Under the spotlight: WSL talents eye Women’s World Cup impact
The Women’s World Cup is fast approaching and a number of Women’s Super League stars will be vying to light up the tournament.
Chelsea claimed the title after being pushed all the way by Manchester United, while Manchester City and Arsenal rounded off the top four – they and a host of other clubs have contributed talent to the showpiece event in Australia and New Zealand.
Ahead of the tournament, we used the Twenty3 Toolbox to pick out some of the top performers in the WSL aiming to make their mark this summer.
Khadija Shaw
Khadija Shaw is Jamaica’s all-time leading goalscorer at just 26 years old, having netted 56 times for the Reggae Girlz.
The Manchester City striker came second in the WSL golden boot race, scoring an impressive 20 goals.
She led the WSL for shots (110), headed shots (37) and touches in the opposition box (184), highlighting her ability to pick up dangerous positions.
Her shot map reveals a willingness to take on efforts from a variety of angles – she is proficient with both feet as well as in the air.
The shot placement map shows a propensity to shoot towards the centre or right of the goal, generally keeping her shots low rather than aiming for the top corners.
Khadija possesses considerable creative talents, too, completing 66 link-up plays and 12 key passes and recording five assists in the process.
The Reggae Girlz have been placed in a tough group with France and Brazil, so Shaw will be crucial if they are to reach the knockout stages.
Guro Reiten
Guro Reiten was the standout player for Chelsea in their fourth consecutive WSL triumph and will be leading Norway in their pursuit of World Cup glory.
She was the WSL’s leading assist-provider last season with 11, whilst also racking up nine goals.
The Norwegian’s pinpoint crossing was arguably her most potent creative weapon – she completed the third-most deliveries in the division (37) despite recording only the fifth-most attempts (81).
She also completed 39 link-up plays and all 21 of her attempted key passes, assisting a total of 46 shots.
Reiten is not afraid to pull the trigger herself, either, doing so on 32 occasions for the Blues in 2022-23.
With Reiten operating alongside Frida Maanum, Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg, Norway boast one of the most exciting front lines in Australia and New Zealand.
Yui Hasegawa
Japan midfielder Yui Hasegawa played in a deeper role for City last term and shone, completing 1,048 passes with an impressive 90.42% accuracy, as well as 38 long passes.
Her low centre of gravity, combined with nimble, close-control dribbling, makes her incredibly difficult to dispossess – she succeeded with 28 of her 43 attempted dribbles.
She can also create chances from deeper positions – last term, she assisted 11 shots and completed all of her five attempted key passes.
The 26-year-old is solid defensively, winning 95 of her 124 defensive duels while registering the second-most ball recoveries in the opposition half (134).
She will be an important player for Japan as she looks to win the midfield battle and help her nation dictate games.
Katie McCabe
Left-back Katie McCabe is a key cog in Arsenal’s squad who could prove even more vital for the Republic of Ireland.
The 27-year-old causes havoc on the left flank with her overlapping runs and ball-carrying abilities.
She managed 37 successful dribbles from 48 attempts and made 25 progressive runs as Arsenal looked to play through the thirds and unpick compact defences.
When she arrives in advanced areas, McCabe usually looks to provide a whipped cross – connecting with 24 wide deliveries last term.
Defensively, the Kilnamanagh native is equally adept at using her body to separate the ball from her opponent, winning 65 defensive duels and making 54 interceptions.
Captain McCabe leads the Republic of Ireland in their first-ever World Cup appearance and will be one to watch when they take to the field.
Alex Greenwood
England fans would have been worried after seeing centre-half Alex Greenwood go down in training with an injury.
The Lionesses have already lost captain Leah Williamson from their central defensive stable, while Millie Bright is yet to engage in full contact training as she races to be fit in time for the tournament.
However, Greenwood has since provided a positive update which will be a big relief for her manager Sarina Weigman and supporters alike.
Greenwood’s importance to the squad cannot be overstated – she is comfortable on the ball, topping the WSL for passes (1,404) and forward balls (571) completed.
Her ability to play out from the back even under pressure is crucial to helping England retain control of matches.
Without possession, City’s No5 is commanding, winning 24 fifty-fifty duels, 38 aerial duels and making 226 ball recoveries.
If England go deep at the World Cup, Greenwood will likely play a major role.
All visualisations and Smart Reports in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.