FIFA Men's World Cup

Women's World Cup 2023: 10 players to watch this spring

Updated Dec. 17, 2022 4:46 p.m. ET

The men's World Cup final between Lionel Messi's Argentina and Kylian Mbappé's France kicks off Sunday, which means starting on Monday, Dec. 19, it will be time to officially look forward to the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The two opening matches — between New Zealand and Norway, and Australia and the Republic of Ireland — kick off July 20. So on Tuesday, that means there are exactly seven months to go.

If that feels like a long time from now, don't fret. The U.S. women's national team has several friendlies scheduled already in the coming months. The Americans will travel to New Zealand to face the World Cup co-hosts in Auckland on Jan. 17 and again on Jan. 20. Then the team returns stateside, where it will host the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. will play Canada (Feb. 16 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando), Japan (Feb. 19 at Geodis Park in Nashville) and Brazil (Feb. 22 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas).

Here are 10 players (in no particular order) to keep an eye on this spring as we head into another World Cup season.

Alexia Putellas, Spain

The two-time Ballon d'Or winner is recovering from an injury as her team heads into the 2023 World Cup. The captain for both the Spanish national team and Barcelona missed this summer's Euros — and the friendly against the U.S. in October — after tearing her ACL, but figures to play a huge role once she's fit and healthy. Putellas is a fan favorite in Barcelona, where her club broke two attendance records at Europe's biggest stadium Camp Nou. Putellas scored goals in both of those Champions League matches. There's also a mural of her dressed as Superwoman in the city's La Placa d'En Joanic and Amazon Prime recently released a three-part Spanish-language docuseries about her journey.

Ada Hegerberg, Norway

The former Ballon d'Or winner and Lyon striker is back for Norway after sitting out of the 2019 World Cup due to a dispute with her federation regarding concerns that the women's team in Norway were not given the same opportunities as the men. Hegerberg, who is the leading female goalscorer in UEFA history, has had a tough road since then. The 27-year-old tore her ACL in January 2020 and then fractured her tibia. But she's back now, doing her thing, and scoring goals in Champions League finals – like she did earlier this year to help Lyon beat Barcelona 3-1.

Sophia Smith, USA

All of America's eyes may still be on proven veterans Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, but Sophia Smith's star is rising. The 22-year-old Portland Thorns forward is a ruthless player who just wants to score goals and one day, be the best in the world. She's on her way, as U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski has said it will be tough for anyone to take her starting spot. After leading the Portland Thorns to the NWSL title this season, Smith was the youngest player ever to be named MVP. She certainly earned it, scoring 14 goals in 18 matches for the Thorns, which set a team single-season record. This included four games where she scored a brace. While many U.S. soccer fans may at least be somewhat familiar with her name, the World Cup provides the right kind of stage for her to become an international star.

[Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith are ‘bonafide superstars’ and the future of USWNT]

Sophia Smith bags a hat trick against Uzbekistan

Sophia Smith bagged goals in the 33rd, 35th, and 56th minutes for USWNT.

Lauren Hemp, England

The 22-year-old is becoming a star for England just in time for the 2023 World Cup. It was her corner kick that led to Chloe Kelly's winning goal in the Euro 2022 final against Germany, and her goal that opened up the scoring against the U.S. during a sold-out friendly at Wembley. With Ellen White retired and Alessia Russo out with an injury, Hemp started at the No. 9 position against the USWNT in October, though usually plays on the left wing, but this could be a preview of what's to come next summer. The Manchester City star describes herself as a "creative" and "direct" player, and she's also a four-time winner of the PFA Young Player of the Year award and scored 21 goals with 10 assists for her club last year.

England takes a 1-0 lead after Lauren Hemp gets it past the goal keeper in the 10th minute

England took a 1-0 lead on the United States after Lauren Hemp scored in the 10th minute.

Sam Kerr, Australia

The leader of the host country's Matildas. The 28-year-old striker has a lengthy resume, including playing for the Australia national team since she was 15, being their all-time leading scorer, as well as their captain since 2019. Kerr has won the Golden Boot in three different leagues, signed a huge contract with Chelsea and is the first woman ever to be featured on the cover of the FIFA 23 video game, alongside France superstar Kylian Mbappé. Can she take Australia deep into the World Cup on home soil for the first time ever?

Wendie Renard, France

The 6-foot-2 French defender is a dominant force to be reckoned with. She's a threat on the back line and on set pieces, where she gets her head on anything and everything (think: Abby Wambach, but even taller than the 5-foot-11 USA star). Captain for the French club Lyon, Renard's resume includes eight Champions League final victories, nine French Cups and 14 league titles, but winning a Euro or World Cup trophy for the national team still eludes her. And at 32 years old (she turns 33 on the opening day of next summer's World Cup), the 2023 tournament might be the last one in which she is the true leader for Les Blues with so much rising talent around her.

Catarina Macario, USA

The big news around the 23-year-old Brazilian-born midfielder is that she might be back playing for the USWNT this February. Macario tore her ACL in May while competing for Lyon in their final match of the season. She has missed all subsequent USWNT friendlies, but it seems that she will have a roster spot once she returns to form. Macario's injury came on the heels of her becoming the first American to score in a UEFA Champions League final in Lyon's 3-1 victory over defending champions Barcelona. The dual-national star scored 14 goals and added five assists in 20 games for the club in her first professional season.

Catarina Macário scores 40 seconds into the second half to give the USWNT the 5-0 lead

USWNT quickly extends their lead to 5-0 over Uzbekistan after Catarina Macário jukes the goalie and finishes off the tough angle.

Vivianne Miedema, Netherlands

The Arsenal striker is one of the best in the world. She holds all-time scoring records for the Netherlands (on both the men's and women's sides) and in the Women's Super League. She led her national team to the World Cup final in 2019, where it lost to the U.S. Unfortunately, Miedema was taken off on a stretcher at halftime of Arsenal's Champions League match against Lyon this week. The 26-year-old immediately received medical attention and was carried off the field in tears. Her surgery and return timetable is unknown. But the good news is she has seven months before the World Cup begins. Miedema's injury also follows comments she made last week criticizing the Ballon d'Or saying, "I didn't feel appreciated as a woman footballer there."

Fran Kirby, England

England is one of the favorites to win the World Cup after dominating the Euros earlier this year. And Fran Kirby is one of the reasons why. One of the top forwards in the world, Kirby plays alongside Kerr at Chelsea where she's the club's all-time leading scorer. She's a fierce player with an unbreakable spirit due in part to facing adversity early on in life after her mother passed away. She initially quit playing soccer, but rekindled her love for the game and came back stronger, mentally and physically. Kirby is dangerous on the flank or in the middle of the field, is known for her technique and skill as well as her scoring ability – Kirby scored two goals during the Euros this summer for the Lionesses.

Alex Morgan, USA

This one goes without saying. At age 33 (she'll turn 34 before the World Cup), Morgan is in top form. The superstar mom won the NWSL's Golden Boot award, scoring 15 goals for the San Diego Wave, which was the most goals she has ever scored in a single NWSL season. While Morgan missed the highly anticipated USWNT friendly against England at Wembley with a knee injury, Andonovski said if that game had been a World Cup final, Morgan would have played. She returned in time for the NWSL playoffs, where she led the Wave to the semifinals. Morgan has played in every World Cup since 2011, but could 2023 be her last? If so, she wants to go out on top, helping the USWNT win an unprecedented three titles in a row.

USWNT's Alex Morgan scores 119th career international goal vs. Nigeria, 4-0

Alex Morgan showed off impressive composure in her penalty finish as USWNT grab a 4-0 lead against Nigeria.

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Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.

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