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Luis Paez-Pumar

Mayra Ramirez (R) of Colombia celebrates with teammates after scoring the first goal of her team during a Group A match between Ecuador and Colombia as part of Women's CONMEBOL Copa America Colombia 2022 at Estadio Pascual Guerrero on July 17, 2022 in Cali, Colombia.

Colombia Is Ready To Shock The World Again

Billy Haisley

Morocco team line up during the Women´s International Friendly match between Italy and Morocco at Stadio Paolo Mazza on July 01, 2023 in Ferrara, Italy.

Morocco Is Serious

Ray Ratto

Carolin Simon of Germany, Klara Buehl of Germany and Alexandra Popp of Germany look on during the Women's international friendly between Germany and Zambia at Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer on July 7, 2023 in Fuerth, Germany.

It’s All Set Up For Germany To Reclaim World Cup Glory

Albert Burneko

The Italy women's national team poses for a team photograph at the Euro 2022 tournament.

Italy’s Getting There, Slowly, Maybe

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

Dunedin Stadium is pictured ahead of the FIFA World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 on July 11, 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand.

FIFA Struggling To Fill Stadiums In Remote Soccer-Indifferent Country With Nobody In It

Yamila Tamara Rodriguez (#11) of Argentina celebrates after scoring the second goal of her team during a match between Argentina and Uruguay as part of Women's CONMEBOL Copa America 2022 at Centenario Stadium on July 15, 2022 in Armenia, Colombia

Argentina Is Just One Win Away From A New Era

South African senior national women's football team players train at Highlands Park in Johannesburg, on October 4, 2022.

South Africa Brings Continental Dreams To The World Stage

Patrick Redford

LEIGH, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Stina Blackstenius of Sweden celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal which was later disallowed by VAR for an offside during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Quarter Final match between Sweden and Belgium at Leigh Sports Village on July 22, 2022 in Leigh, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)

This Could Finally Be Sweden’s Year

Debinha #9 celebrates with her teammate Marta #10 of Brazil after scores 1st goal during the match between Japan and Brazil at Exploria Stadium on February 16, 2023 in Orlando, Florida.

It’s Brazil Versus Time At This World Cup

Khadija Shaw of Jamaica celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's third goal during the match between Jamaica and Haiti as part of the 2022 Concacaf W Championship at BBVA Stadium on July 11, 2022 in Monterrey, Mexico.

It’s Time For Jamaica To Grow Up

French women's football captain Wendie Renard (C) runs with her teammates during the team's first training session in Melbourne on July 10, 2023, ahead of their international friendly against Australia. Teams are arriving in Australia and New Zealand to prepare for the upcoming Women's World Cup 2023 football tournament. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

France Is Riding The High Of Defeating A Shitty Boss

Portugal's players celebrate scoring during a group A play-off tournament match between Portugal and Cameroon for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand, Feb. 22, 2023.

Portugal Is Finally Where It Ought To Be

A statue of Alex Morgan of the United States dressed as the Statue of Liberty.

What is this USWNT Player’s Deal: Alex Morgan

Lieke Martens of the Netherlands celebrates after scoring her teams first goal, Danielle van de Donk of the Netherlands during the International Women's Friendly match between Netherlands and Belgium at the Parkstad Limburg Stadion on July 2, 2023 in Kerkrade, Netherlands

The Netherlands Will Find Life At The World Cup Much Harder This Time Around

Crystal Dunn #19 of the United States warms up

The USWNT Is Under Pressure, And That’s Bad News For The Rest Of The World

LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND - APRIL 06: Wang Shuang of China (C) and teammates thanks supporters for standing during the International Womens Friendly match between Switzerland and China at Swissporarena on April 6, 2023 in Lucerne, Switzerland. (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

China Has A Hard Path Back To World Cup Glory

SCHAFFHAUSEN, SWITZERLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Signe Bruun of Denmark (C) celebrating her goal with her teammates during the international Women's friendly match between Switzerland and Denmark at Wefox Arena on November 11, 2022 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

Denmark’s Ready To Make Their Return To The World Cup Count

Haiti celebrate qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup after their victory in the 2023 FIFA World Cup Play Off Tournament match between Chile and Haiti at North Harbour Stadium on February 22, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Haiti’s The Underdog With The Biggest Dog

MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Lucy Bronze of England pointing during the Women's International Friendly match between England and Portugal at Stadium MK on July 01, 2023 in Milton Keynes, England.

England’s Last Step Will Be The Hardest

Tom Ley

GUIMARAES, PORTUGAL - APRIL 7: Yui Hasegawa of Japan Women, Fatima Pinto of Portugal Women during the International Friendly Women match between Portugal Women v Japan Women at the Estadio D Afonso Henriques on April 7, 2023 in Guimaraes Portugal

Japan Climbed The Mountain Once, And Now They Need To Do It Again

The Spain women's national team huddles on the field after losing to Italy in the UEFA Euros

Spain Is A Big Ugly Mess With Some Extremely Cool Players

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 31: Raquel Rodríguez #11 of Costa Rica celebrates her goal against Haiti during the second half during a Group A - 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying at BBVA Stadium on January 31, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Can Costa Rica Sneak Up On The World Again?

Nigeria's female national football team Super Falcons pose for a group photo before the final of Aisha Buhari Invitational tournament at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos state, Nigeria Sept. 21, 2021. South Africa's female national football team Banyana Banyana on Tuesday night emerged champions of the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women's Tournament after defeating the Super Falcons of Nigeria 4-2 in the last game.

Nigeria Could Be Headed For World Cup Disaster

Members of the Canadian womens national soccer team wear "Enough Is Enough" shirts in protest for equal pay ahead of the 2023 SheBelieves Cup soccer match between Canada and Japan at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on February 22, 2023.

Canada Needs A Win, And They Might Just Get One

Irish players pictured at the warm up on the field ahead of a friendly women's soccer game between Belgium's national team the Red Flames and the Republic of Ireland, Sunday 11 April 2021 in Brussels. BELGA PHOTO DAVID CATRY (