Questions entering the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

It's not a stretch to say the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup will be the most star-studded in history. The United States Women's National Team unquestionably enters the tournament as favorites to successfully defend the title it won four years ago, but the gap between the U.S. and the rest of the footballing planet no longer exists. 

A four-time Champions League medalist who has no affiliation with U.S. Soccer is currently the world's best player. Sadly for viewers and for her country, she won't feature in this tournament. More on that later.

A talented French side capable of matching the Americans blow for blow will have an entire country behind it for home matches. History tells us that's not always a positive. Last summer, the French men romped past Croatia in a final that the victors seemed destined to win from the opening kick. Starting on June 7, arenas filled with passionate supporters will attempt to push the hosts of this tournament to a similar result.

Will distractions hurt the United States when it matters most?

The USWNT has generated numerous off-the-pitch headlines leading up to the World Cup. In March, 28 footballers in the Team USA pool filed a lawsuit against U.S. Soccer over equal pay with the USMNT, as ESPN's Graham Hays wrote. Weeks ahead of the competition, Megan Rapinoe, one of the biggest stars and most recognized names among the American women, told Jenny Vrentas of Sports Illustrated she would not accept an invitation to the White House if the United States repeated as world champions. Alex Morgan made similar comments when recently speaking with Time's Sean Gregory.

Whether those comfortable inside of the U.S. Soccer bubble like it or not, these will remain stories despite each positive result the Americans earn, including advancing in the tournament. They'll be discussed on national news programs and during press obligations. The world's No. 1 side isn't abiding by any "stick to sports" mantra, and now some within the team's own country are rooting for it to fail.

Are the Americans over the loss to Sweden?

The last time we saw the USWNT on such a massive stage, it made history by losing to Sweden on penalties in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Summer Olympics tournament. Per Equalizer Soccer, it was the Americans' earliest exit from any major international tournament and the first time the U.S. women failed to qualify for the gold-medal match at an Olympics.

This isn't the same team that tasted defeat in Rio. Outspoken superstar goalkeeper Hope Solo is gone as is Meghan Klingenberg, but recognizable players such as Julie Ertz ( Johnston), Tobin Heath, 2015 World Cup hero Carli Lloyd and the previously mentioned Morgan and Rapinoe, among others, are seeking redemption following that shocking and disappointing defeat. 

Recently, head coach Jill Ellis told Jonathan Tannenwald of Philly.com that she took lessons from suffering the loss to a side happy to sit back and park the figurative bus against the high-powered USWNT attack. She could likely learn what it's like to be dismissed by U.S. Soccer if her squad isn't the last one standing this summer.

Speaking of, can Sweden repeat 2016?

Three years ago, Sweden became the plucky underdogs of the 2016 Summer Olympics women's football tournament by completing an unexpected journey to the gold medal match, where it fell short against a German side that was, simply put, better. Ironically, considering what happened in Rio, Sweden and the United States both were drawn into Group F of the upcoming World Cup, along with Thailand and Chile.

The summer before the Swedes handed the Americans a stunning defeat, they were a Klingenberg goal-line headed save away from downing the USWNT in the group stages of the 2015 World Cup. The 36-year-old goalkeeper, Hedvig Lindahl, who recently ended her tenure with Chelsea, will feature in her fifth World Cup this year. In March 2018, it was announced Lindahl's peers voted her into the FIFPro Women’s World XI (h/t Associated Press).

Can Germany reclaim its throne?

Second behind only the United States in the world rankings, Germany, winners of the 2003 and 2007 World Cup tournaments, stumbled twice on the sport's biggest stage earlier this decade. Japan unceremoniously dumped the hosts of the 2011 World Cup in the quarterfinals en route to winning the competition. After losing to the United States in the semifinals in 2015, Germany experienced extra-time heartbreak in the third-place match, as an avoidable error inside the penalty area gifted England with a spot-kick and, ultimately, a win.

Former Germany international Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, an accomplished player and coach, will lead her nation's charge after moving on from her Switzerland duties last November, per FIFA.com. Among those in Voss-Tecklenburg's arsenal is Lyon's Dzsenifer Marozsan, one of the finest attacking midfielders in the world who recently earned UNFP Player of the Year for the third time after helping her club hoist the Champions League trophy, the fourth consecutive season and sixth occasion Lyon won that competition.

How far can Norway go without Ada Hegerberg?

In December 2018, Norway's Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural Women's Ballon d'Or Award, and the 23-year-old reminded everybody she remains the best player on the planet when she notched a first-half hat trick in Lyon's Champions League final romp over Barcelona in May. She also won't be playing in the World Cup.

