2023 Women’s World Cup: Team of the Tournament

From July 20 to August 20, the Women’s World Cup has captivated the world, demonstrating the immense talent throughout the world of women’s football. 

It was the perfect display of how far the women’s game has come over the last few years. The momentum of the European championship set the stage for a historic 32-team World Cup across two countries in the Southern Hemisphere. 64 matches transpired as the most talented women in the sport of football confirmed what continued investment of their sport can do.

With the USWNT falling short in the knockout rounds, the competition became wide open. Whether it was heart-pounding penalty shootouts or the tournament’s underdogs taking it to numerous contenders, the sport took a giant leap forward this summer. The work is still unfinished as many federations continue to display some kind of inequity in the way they do things.

The hope is that on the back of this World Cup, the entire world will realize the power and talent each and every women possesses in the game of football. 2027 is a long way away, but it has a lot to live up to considering the stories 2023 delivered. Here is the Best XI from this summer’s most prestigious football competition.

2023 Women’s World Cup Team of the Tournament

Formation: 4-4-2

Goalkeeper: Zecira Musovic

Every USWNT player and fan will remember the name Zecira Musovic for the next four years leading up to the next tournament. Mary Earps hoisted the top prize given to a goalkeeper at a World Cup, the “Golden Glove”, but Musovic’s outing this summer was nothing short of world class. In six starts between the sticks for the eventual third place finishers, the Chelsea goalkeeper produced 22 saves with an over 84 percent save percentage.

Without her, the Swedes would have fallen to the two-time defending champions long before the third place match. Lindsey Horan’s rocket of a shot that was kept out by Sweden’s No. 1 was arguably the save of the tournament given the moment and the degree of difficulty. Emma Hayes in west London has a much tougher decision to make at goalkeeper following those six starts in front of a world audience.

Defenders: Amanda Ilestedt, Olga Carmona, Alex Greenwood, Lucy Bronze

With four goals as a center back Amanda Ilestedt was key to Sweden’s fourth-ever third place finish at a World Cup. The newly signed Arsenal defender gave just a taste of what Gunners’ fans can expect from her in the upcoming Women’s Super League campaign. She set the tone with a game-winning header against South Africa, and never looked back from there. Her pairing with Bayern Munich’s Magdalena Eriksson in a back four was a staple to the Swedes’ success.

Alex Greenwood, while she did not find the back of the net for the Lionesses, her leadership and impact in their back-three was second to none. She completed the fourth most progressive passes of anybody throughout the tournament while totaling an astounding 574 completed passes.

It would not be a Best XI without Spanish representatives. The nation’s hero Olga Carmona paired perfectly with Ona Batlle on each wing of Jorge Vilda’s back four. The Real Madrid defender found the back of the net in both the final and semifinal, playing in six matches for the eventual winners. With the knowledge of the death of her father, that goal will forever be known as one of the most heartwarming moments in tournament history. Her opponent in the final, Lucy Bronze was just as world class, competing at both right back and right wing back. The Barcelona defender led the World Cup in total tackles plus interceptions on top of her 17 progressive carries.