotional to get my performance out of me. 
      “She did swear at me first but the camera was the other way but I do apologise.”
      England’s Women’s World Cup campaign got off to a winning start against Haiti.
      The Lionesses scraped past the minnows after Georgia Stanway came to the rescue to spare her country’s blushes.
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      But they had goalkeeper Mary Earps to thank for preserving their lead.
      Earps pulled off a series of saves to ensure England earned all three points.
      A clash with Denmark in Sydney is up next for Wiegman’s side who are currently second in Group D. More

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      Rachel Daly says ‘no one is happy to sit on bench’ but admits England boss Wiegman has a selection headache

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      RACHEL DALY admits it’s tough to start on the bench for England – but acknowledged Sarina Wiegman’s World Cup selection headache.The WSL Golden Boot winner was a sub during the Lionesses’ group stage defeat of Haiti with Alessia Russo given the starting XI nod.  
      Rachel Daly admits Sarina Wiegman is facing a selection headache in terms of starters for England’s striker role at the World CupCredit: Getty
      Daly was deployed as a second half substitute during England’s 1-0 Group D defeat of Haiti in the tournamentCredit: AP
      Daly and her team-mates will take on Denmark next after sealing a group stage opening win in BrisbaneCredit: Reuters
      And team-mate Bethany England is yet to make an appearance for the Euros champs in the contest. 
      England number nine Daly entered the fray in place of Russo in the 76th minute of their clash with Haiti on Saturday in Brisbane. 
      The Aston Villa striker, who netted 22 goals in 22 WSL games last term, came close to doubling her team’s lead three minutes later.
      Had her header found the back of the net it would have seen the Lionesses end an open play scoring dry spell with the team goalless in their previous two fixtures.
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      On if it is frustrating to be on the Lionesses’ bench, Daly said: “No one is happy to sit on the bench.  
      “If you are, then you are not in the right place, not in the right career. 
      “It’s a tough place for Sarina to be in to pick the team.
      “And I respect her decisions and I will support Alessia all the way and I know Bethany (England) will do the same.
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      “That’s the beauty of having a competitive squad.
      “Everybody is digging out for a position. It’s a headache Sarina has to have in multiple positions. 
      “I wouldn’t like to be in her shoes obviously making such big decisions coming into tournaments. 
      “But she’s a fantastic manager, we respect all of her decisions. It proved tonight that it works, so we are happy.”
      Whilst having 11 shots on target to Haiti’s two, England found themselves under pressure from the contest debutants, ranked the 56th best team in the world.
      Melchie Dumornay, Nerilla Mondesir and 5ft 4in goalkeeper Kerly Theus were among Haiti’s standout performers, with Theus pulling off some stunning saves.  
      Daly, who has 70 England caps, added: “Haiti were a fantastic side and they are a force to be reckoned with. I think they will do some damage. 
      “You have got to give credit to the opposition as they were brilliant.”
      The second-half introduction of Lauren James and Daly gave Wiegman’s side more zeal in attack with James teeing up Kelly who fired wide late on. 
      However the sole goal of the game from England, who play Denmark on Friday, came from Georgia Stanway’s retaken spot-tick. 
      This means the usually clinical Lionesses have now gone 337 minutes without burying a non set-piece goal. 
      Daly added: “You could put it down to a number of things, but I think we are quite a new side, a relatively new side. 
      “We have lost a lot of players through injury and retirement.
      “We are still building, but I don’t think it’s a worry and a concern at the minute. Hopefully, more will come.”
      The result of England’s clash with Denmark is likely to play a key role in determining which side finishes top of Group D. 
      The Danes are currently in pole position after sealing a narrow 1-0 against China on Saturday.
      A duel with China on Tuesday 1 August will following England’s Group D clash with DenmarkCredit: Getty
      Some observers believe England’s slim win against Haiti is comparable to their 1-0 defeat of Austria during their march to Euros glory. 
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      Daly said: “It’s three points on the board, we will take that.
      “That’s all that matters coming out of games in the group (stage).” More

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      Women’s World Cup stars forced to flee New Zealand hotel after arson attack sparks ‘devastating’ blaze

