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Ultimate Guide to 2023 World Cup from Chelsea Women’s perspective

By Caden Charpentier

Jessie Fleming #17 of Canada and Chelsea celebrates her goal during a game between Canada and USWNT at Kashima Soccer Stadium on August 2, 2021 in Kashima, Japan. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Jessie Fleming #17 of Canada and Chelsea celebrates her goal during a game between Canada and USWNT at Kashima Soccer Stadium on August 2, 2021 in Kashima, Japan. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images) /
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Swedens Johanna Rytting Kaneryd controls the ball during the Women’s Friendlies football match between Germany and Sweden in Duisburg, western Germany on February 21, 2023. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)
Swedens Johanna Rytting Kaneryd controls the ball during the Women’s Friendlies football match between Germany and Sweden in Duisburg, western Germany on February 21, 2023. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images) /

Midfielders: Jessie Fleming (Canada), Guro Reiten (Norway), Lauren James (England), Melanie Leupolz (Germany), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, (Sweden)

Defender/Midfielder: Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany)

Germany’s No. 24 is far to versatile to place into a single position. In the last match in which Nüsken started for her home country, she placed as a left-sided center back. This is a player that is not a household name like a Catarina Macario, but her talent as a passer and disruptor at just 22 is remarkable. One of the Blues’ newest addition has 17 appearances for her nation to her name, and will combine with two of her future club teammates.

One of them being Melanie Leupolz. West London’s No. 8 has not started a match for the Germans since November 2021, but had a 45 minute outing against Vietnam recently. She proved at the end of the club campaign that she is prepared post pregnancy to take on a lot of minutes in a match. It will just come down to the manager with so many skilled midfield players.

Without Beth Mead, a lot of eyes going going to be on Lauren James. The Arnold Clark Cup Player of the Tournament has been nothing short of spectacular for England this year. James said recently she wants to carve out her own name will have that chance this summer. Her and Manchester City’s Chole Kelly are competing for the starting right winger position.

Over in the Nordics, two midfielders will be representing the west London outfit. The standout player of the 2022-2023 campaign Guro Reiten is in an exciting Norwegian team aiming to enact revenge from its display during the Euros. The Blues’ left-winger started in every match for Norway last summer, netting a goal and an assist in the first contest against Northern Ireland. The Swedish attacker Johanna Rytting Kaneryd has started in three out of the last five contests for her country. Against China in February, west London’s No. 19 scored the opening goal in the first minute of the friendly. At 25 caps for Sweden, she is still in the beginning of her international career. If she receives the chance, Kaneryd could produce some highlight reel moments that end up in goals.

On the CONCACAF side, Jessie Fleming will be a major part in how successful the Canadians are down under. Fleming scored the winning goals in the semifinals, and the Gold Medal Match of the 2020 Olympics. At the age of 25, she is one of only five players on Bev Priestman’s team with over 100 international caps. Although she struggles to find a specific role for the west London side, Fleming is one of the most influential players for her national team. She netted three goals in the CONCACAF W-Championship last summer, and will aim to guide a side still fighting for equity to an improved finish from 2019.

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