The United States defended their title while Germany suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sweden to crash out in the quarter-finals. DFB.de looks back on the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
Germany
A relatively early exit: The DFB-Frauen bowed out of the Women’s World Cup at the quarter-final stage for the third time following a 2011 defeat to Japan on home soil and in 1999 against the USA. Germany have also suffered two quarter-final defeats in the last three tournaments, the exception coming in 2015 in Canada as Germany finished fourth.
No defence of their Olympic crown: Following the defeat to Sweden in the quarter-finals, Germany also missed out on the chance to defend the gold medal won at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Only the best three European teams qualified for next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, meaning Germany missed out.
Strong defence: Until the two goals conceded in the quarter-final against Sweden, Germany hadn’t conceded a single goal at this year’s World Cup in France. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side kept four consecutive clean sheets and didn’t concede in 381 minutes of action. The DFB-Frauen kept the joint highest amount of clean sheets at the tournament alongside fourth placed side England and eventual winners United States.
Best young player at the tournamnent: Giulia Gwinn was awarded with the tournament’s best young player award following Sunday’s final (awarded to the best player under the age of 20).
Youngest debutant: At just 17 years, 5 months and 20 days of age, Lena Oberdorf became the youngest ever player to play for Germany at a World Cup when she featured in the opening group match against China. Oberdorf broke Birgit Prinz’s previous record in the process.
Set-piece specialists: Germany scored three goals from corners at this year’s World Cup, the joint highest of any team alongside the United States. The DFB-Frauen were also one of just three teams (England and New Zealand were the other two) who didn’t concede from a corner at the tournament.
World Champions USA
Record number of goals scored at a World Cup: On their way to lifting the World Cup for the fourth time, the United States set a new record of 26 goals scored by a single team at a World Cup.
Continuity: As a result of their triumph, the USA kept their record as the only team to reach at least the semi-finals of every Women’s World Cup.
World Cup winning head coach: Jill Ellis became the first head coach to lead her side to two World Cup triumphs. Ellis was also in charge of the United States side that defeated Japan in the 2015 final in Vancouver.
Second title defence following Germany’s accomplishment: The USA became just the second country to successfully defend their World Cup crown by defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in Sunday’s final. The first team to defend the Women’s World Cup was Germany in 2007 after they won their first World Cup in 2003.
Rapinoe draws levels with Prinz: After starting Sunday’s final in Lyon, USA co-captain Megan Rapinoe drew level with Birgit Prinz’s record of playing in three Women’s World Cup finals. Rapinoe has played in each of last three showpiece events (2011, 2015 & 2019) while Prinz played in the 1995, 2003 and 2007 finals.
Clinical from set-pieces: Nine of the USA’s 26 goals came from set-pieces and Jill Ellis’ side also scored three goals from the penalty spot. This is higher than any other team at this year’s tournament.
Hosts France
FIFA Fair Play Award: Despite bowing out of the tournament at the hands of eventual winners United States in the quarter-finals, France did at least have one accolade to celebrate. The “Equipe Tricolore” were awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award.
French official in the final: One Frenchwoman still made it to the final in Lyon as referee Stephanie Frappart was chosen to officiate the showpiece event between the United States and the Netherlands.
Another team lethal from dead ball situations: France scored six of their ten tournament goals from set-pieces. French top scorer Wendie Renard scored four of those six goals on route to the quarter-finals.
Australia’s impressive pass completion percentage
Statistically the tournament’s fairest team: Despite not being awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award, New Zealand travelled home as statistically the tournament’s fairest team. The “Football Ferns” only gave away 18 fouls and collected just one yellow card.
Passing machines: Australia attempted an average of 543 passes per match and completed 81% of them to a teammate. This was the highest tournament average in both categories. The Matildas progressed to the round of sixteen before losing to Norway 5-2 on penalties.
Limited home advantage for tournament hosts: The hosts of the last four World Cups have failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals, each bowing out in the last eight. 2007 hosts China lost 1-0 to Norway while 2011 host nation Germany fell to a 1-0 defeat on penalties at the hands of eventual winners Japan. Canada couldn’t defeat England in the 2015 quarter-finals (1-2) and France lost to the United States by the same scoreline in this year’s tournament.
Records and achievements
Penalties: A record number of penalties were awarded at this year’s Women’s World Cup. Referees pointed to the penalty spot on 26 occasions in France this summer but only 18 of those penalties were converted (69%). Four years ago in Canada, 18 of the 22 penalties awarded were converted (82%).
Goals: 146 goals were scored at this year’s Women’s World Cup, matching the record goal tally from four years ago in Canada in the first tournament involving 24 teams. However, this equates to an average of just 2.81 goals per game. Only the 2011 tournament in Germany had a lower percentage (2.69).
Record number of yellow cards: A record number of 124 yellow cards were collected at this year’s tournament in France. Only 110 yellow cards were collected at the last tournament four years ago.
