GROUP F: France, England, Colombia, Mexico
Favourites
England will no doubt make their claim, but France have had their number in the last two major tournaments – winning an agonising penalty shoot-out in the 2011 quarter-finals and prevailing altogether more convincingly, 3-0, in a Euro 2013 group game that rubber-stamped England’s early exit. The pair meet in an opening game that may well decide the group although, with four of the six third-placed sides progressing to the next stage, it would take a catastrophe for either to bow out early regardless of the outcome. Both sailed through qualifying with perfect records, scoring 106 goals between them with the concession of just four, and such is the disparity between many of those competing that it is hard to find wider significance in the fact France’s results included a 14-0 win over Bulgaria. But they are third in the world for a reason and there are few weaknesses in a squad that is entirely based on an excellent domestic league. If they win Group F then they will almost certainly face Germany in a titanic quarter-final clash of two favourites.
Dark horse
Colombia and Mexico have three World Cup appearances and three group stage exits between them, although England will need no reminding of the threat the latter pose after they earned a surprise draw in Wolfsburg four years ago. The Mexicans will certainly not be welcome opponents in England’s second match if things have gone wrong against France and Leonardo Cuéllar’s well-drilled team is capable of springing a surprise even if a 5-1 warm-up defeat to the USA suggested that the prospects of a run deep into the competition are remote. Even less is expected of Colombia, although the two outsiders drew 1-1 last November and the side managed by Felipe Taborda has finished second in the last two editions of an improving Copa América. If third place in Group F is enough for a last-16 place, mission impossible would probably await against the Americans or Japan.
Coach to watch
Mark Sampson’s first major tournament in charge of England will attract plenty of scrutiny but the 32-year-old will be tipping his hat to one of the sport’s institutions when they play Mexico in Moncton. Cuellar, aged 61, has managed the national side since 1998 and has overcome various challenges – including the lack of a functioning domestic league and controversy regarding the recruitment of American-born players – to create a credible and cohesive international force. He also controls their youth teams, who finished in the last eight of the most recent Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups, and his meeting with Sampson promises to be a fascinating clash between one who has seen it all at this level and another who is at the very beginning.
Player to watch
France possess perhaps the group’s most accomplished natural talent in Louisa Necib, whose Algerian descent and creative brilliance have led to comparisons with Zinedine Zidane throughout her career. England would benefit from similar ingenuity and perhaps they have found it in the form of Jordan Nobbs, who seems to have been starring in Arsenal Ladies’ team forever but, at 22, is six years younger than Necib. Nobbs broke into England’s senior setup after Euro 2013 – even captaining the team against Canada in March – and is well on the way to confirming the potential that Arsenal spotted when signing her from Sunderland at 17. A central midfielder whose runs are timed with canniness beyond her years, Nobbs has outstanding energy levels and poses a serious goalscoring threat from near and far. If England can involve her as much as possible, she could well steal the thunder of more experienced opponents – and might even do so for another two or three World Cups.
Commentator’s kit
The modern Mexican women’s team was first established after a San Diego-based businessman saw the Women’s World Cup mentioned in an in-flight magazine in 1997 – and set the wheels in motion for Cuellar’s first squad to be created. Colombia’s main threat will be Yoreli Rincon, a 21-year-old midfielder who was named player of the tournament at the Copa América and already has 48 caps. She scored five times in qualifying and now plays her club football in Italy with Champions League regulars ASD Torres. The France coach, Philippe Bergeroo, who is 61 like Cuellar, once managed the PSG men’s side and has been involved with World Cup teams before: he was a back-up goalkeeper in France’s 1986 squad in Mexico and was then part of the coaching staff for their triumphant campaign in 1998. Jordan Nobbs’ father, Keith, was a player for Hartlepool in the lower divisions during the 1980s.
