WWC 2023: Group C Preview
Spain have yet to reach even the semifinals of a major tournament, but are a trendy title winner pick this year thanks to a few years of good results and a sharp influx of talent. Can reigning Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas help them seize the moment?
Spain
FIFA Rank: #6
Qualified as: Winners of UEFA Group B
The Skinny
Spain's trajectory from nobodies to 'seeded team at the World Cup' has been discernibly sharp. La Roja didn't qualify for a single World Cup until the 2015 edition, where they finished last in their group, and didn't qualify for a single European Championship until 2013. Since then, though, they've qualified for and reached the quarterfinals of the last three European Cups, and in the 2019 World Cup, reached the knockout stages in just their second-ever appearance. Plus, their squad is all of a sudden littered with some of the best talent in the world; signs of a "golden generation" can be found, ironically in their last two competitive tournament losses. Their Round of 16 exit in the 2019 World Cup came at the hands of eventual champions USA, and only after a controversial late penalty call. Similarly, their quarterfinal exit at last summer's Euros came at the hands of hosts and eventual champions England, and only after a last-minute England equalizer sent the match to extra time. The parts are clearly there for them to break through; the big question for Spain, other than whether its stars can stay healthy, will be whether the player labor dispute that kicked off last Fall is still an issue and proves to a distraction.
Costa Rica
FIFA Rank: #36
Qualified as: Semifinalists in 2022 CONCACAF W Championship
The Skinny
Costa Rica have rarely been able to make any sort of impression outside of North America, thanks to playing in a region so comprehensively dominated by the United States and Canada. But in their sole World Cup appearance back in 2015, they actually acquitted themselves quite nicely, losing only one match, a competitive 0-1 decision to Brazil, and finishing ahead of none other than Spain in their group. After a surprise berth in last summer's CONCACAF W Championship semifinals, they sealed a spot in the field this year, and will be looking to replicate their solid performance from 2015, this time against perhaps an easier group of opponents.
Zambia
FIFA Rank: #77
Qualified as: Semifinalists in 2022 African Cup of Nations
The Skinny
Few qualifiers made quite as many shockwaves as the Copper Queens did when they finished 3rd place in last summer's African Cup, and clinched their first-ever appearance in the World Cup. Zambia is easily the lowest-ranked side in this tournament, and as such, you may expect them to just be happy to be here, but don't tell them that. They overachieved in the African Cup for a reason, and if their recent thrilling upset of Germany is any indication, they will not be afraid to take anyone on down under.
Japan
FIFA Rank: #11
Qualified as: Semifinalists in 2022 AFC Asian Cup
The Skinny
Japan's time as an elite program seems to have gone as quickly as it came. They had played in every World Cup but had never made it past the group stage when in 2011, they only went out and won the whole damn thing. Lest anyone thought this may be a one-off Cinderella run, they returned to the Gold Medal match the following summer in the 2012 Olympics, as well as the final of the 2015 World Cup, though in both cases they did fall to the United States. Couple those with back-to-back Asian titles in 2014 and '18, and it's not a stretch to say Nadeshiko were matched only by the U.S. in quality over the last decade. That said, there has been an evident falling-off in the few years since, between a Round of 16 exit at the 2019 Cup, quarterfinal exit in the 2021 Olympics, and semifinal loss in last year's Asian Cup. Japan may not strike fear into opponents' hearts the way they did last decade, but they do still have the horses to be a real contender. Only time will tell whether they can recapture some of the mojo from their golden era; they're nicely positioned in this group at least.
Group C Best XI
All four Group C nations are represented in this Best XI, although it is dominated by one in particular. Costa Rica gets on the board thanks to Portland Thorns' patrolling midfielder Raquel Rodriguez, and Japan's Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) is the level of player that could have walked on to their 2011 World Cup team were she not, you know, a pre-teen at the time. Zambia's Barbara Banda and Rachel Kundananji form one of the most low-key impressive forward tandems of any team this summer; while it was Banda who scored the worldie to beat Germany last week, it's actually Real Madrid's Kundananji that I expect to steal the show up top. Everywhere else on this team, though, is filled with members of the Spanish squad. An entire back line of Barcelona and Real Madrid players will be one of the best in the competition. In the middle of the park, Aitana Bonmatí, who ESPN recently deemed the 2nd-best player at this World Cup, will attempt to replicate her Champions League form. Up top, La Roja boast veteran goalscorer Jenni Hermoso (who tormented the U.S. four years ago), and oh right, bolstering her in attack is the two-time defending Ballon d'Or winner, Alexia Putellas, who returns from injury just in time to lead her country out on the biggest stage.
Group Prediction
Unlike the first two groups we previewed, which feel wide open, I expect the drama in this group will only arrive on the final matchday. At that time, I anticipate Costa Rica will face Zambia for 3rd place in the group, while Spain face Japan for top honors. I'm going with the slight upset in the consolation match; I think the 1-2 punch of Zambia's strikeforce will give the newbies their first-ever World Cup victory. As for the group 'championship,' Japan still has too much talent to be counted out, but I'm riding with Spain. I'm very high on La Roja coming into this tournament; if there's any team that's going to pull the same trajectory the Netherlands did in 2019-- lay dormant for a number of years before overachieving in their first-ever World Cup, then exploding all the way to the Final in their next one --it's Spain, in my opinion.
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