Jill Ellis, the coach who has won the World Cup twice, openly admits that even she is taken aback by the complete unpredictability of the 2023 tournament, which has witnessed the elimination of six top-20 teams during the group stage.
The most astounding among these upsets occurred on Thursday night, as Germany, ranked second in the world, were eliminated from Group H.
This was a surprising turn of events considering Germany had always advanced to the quarter-finals in their eight previous tournament appearances.
In contrast to the disappointed expressions of the two-time champions, the debutant Moroccan team, ranked 72nd globally, exuded joy. In a viral video clip, they gathered around a phone on the field before erupting into celebration upon discovering that they had secured a spot in the knockout stage.
“It’s been a doozy so far,” said Ellis, who guided the USA to back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019 and now heads the tournament’s technical study group.
Round of 16: locked in. 🔐#BeyondGreatness | #FIFAWWC
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“I think we all feel this. Gone are the days of total predictability. Progress sits very clearly at the core and certainly the competitiveness can be felt [with] giants in the game getting knocked out.
“We see debutants advance to the next round, which I think lends itself to this being just one of the most unpredictable and arguably exciting World Cups we’ve seen to date.
“If I’m candid, I really am surprised. I think when you suddenly see a Germany or a Brazil get knocked out of a World Cup in group stage.
“I don’t think any of us could have predicted that. I’m excited by the development, of course, for sure.
“But I think I was thinking that one more iteration of the World Cup before we started to see even more parity that we’re starting to see right now.”
In addition to Germany, Olympic champions Canada (ranked seventh) and Brazil (ranked eighth) also faced an early exit from the tournament following the group stage. They were accompanied by other top-10 teams such as China (ranked 14th), Italy (ranked 16th), and South Korea (ranked 17th), forming a notable list of high-ranking teams that were eliminated.
This World Cup has witnessed a remarkable first, as three African nations – Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa – all successfully advanced to the knockout stage. Meanwhile, Jamaica achieved a historic feat by reaching the last-16 for the first time.
Game changers.
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History makers. pic.twitter.com/vcXg5MVWqb
This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy considering the ongoing dispute between Jamaican players and their federation regarding pay, resources, and working conditions. The players expressed their concerns openly through a letter shared on social media before the World Cup.
Similar disputes with their respective federations were faced by other qualifying nations, including Nigeria, South Africa, and England. Despite these challenges, the focus remains on their performance in the tournament.
England, for instance, has committed to concentrating on securing their first World Cup victory before revisiting discussions with the Football Association regarding bonus payments and commercial arrangements.
Thanks for the memories. ❤️💫 #FIFAWWC | #BeyondGreatness
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To facilitate preparations, each participating nation in this World Cup received an exclusive fund of £753,830.
As the tournament unfolds, patterns are emerging that suggest a direct connection between investment, resources, and performance.
Notably, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation implemented a comprehensive overhaul in 2009, significantly investing in girls’ and women’s football. In an important move, they established a women’s football academy six years ago, affording players the same facilities as the men’s national team.
Ellis said: “I was blown away by the facility. It’s one of the nicest I’ve ever seen, and it just kind of made me realise that yes, there are federations that are taking this very seriously.”
FIFA’s post-group stage data reveals a heightened level of competition in the tournament. The percentage of goals scored during the first half of matches has risen by nine percent since the 2019 tournament. Additionally, the percentage of goals scored during the first half by teams that did not progress further has increased by 18 percent, transitioning from 5 percent in 2019 to 23 percent in 2023.
Furthermore, a noticeable improvement in goalkeeping quality has been observed by Ellis’ team. The average save percentage has escalated from 70 percent during the previous tournament in France to 77 percent in the current 2023 edition.
Simultaneously, the proportion of matches ending in a draw has surged from eight percent to 21 percent.
Moreover, the influx of players joining clubs in leagues with enhanced resources, coupled with national teams refining their tactical identities based on their unique strengths and weaknesses, adds to the evolving landscape.
These factors combined contribute to making the present Women’s World Cup potentially the most fiercely contested one yet.
Ellis added: “We hear this constant comment about gaps and where are the gaps. We can arguably say that there aren’t gaps. That on any given day, a team can come out here and be competitive against another team.
“And so it’s going to be incredibly exciting to see how this plays out.”