The Spanish women’s football team put up a dominant performance against England to win their maiden FIFA World Cup title. La Roja got the better of the Lionesses after Spanish skipper Olga Carmona scored the decisive goal in the summit clash. Apart from Spain, Sweden, England and Australia performed brilliantly at this year’s showpiece event.
In this article, we take a look at the best combined XI of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Goalkeeper
There should hardly be a debate for this spot. English goalkeeper and Golden Glove winner Mary Earps will comfortably walk into any team in the world. The Manchester United star earned three clean sheets in seven matches at the FIFA World Cup.
Defenders
Sweden’s Amanda Ilestedt will undoubtedly be the top-choice defender of the World Cup. Apart from displaying her effective defensive prowess, Amanda was even in contention for the Golden Boot award. The centre-back capped off the tournament with four goals to her name.
Partnering Amanda in the centre-back position will be England’s Alex Greenwood. The English footballer completed the most passes — 568 — in the competition. In terms of offensive gameplay, Greenwood looked quite sharp. She was third on the list of most chances created — 13 — at the World Cup.
Spanish skipper Olga Carmona finds herself most suited for the left-back. She scored two decisive goals in the semi-final and final to guide her side to their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup triumph.
The name Risa Shimizu may surprise many but the Japanese footballer’s overlapping runs and compact defensive game help her earn a spot on this elite team.
Midfielders
With 18 shots at goal and four strikes to her name, Dutch midfielder Jill Roord claims her spot in the combined best XI. The Netherlands, thanks to Roord’s prolific performance, succeeded in reaching the quarter-finals. A nimble-footed display, coupled with a strong physical presence, seals her spot in the combined world XI.
The Spanish duo of Teresa Abelleira and Aitana Bonmati complete the midfield. A statistical deep dive into the two Spanish players’ performances explains why they form part of the World Cup XI midfield. Completing 42 of her 44 passes, Bonmati was quite rightfully adjudged the winner of the Golden Ball award. The Barcelona midfielder recorded three goals and two assists in the competition. Abelleira, on the other hand, created the most number of chances — 24 — at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Forwards
Having netted five times at the World Cup, Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa won the Golden Boot. Picking Miyazawa is absolutely a no-brainer.
France’s Kadidiatou Diani is the perfect option for the role of the left wing. With 18 shots at goal, Diani managed to find the back of the net four times.
Spain’s Mariona Caldentey hit the headlines for missing the penalty in the final against England. But Caldentey has been a consistent performer for Spain in the competition. She came up with a solid show against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. Overall, she succeeded in creating 10 chances for the victorious La Roja.
