The World Cup that is currently being held in Australia and New Zealand has reached its halfway point with the start of the quarterfinals. Spain, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Australia, France, England and Colombia are the national teams that have qualified for it. In the process, some of the favorites like Germany, Brazil, Norway or the USA have been left by the wayside. A lot of these squads have advanced thanks to the performance of some players who have stood above the rest.
The best players of the World Cup:
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain):
When speaking of Spain, Aitana Bonmatí has to be mentioned as their best player throughout the World Cup. The player was destined to be ‘La Roja’s’ compass and she has more than fulfilled the role. She has earned two MVP awards, one against Costa Rica on their debut and another in the round of 16 while facing Switzerland. The midfielder is not only great with possession of the ball, she is also one of the hardest working players without it. Her passing success rate is nearly perfect as she exceed the 90% mark in most matches.
Her performance against Switzerland was simply marvelous, a display appreciated by the fans who granted her a round of applause. One only had to go on social media to see how the football scene bowed down to such a display of dominance. The Catalonian player has three goals and two assists so far.
Jill Roord (Netherlands):
Four goals and one assist make her worthy of entering this list. She scored her last goal in the round of 16 against South Africa, giving her team an early lead that would help them secure a win against one of the most surprising nations of this World Cup. Jill Roord became the most expensive signing in the history of women’s football (400.000 euros fee) earlier this summer after joining Manchester City and the former Wolfsburg midfielder is proving to be worth every penny. Quality skills, great passing vision and the ability to score: a well-rounded midfielder at its finest.
Zećira Mušović (Sweden):
The wall of this World Cup is none other than Zećira Mušović. The story of the keeper with Serbian descent could be told in a documentary. She has been a headache to evey attacker she has faced in any match. With the round of 16 under wraps, she currently has 44 saves under her belt. Sweden made history by knocking out the USA in the penalty shootout, mainly thanks to the goalie’s resilience throughout the 120 minutes of the match. As a result, she was named the MVP of the match.
Hinata Miyazawa (Japan):
The Japanese forward has been one of the revelations of the World Cup. Miyazawa has scored five goals so far, tying her compatriot Homare Sawa’s record in just one tournament. Very few people put her among their favorites, but she is now the top candidate to win the Golden Boot of this World Cup. She is a lightning fast attacker with great instincts to score, a real headache for any defensive line that has to deal with her.
Hayley Raso (Australia):
Australia’s superstar, Sam Kerr, has not been fully healthy for the start of the World Cup. However, the co-hosts have managed to ‘replace’ her production with great team performance. One name to take away from their run is Hayley Raso’s, who just joined Real Madrid. She has scored three critical goals, one of them being key to advance in their round of 16 matchup against Denmark. Her main virtues are her pace and dribbling.
Kadodiatou Diani (France):
It is not surprising to see this player on the list. The French attacker possesses amazing talent and has displayed it in every match. Diani has managed four goals and three assists this World Cup. Olympique Lyonnais’ new striker is lethal in the box and a really consistent player. She has perfect synergy with Le Sommer, the other half of one of the most feared duos of this World Cup.
Lauren James (England):
The English forward has been in great form during her first World Cup as a starter at the young age of 21. As a result of her statistics, she has been one of the most surprising players of the tournament without a shadow of a doubt. Lauren James has recorded four goals and three assists so far. However, everything went wrong in England’s round of 16 matchup against Nigeria. The young player lost her mind and was sent off for intentionally stomping on an opponent’s foot. That image has stained her great run at the World Cup as the star of her national team. She will now have to serve a two-game suspension.
Linda Caicedo (Colombia):
She has just turned 18 and has been the sensation of this World Cup. Linda Caicedo has put her country on her back and allowed them to dream with her football. The Colombian has been brilliant in her debut and her goals have brought her a lot of attention. She has won two well-deserved MVP awards and everyone has only had good things to say about her. She has been talked about for years as a result of her performance in youth divisions, and rightfully so, as she keeps on proving her potential when facing seniors. Finesse, vision, speed and a good shot are some of her qualities. A player destined to be among the best in the world if she keeps on imprving at this rate.
Images: @SEFutbolFem, @TheMatildas & @FCFSeleccionCol.
Translated by Nuño Alonso.
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