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      THE New Zealand women’s national team had to be temporarily evacuated from their hotel on Saturday night after a suspected arson attack.Emergency services were called to the Pullman Hotel in Auckland just before 8pm after the alarms were set off.
      New Zealand stars were evacuated from their hotel on SaturdayCredit: EPA
      The police have been on high alert in AucklandCredit: AP
      They arrived at the scene to find that the building was full of smoke due to several fires.
      According to The New Zealand Herald, the Football Ferns – who won the opening game of the tournament 1-0 against Norway – were evacuated through a stairwell before being sent to a nearby private restaurant.
      They then had to wait before receiving confirmation that they would be able to return to their team base.
      An official statement from New Zealand Football read: “New Zealand Football can confirm that the Football Ferns team and staff have been temporarily evacuated from the Pullman Hotel, their team base for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, due to a fire.
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      “All of the team and staff are safe and accounted for.”
      New Zealand police later confirmed that a 34-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the fire.
      A spokesperson said: “A man has been arrested following a suspicious fire at a premises on Waterloo Quad, Auckland Central last night.
      “The 34-year-old has been charged with burglary and arson and is due to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday.”
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      On Sunday, New Zealand defender CJ Bott revealed that some players encountered smoke while evacuating the hotel.
      During a press conference, she said: “It was devastating and it definitely threw a spanner in the works for us.
      “It’s not ideal and it’s not a situation anyone wants to be in.
      “Yeah, one of the fire exits was a bit smoky but the majority of us got down the other safe exit and we exited the building perfectly fine.”
      Gabi Rennie added: “We had really good security on board that gave us really good instruction and we all kind of dealt with it pretty well.
      “I think our team is pretty good with dealing with adversity. So it’s just another kind of test.”
      The fire occurred just a matter of days after Auckland was rocked by a fatal shooting which left two people dead and six injured.
      New Zealand will be in action again on Tuesday against the Philippines. More

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      I used to be a cleaner after hanging up my boots, now I’m managing at the Women’s World Cup and have beaten Lionel Messi

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      HERVE RENARD worked as a cleaner after he quit playing but is now managing at the Women’s World Cup.The Frenchman’s nomadic managerial career also saw him beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar last year.
      Herve Renard worked as a cleaner after hanging up his boots
      However, Renard will now be taking charge of his native France in Australia and New Zealand this month.
      He has come a long way from the start of his coaching career, though, which began with SC Draguignan.
      After hanging up hs boots he took up a coaching role with the club alongside a job as a cleaner.
      Reflecting on the period in 2019, he told the BBC: “I woke up at 2:30 in the morning, finished around noon and then left at 5pm for training at Draguignan.
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      “We trained and I’d return at around 9pm to eat and then go to bed at 11pm. That was my rhythm of life for eight years.”
      Renard also completed his coaching badges whilst working as a cleaner.
      “I’m proud of having done it,” he added. “Being a footballer is an exceptional life, we have a privileged life and we must not forget that.”
      The 54-year-old later had a spell as manager of Cambridge in 2004 but has had most of his success in international football.
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      A two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner with Zambia and the Ivory Coast, his Saudi Arabia side also impressed at last year’s World Cup.
      Renard saw his side come from behind to beat eventual winners Argentina 2-1 in their opening match.
      Herve Renard beat Argentina with Saudi Arabia at the World Cup in Qatar
      He will be hoping for more success in Sydney on Sunday as France begin their Women’s World Cup campaign against Jamaica.
      The 2019 hosts will also take on Brazil and Panama in the group stage. More

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      Ian Wright calls for BAN on popular signs spotted at England’s World Cup win as fans say ‘it’s pretty cringe’

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      ARSENAL legend Ian Wright has called for a ban on player shirt signs at football matches.The former striker was in attendance at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday to watch England’s 1-0 win over Haiti in the Women’s World Cup.
      Wright has called for shirt signs to be banned from footballCredit: Getty
      Some fans took signs into the stadium for England vs HaitiCredit: Reuters
      But midway through the first half, he became distracted after spotting a fan with a sign asking for a player’s shirt.
      Wright then took to Twitter to call for the signs to be axed from live football.
      He tweeted: “We have to ban those signs asking for player shirts!!! Kmt.”
      Many fans agreed with the Arsenal icon, with one person adding: “Been saying this for ages!”
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      Another wrote: “It’s pretty cringe. I can’t imagine many players pick them to give the shirt to though do they?”
      While a third commented: “Absolutely does my head in, fans are there to support, they shouldn’t be going there begging for shirts or expecting to get one.”
      However, one fan argued: “No… It means a lot to the kids. It’s up to the players to ignore them if they want to.”
      England kicked off their Women’s World Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over tournament debutants Haiti.
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      Georgia Stanway scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in dramatic fashion.
      The referee awarded the Lionesses a spot-kick after Batcheba Louis handled the ball in the penalty area.
      Stanway stepped up to take the kick, but her shot was saved by Kerly Theus.
      Following a VAR check, the England midfielder had to take the penalty again after replays showed that Theus had prematurely come off her line.
      The Lionesses had a series of chances during the second half, but they struggled to make the most of any of them.
      Haiti came close to levelling the score late in the game when Roseline Éloissaint broke through the defence before unleashing a low-driven strike, but Mary Earps made an outstanding save to keep the clean sheet. More

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      Women’s World Cup 2023 top scorer race: Who can win the golden boot?