Highest margin of victory ever recorded at a World Cup: The United States’ 13-0 victory against Thailand in the group stages was the highest ever margin of victory at a World Cup finals. This si also the highest number of goals ever seen at a single Women’s World Cup game.
Eight different beaten finalists at eight tournaments: The Netherlands became the eighth different team to fall to a World Cup final defeat in eight tournaments. No team has lost a World Cup final on more than one occasion.
Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner: Megan Rapinoe became the first ever player to score a penalty in the Women’s World Cup final. Rapinoe’s sixth goal of the tournament saw her collect the tournament golden boot as the top goalscorer. Just like Rapinoe, teammate Alex Morgan also scored six goals and provided three assists across the tournament but Morgan required more match time to complete the feat. England striker Ellen White also scored six goals but didn’t provide a single assist. Just two days before her 34th birthday, Rapinoe became the oldest player to score in a Women’s World Cup final. Additionally, the USA co-captain won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. Rapinoe is the fifth player to have been awarded both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball award at a single tournament.
Most Assists: The United States also had the joint highest assist provider in their squad as they won their fourth World Cup. Samantha Mewis matched Dutch midfielder Sherida Spitse’s tally of four assists.
Alex Morgan scored five goals in the USA’s opening group match, the record 13-0 victory against Thailand. In the process, Morgan matched US compatriot Michelle Akers’ record of five goals scored in a single World Cup game. Akers achieved the feat in a 7-0 win against Taiwan in 1991.
All time Women’s World Cup record goalscorer Marta scored her 17th finals goal in Brazil’s final group stage game, a 1-0 win over Italy. This took Marta here of men’s record holder of Miroslav Klose (16).
Ellen White scored England’s equaliser in their 2-1 semi-final defeat to the United States to become the first England player to score in five consecutive World Cup matches. No other England player has scored more often at a World Cup finals than White, who matched Gary Lineker’s (1990) and Harry Kane’s (2018) tally of six goals at the tournament.
Sari van Veenendaal made eight saves to deny the United States from adding to their tally in the World Cup final on Sunday. This was the highest number of saves of any knockout match at this year’s tournament. The Netherlands goalkeeper was awarded the Golden Glove award following the final as the tournament’s best goalkeeper. Van Veenendaal also saved more clear chances than any other goalkeeper in France this summer (5).
England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley saved 92% of the shots she faced during the tournament, higher than any other goalkeeper.
Italy’s Aurora Galli scored all three of her 2019 Women’s World Cup goals off the bench and was the only substitute to score in more than one match.
created by mmc/tj
The United States defended their title while Germany suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sweden to crash out in the quarter-finals. DFB.de looks back on the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
Germany
A relatively early exit: The DFB-Frauen bowed out of the Women’s World Cup at the quarter-final stage for the third time following a 2011 defeat to Japan on home soil and in 1999 against the USA. Germany have also suffered two quarter-final defeats in the last three tournaments, the exception coming in 2015 in Canada as Germany finished fourth.
No defence of their Olympic crown: Following the defeat to Sweden in the quarter-finals, Germany also missed out on the chance to defend the gold medal won at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Only the best three European teams qualified for next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, meaning Germany missed out.
Strong defence: Until the two goals conceded in the quarter-final against Sweden, Germany hadn’t conceded a single goal at this year’s World Cup in France. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side kept four consecutive clean sheets and didn’t concede in 381 minutes of action. The DFB-Frauen kept the joint highest amount of clean sheets at the tournament alongside fourth placed side England and eventual winners United States.
Best young player at the tournamnent: Giulia Gwinn was awarded with the tournament’s best young player award following Sunday’s final (awarded to the best player under the age of 20).
Youngest debutant: At just 17 years, 5 months and 20 days of age, Lena Oberdorf became the youngest ever player to play for Germany at a World Cup when she featured in the opening group match against China. Oberdorf broke Birgit Prinz’s previous record in the process.
Set-piece specialists: Germany scored three goals from corners at this year’s World Cup, the joint highest of any team alongside the United States. The DFB-Frauen were also one of just three teams (England and New Zealand were the other two) who didn’t concede from a corner at the tournament.
World Champions USA
Record number of goals scored at a World Cup: On their way to lifting the World Cup for the fourth time, the United States set a new record of 26 goals scored by a single team at a World Cup.
Continuity: As a result of their triumph, the USA kept their record as the only team to reach at least the semi-finals of every Women’s World Cup.
World Cup winning head coach: Jill Ellis became the first head coach to lead her side to two World Cup triumphs. Ellis was also in charge of the United States side that defeated Japan in the 2015 final in Vancouver.
Second title defence following Germany’s accomplishment: The USA became just the second country to successfully defend their World Cup crown by defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in Sunday’s final. The first team to defend the Women’s World Cup was Germany in 2007 after they won their first World Cup in 2003.
Rapinoe draws levels with Prinz: After starting Sunday’s final in Lyon, USA co-captain Megan Rapinoe drew level with Birgit Prinz’s record of playing in three Women’s World Cup finals. Rapinoe has played in each of last three showpiece events (2011, 2015 & 2019) while Prinz played in the 1995, 2003 and 2007 finals.
