Fansided

Women’s World Cup 2019 Team of the Tournament

By Kevin Parvizi

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 28: Kadidiatou DIani of France in action during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Quarter Final match between France and USA at Parc des Princes on June 28, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 28: Kadidiatou DIani of France in action during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Quarter Final match between France and USA at Parc des Princes on June 28, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) /
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The 2019 Women’s World Cup was the best World Cup yet, and it featured countless brilliant individual performances. Here is a “Team of the Tournament” of the players who stood out the most.

While the United States won the 2019 Women’s World Cup, successfully defending their 2015 title win, they were far from the only team that looked like they were championship quality. Even before the final against the Netherlands, the United States were tested by Spain, France, and England in the knockout stages.

It’s unmistakable that this year’s World Cup contained even more quality than in tournaments past, as every country around the world continues to grow the women’s game. Far more work needs to be done, but the fact that there were so many “snubs” in this “Team of the Tournament” speaks volumes to how many world-class talents there are in the game right now.

GK Sari van Veenendaal, Netherlands

Now a household name, Sari van Veenendaal is the reason why the Netherlands were able to survive a gritty, extra time semifinal encounter against Sweden. She also kept the United States at bay for much of the game, and only a penalty from Megan Rapinoe and a trademark outside-the-box strike from Rose Lavelle could beat her.

Van Veenendaal, who has played for England’s best club team in Arsenal since 2015, came into the tournament as one of the best goalkeepers in the world and has exited the World Cup as an even bigger star. Fans across the world were in awe of some of the saves she made in the final, and the Netherlands have her to thank for being in the final in the first place.

After the group stages, it seemed like no keeper would have as profound of an impact on the tournament as Chile’s Christiane Endler, but for her consistency and awe-inspiring saves in two of the tournament’s biggest games, van Veenendaal gets the nod.

Honorable Mentions: Vanina Correa (Argentina), Christiane Endler (Chile), Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden), Peng Shimeng (China), Laura Giuliani (Italy)