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      SUMMER has been saved as the Women’s World Cup is finally underway and that means another chance for someone to take win the Golden Boot.Megan Rapinoe fired USA to a World Cup win in 2019 at the expense of the Netherlands.
      USA won the Women’s World Cup 2019Credit: PA
      And it turned out to be the perfect tournament for the American star as she also collected the Golden Boot with six goals.
      But who will take home the prestigious prize this time round?
      Women’s World Cup Golden Boot standings
      American idol Sophia Smith has raced ahead following her double against Vietnam.
      But English star Georgia Stanway got off the mark with her retaken penalty in the Haiti win.
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      Sophia Smith – USA – 2
      Georgia Stanway – England – 1
      Ramona Bachmann – Switzerland – 1
      Hannah Wilkinson – New Zealand – 1
      Seraina Piubel – Switzerland – 1
      Aitana Bonmati – Spain – 1
      Steph Catley – Australia – 1
      Lindsey Horan – USA – 1

      Who are the contenders for the Women’s World Cup golden boot?
      USWNT’s Alex Morgan is a likely candidate after netting 15 goals in 17 appearances in last season’s NWSL.
      The 34-year-old striker has 208 caps for USA Women’s National Team and has scored an eye-opening 121 goals for her country.
      Alexandra Popp – the Germany and Wolfsburg striker heartbreakingly missed out on the Euro’s 2022 final against England after picking up an injury in the warm-up – where she was level on six goals with Beth Mead going into the final.
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      She went on to win the Frauen-Bundesliga golden boot after scoring 15 this season and will be looking to add to her 62-goal tally for Germany.
      Rachel Daly – this season’s WSL golden boot winner with 22 goals for Aston Villa, beating Sam Kerr and Khadija Shaw to the trophy.
      The English striker who surprisingly played left back in the 2022 Euros – will hope to be in Sarina Wiegman’s starting XI as her aerial presence and threat in front of goal will no doubt leave her in high contention for this award.
      Megan Rapinoe won the golden boot award at the 2019 Women’s World Cup where the USA were crowned champions for the second consecutive tournament.
      Rapinoe, 38, has announced she will retire at the end of next season after a stellar career receiving accolades such as the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2019. 
      Mallory Swanson was the anticipated replacement for Rapinoe until she suffered a torn patella tendon in a friendly against Ireland in April – shattering her World Cup dreams. 
      22-year-old Sophia Smith has a big role to play now in the USA’s quest for their third consecutive World Cup win. 
      The Portland Thorns striker already has 12 goals in 30 appearances and her goal contributions helped her country qualify for this World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.
      Who are the past winners of the Women’s World Cup golden boot?
      2019: Megan Rapinoe – 6 (USA)
      2015: Celia Sasic – 6 (Germany)
      2011: Homare Sawa – 5 (Japan)
      2007: Marta – 7 (Brazil)
      2003: Birgit Prinz – 7 (Germany)
      1999: Sissi – 7 (Brazil) & Sun Wen – 7 (China) 
      1995: Ann-Kristin Aarones – 6 (Norway)
      1991: Michelle Akers – 10 (USA)
      What are the Women’s World Cup groups?
      Group A

      New Zealand
      Norway
      Philippines
      Switzerland

      Group B

      Australia
      Republic of Ireland
      Nigeria
      Canada

      Group C

      Spain
      Costa Rica
      Zambia
      Japan

      Group D

      Group E

      USA
      Vietnam
      The Netherlands
      Portugal

      Group F

      France
      Jamaica
      Brazil
      Panama

      Group G

      Sweden
      South Africa
      Italy
      Argentina

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      Group H

      Germany
      Morocco
      Columbia
      Korea Republic More

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      Fans send cheeky plea to Prince William after he posts good luck message to England ahead of World Cup clash

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      PRINCE WILLIAM has received a cheeky request after sending England Women a good luck message.The FA chairman wished the Lionesses well ahead of their World Cup campaign, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand.
      Prince William met with the England Women’s team last monthCredit: Reuters
      England got their campaign underway against Haiti with the Prince tweeting the team before the match.
      He wrote: “Good luck @Lionesses we’re all cheering you on!”
      In response a fan down under asked William if he will be making the trip to Australia to watch the team live.
      They asked: “Will you be cheering on from the stands ???? Hope HRHs come to Australia for a World Cup we would love to see you!”
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      It remains to be seen whether William will travel to watch the World Cup – but he is an avid fan.
      He met with the Lionesses at St George’s Park last month and praised the European champions for “achieving so much and inspiring so many”.

      Last year the Prince embraced many of the squad as they won Euro 2022, beating Germany in the final.
      He hugged players as they received their medals, looking absolutely delighted as he did so.
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      Captain Leah Williamson revealed HRH told the squad how proud he was of their achievement.
      Princess Charlotte is also a big fan and sent the team a good luck message ahead of the Euros.
      Sarina Wiegman’s side got off to a dream start by beating Haiti – and they take on Denmark and China next in Group D. More