As CNN's Aimee Lewis and Aleks Klosok and others have touched upon, Hegerberg quit the national team in 2017 over frustrations with the treatment of women's football in her home country. She told CNN the following in December 2018:

"Obviously, I'd love to play for my country. I've been quite critical, direct with the federation [about] what I felt hasn't been good enough in my career in the national team. In the end it was an easy choice for me to move on in my career." 

Norway, No. 12 in the world, may struggle to survive Group A, which includes Brazil, South Korea and Nigeria, without Hegerberg on the team.

Will the England women bring football home?

Prepare yourselves for updates of those wacky "It's Coming Home" memes if/when the Three Lionesses embark on a memorable run starting in June. This update to the familiar tune will have to hold you over until then. After winning the third-place playoff over Germany at the 2015 World Cup, England claimed the SheBelieves Cup this past March. As Lawrence Dockery of World Soccer Talk wrote, critics view that competition as little more than a "cash grab." Nevertheless, winning breeds winning, and the No. 3 team in the world won't be chasing a meaningless trophy in France.

Harjeet Johal of The Equalizer explained that 33-year-old striker Jodie Taylor returned from a bone bruise she suffered in October to hit Japan, England's final opponent of the World Cup group stages, with a pair of assists in the country's last SheBelieves appearance of the competition. Taylor won the Golden Boot awarded to the top scorer of the Women's Euro 2017 after she bagged five goals during the tournament.

Are we all sleeping on Japan?

If you are into footballing youth movements, this Japanese side will quickly become a personal fan favorite. Per the AP (h/t Japan Times), 17 of the nation's 23 players will be playing in their first-ever World Cup. Jun Endo, who turned 19 years old on May 24, stands out, but it's 26-year-old Mana Iwabuchi who could emerge as a candidate to win the World Cup Golden Boot if Japan continues to dominate the tournament. The striker is a veteran of the 2011 and 2015 competitions and has 20 goals in 61 appearances for Japan.

Defenders Aya Sameshima, Rumi Utsugi and Saki Kumagai are all veterans of the Japanese sides that faced the United States in the 2011 and 2015 finals and serve as reminders that only two nations have played in the last game of the World Cup this decade. Logic says Japan won't compete for the main medal until the 2020 Summer Olympics, but such expectations mean this young side is playing with house money.

Is this Sam Kerr's breakout moment?

Those who follow the NWSL and Australian W-League already appreciate Australian phenom Sam Kerr, and the rest of the world may soon know her name. The 25-year-old taking part in her third World Cup holds the record for most goals scored in NWSL history (h/t Chicago Red Stars), and she finished third in the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year Award voting in May.

Unfortunately for Kerr, the Matildas probably don't possess enough depth or defensive talent to medal at this World Cup. They'll be plenty of fun to watch, though, especially if the woman familiar with Aussie Rules Football bulldozes over back lines and finds her form ahead of the knockout stages.

Do Christine Sinclair and/or Marta have magic left?

A pair of footballing legends and icons will be chasing history along with a spot in a World Cup final. As Neil Davidson of The Globe and Mail wrote, Canada's Christine Sinclair enters the World Cup on 181 international goals, only three from tying the record held by U.S. Soccer royalty Abby Wambach. Sinclair turns 36 years old in a few days, meaning it's possible, if not likely, this will be her last time to guide Canada, fifth in the world rankings, to the mountaintop.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Marta already owns her own record book at this point. The artistic forward and six-time FIFA Woman's Player of the Year is, per ESPN's James Martin, two goals from surpassing Miroslav Klose's mark for most tallies notched in World Cup play (16). In May, Raisa Simplicio of Goal.com referred to Brazil's captain as "The Queen of Football." Here's hoping the 33-year-old won't hang up her crown anytime soon.

Will home field actually be an advantage for France?

Hosting the World Cup absolutely can provide a boost for a country. Just last summer, Russia produced an upset victory over Spain in the Round of 16 and then took eventual winners Croatia to penalties. In 1998, the French men held serve through the final.

With that said, several nations in recent history crumbled under the weight of welcoming world football's biggest party to home pitches. The German women failed to open the scoring across 90 minutes before a Karina Maruyama goal sent Japan into the quarterfinals in 2011. Brazil's humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany in 2014 left players and supporters in actual tears.

France has the firepower and experience to withstand the pressure. Per the AP's Jerome Pugmire (h/t Philly.com), 30-year-old Eugenie Le Sommer has 74 goals in 159 national team appearances. Captain Amandine Henry has earned five Champions League medals with Lyon. In November 2018, Sarah Bouhaddi won the International Federation of Football History & Statistics World's Best Woman Goalkeeper Award for the third consecutive year.