At 16:30 China time on July 24, the first round of Group H in the Australia and New Zealand Women’s World Cup will see Germany face Morocco at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Currently ranked second in the world, Germany has won the Women’s World Cup twice and is considered one of the top contenders for the title alongside the United States, England, and Spain in this year’s tournament. Germany has participated in all eight previous editions of the Women’s World Cup, achieving two championships (2003, 2007), one runner-up finish (1995), and two fourth-place finishes (1991, 2015). They have also reached the quarterfinals three times (1999, 2011, 2019), making them the top-ranked team in the history of the Women’s World Cup.
Morocco, currently ranked 72nd in the world, finished as runners-up in the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations, marking their first appearance in the Women’s World Cup finals. Despite being the lowest-ranked team in their group, Morocco is not without fighting spirit.
The head coach of the German women’s national team is 55-year-old Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, who led Germany to the quarterfinals of the 2019 Women’s World Cup and to the final of the 2022 Women’s Euro, where they narrowly lost to England, finishing as runners-up.
The German squad is filled with star players, including captain Alexandra Popp, often referred to as the female Erling Haaland. Popp is a versatile player capable of playing any position in the attacking midfield, solidifying her status as a key figure in the German team. Additionally, 21-year-old midfielder Lea Schüller, who plays for Wolfsburg, is a rising star who played a crucial role in securing Germany’s place in the Women’s Euro final.
Morocco’s head coach is 51-year-old Patrice Neveu, formerly the head coach of Olympique Lyonnais, leading the team to consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League titles in 2018 and 2019. He began coaching the Moroccan national team in 2020. The core player of the Moroccan team is Khadija Shaw, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur. Although Shaw previously represented the England youth teams and could have played for Scotland, she ultimately chose to represent Morocco, her father’s country, at the senior level. Her off-the-ball movement and ability to disrupt opponents’ defenses create significant space for her teammates.
The two teams have never faced each other in history, making this encounter a true clash of the unknown. In pre-World Cup friendlies, Germany surprisingly lost to another World Cup debutant, Zambia, while Morocco, despite losing to Jamaica, managed to draw with a strong European side, Italy. Given the significant disparity in strength between the two teams, and considering Germany’s reputation for not holding back, whether it be in men’s or women’s football, Voss-Tecklenburg’s team may go all out to boost their currently uncertain morale. >>”>For more predictions and analysis of this match, click here>>>
