The Women’s World Cup is just around the corner. It comes the excitement of knowing who will be crowned the champions. But just as important as winning the tournament is winning the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the top scorer. These are just a few of the contenders for the Golden Boot at this summer’s Women’s World Cup. It is sure to be a hotly contested race. It will be exciting to see who comes out on top.
Here are six contenders for the Golden Boot at this summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Sam Kerr (Australia)
Sam Kerr is the captain of Australia and one of the best strikers in the world. She is known for her powerful and clinical finishing, as well as her devastating movement. She will have a great supporting cast in Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso, and Steph Catley’s dead ball delivery will be a threat to any defense. Kerr is expected to deliver for the Matildas on home soil. She will be looking to score goals in any way she can.
- Kerr is the all-time leading scorer for Australia, with 59 goals in 100 appearances.
- She won the Golden Boot in the Women’s Super League in 2020-21, scoring 21 goals for Chelsea.
- She was named the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year in 2021.
- Kerr is a versatile striker who can score goals from all over the pitch. She is also a strong dribbler and passer, and she is a threat in the air.
Sophia Smith (USA)
Sophia Smith is a rising star for the USWNT and Portland Thorns. She is a prolific goalscorer, with 12 international goals to her name at the age of 22. Sophia is a threat with her pace in behind and her ability to take defenders on. She can score goals from both wide and central positions. While she may not be the most threatening in the air, she makes up for it in other areas.
- Smith was the first teenager to be selected first overall in the NWSL draft.
- She won the NWSL Rookie of the Year award in 2020.
- She was named to the NWSL Best XI in 2022.
- She is a versatile player who can play as a winger or a striker.
- She is a strong dribbler and passer, and she is also a good finisher.
Alexandra Popp (Germany)
Alexandra Popp is the captain of the German national team and one of the most prolific strikers in the world. She is strong, selfless, and superb in the air, and she has scored 62 international goals.
Popp had a good World Cup in 2015, scoring once, and she also scored twice in 2019. However, her best tournament to date was the 2022 Euros, when she scored six goals before injury ruled her out of the final.
Popp will be looking to make up for her World Cup disappointments in 2023. She has the quality to do so, and she will be a key player for Germany in their quest to win the trophy.
- Popp is a versatile striker who can play as a target forward or as a poacher.
- She is a strong leader and a good role model for young players.
- She is a passionate and dedicated player who is always willing to work hard for her team.
Alessia Russo / Rachel Daly (England)
Bethany England is another striker who could be in contention for a starting spot for England at the World Cup. She is a prolific goalscorer, having scored 22 goals in 22 WSL appearances for Aston Villa in 2022/23. She is also a versatile player who can play as a centre-forward or as a winger.
With Ellen White retired, England will be looking for a new striker to lead their attack. Daly and Russo are the two main contenders, but England could also be in the mix. She will be hoping to start the tournament strongly and stake her claim for a regular place in the team.
- England has 10 goals in 21 appearances for England.
- She was named the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2015.
- She won the WSL Golden Boot in 2017.
- She is a strong and powerful player who is good in the air.
- She is also a good dribbler and passer.
Barbra Banda (Zambia)
Barbra Banda is a striker for the Zambian national team. She is known for her prolific goalscoring, and she is one of the most exciting young players in the world.
Banda scored back-to-back hat-tricks against China and the Netherlands at the 2021 Olympics, becoming the first player to ever do so at an Olympic games. She also scored twice as Zambia stunned Germany in a 3-2 win last week.
Banda has 28 goals in 37 international appearances, and she is expected to be a key player for Zambia at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Zambia face Spain, Costa Rica, and Japan in the group stage, and they will be hoping to cause a shock and reach the knockout rounds. If they do, Banda will be at the heart of it.
- Banda is a powerful and clinical striker, with a great shot from both feet.
- She is also a good dribbler and passer, and she is a threat in the air.
- She is a versatile player who can play as a centre-forward or as a winger.
- She is a rising star in women’s football, and she is sure to be one of the players to watch at the 2023 World Cup.
Alex Morgan (USA)
Morgan is one of the most prolific goal scorers in the world, and she will be looking to add to her tally of 117 goals for the United States. She is also a two-time World Cup champion, and she will be hoping to lead her team to victory in Australia and New Zealand.
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands)
Miedema is the all-time leading scorer for the Netherlands, and she will be looking to add to her tally of 92 goals. She is also a two-time European champion, and she will be hoping to lead her team to World Cup glory.
Marta (Brazil)
Marta is one of the greatest players of all time, and she will be looking to add to her tally of 17 goals at the World Cup. She is a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, and she will be hoping to lead Brazil to their first World Cup title since 2007.
Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Rapinoe is a two-time World Cup champion, and she will be looking to add to her tally of six goals. She is also a vocal advocate for social justice, and she will be hoping to use the World Cup platform to raise awareness of important issues.
Christine Sinclair (Canada)
Sinclair is the all-time leading scorer in international soccer, and she will be looking to add to her tally of 186 goals. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and she will be hoping to lead Canada to their first World Cup title.
Conclusion
The Women’s World Cup is just around the corner, and the race for the Golden Boot is sure to be hotly contested. With so many talented goalscorers in the tournament, it will be exciting to see who comes out on top.
Some of the top contenders for the Golden Boot include Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr, Vivianne Miedema, Marta, Megan Rapinoe, and Christine Sinclair. These players have all proven their goalscoring ability at the highest level, and they will be looking to add to their tallies at the World Cup.
It is also worth keeping an eye out for some of the younger players in the tournament. Players like Sophia Smith, Barbra Banda, and Khadija Shaw have all shown great potential, and they could be surprise contenders for the Golden Boot.
The Women’s World Cup is sure to be a thrilling tournament, and the race for the Golden Boot will be one of the most exciting storylines. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top and who writes their name into the history books.
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