Clinical from set-pieces: Nine of the USA’s 26 goals came from set-pieces and Jill Ellis’ side also scored three goals from the penalty spot. This is higher than any other team at this year’s tournament.
Hosts France
FIFA Fair Play Award: Despite bowing out of the tournament at the hands of eventual winners United States in the quarter-finals, France did at least have one accolade to celebrate. The “Equipe Tricolore” were awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award.
French official in the final: One Frenchwoman still made it to the final in Lyon as referee Stephanie Frappart was chosen to officiate the showpiece event between the United States and the Netherlands.
Another team lethal from dead ball situations: France scored six of their ten tournament goals from set-pieces. French top scorer Wendie Renard scored four of those six goals on route to the quarter-finals.
Australia’s impressive pass completion percentage
Statistically the tournament’s fairest team: Despite not being awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award, New Zealand travelled home as statistically the tournament’s fairest team. The “Football Ferns” only gave away 18 fouls and collected just one yellow card.
Passing machines: Australia attempted an average of 543 passes per match and completed 81% of them to a teammate. This was the highest tournament average in both categories. The Matildas progressed to the round of sixteen before losing to Norway 5-2 on penalties.
Limited home advantage for tournament hosts: The hosts of the last four World Cups have failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals, each bowing out in the last eight. 2007 hosts China lost 1-0 to Norway while 2011 host nation Germany fell to a 1-0 defeat on penalties at the hands of eventual winners Japan. Canada couldn’t defeat England in the 2015 quarter-finals (1-2) and France lost to the United States by the same scoreline in this year’s tournament.
Records and achievements
Penalties: A record number of penalties were awarded at this year’s Women’s World Cup. Referees pointed to the penalty spot on 26 occasions in France this summer but only 18 of those penalties were converted (69%). Four years ago in Canada, 18 of the 22 penalties awarded were converted (82%).
Goals: 146 goals were scored at this year’s Women’s World Cup, matching the record goal tally from four years ago in Canada in the first tournament involving 24 teams. However, this equates to an average of just 2.81 goals per game. Only the 2011 tournament in Germany had a lower percentage (2.69).
Record number of yellow cards: A record number of 124 yellow cards were collected at this year’s tournament in France. Only 110 yellow cards were collected at the last tournament four years ago.
Highest margin of victory ever recorded at a World Cup: The United States’ 13-0 victory against Thailand in the group stages was the highest ever margin of victory at a World Cup finals. This si also the highest number of goals ever seen at a single Women’s World Cup game.
Eight different beaten finalists at eight tournaments: The Netherlands became the eighth different team to fall to a World Cup final defeat in eight tournaments. No team has lost a World Cup final on more than one occasion.
Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner: Megan Rapinoe became the first ever player to score a penalty in the Women’s World Cup final. Rapinoe’s sixth goal of the tournament saw her collect the tournament golden boot as the top goalscorer. Just like Rapinoe, teammate Alex Morgan also scored six goals and provided three assists across the tournament but Morgan required more match time to complete the feat. England striker Ellen White also scored six goals but didn’t provide a single assist. Just two days before her 34th birthday, Rapinoe became the oldest player to score in a Women’s World Cup final. Additionally, the USA co-captain won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. Rapinoe is the fifth player to have been awarded both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball award at a single tournament.
Most Assists: The United States also had the joint highest assist provider in their squad as they won their fourth World Cup. Samantha Mewis matched Dutch midfielder Sherida Spitse’s tally of four assists.
Alex Morgan scored five goals in the USA’s opening group match, the record 13-0 victory against Thailand. In the process, Morgan matched US compatriot Michelle Akers’ record of five goals scored in a single World Cup game. Akers achieved the feat in a 7-0 win against Taiwan in 1991.
All time Women’s World Cup record goalscorer Marta scored her 17th finals goal in Brazil’s final group stage game, a 1-0 win over Italy. This took Marta here of men’s record holder of Miroslav Klose (16).
Ellen White scored England’s equaliser in their 2-1 semi-final defeat to the United States to become the first England player to score in five consecutive World Cup matches. No other England player has scored more often at a World Cup finals than White, who matched Gary Lineker’s (1990) and Harry Kane’s (2018) tally of six goals at the tournament.
Sari van Veenendaal made eight saves to deny the United States from adding to their tally in the World Cup final on Sunday. This was the highest number of saves of any knockout match at this year’s tournament. The Netherlands goalkeeper was awarded the Golden Glove award following the final as the tournament’s best goalkeeper. Van Veenendaal also saved more clear chances than any other goalkeeper in France this summer (5).
England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley saved 92% of the shots she faced during the tournament, higher than any other goalkeeper.
Italy’s Aurora Galli scored all three of her 2019 Women’s World Cup goals off the bench and was the only substitute to score in more than one match.
