Can USWNT land ‘dream’ hire after Andonovski’s resignation?
Aug 25, 2023 – In a surprising turn of events, Sweden has dethroned the United States from the top spot in the FIFA women’s rankings for the first time in over six years. The USWNT, who had held the No. 1 position since June 2017, slipped out of the top two for the first time since the rankings were introduced in 2003.
This drop in rankings comes after the USWNT’s disappointing performance at the recent World Cup, where they were knocked out by Sweden in a penalty shootout during the round of 16. The team’s exit from the tournament marked their worst performance at a World Cup.
Meanwhile, Spain has climbed from sixth to second in the rankings following their impressive victory in the World Cup final last weekend. Despite finishing as runners-up, England maintained their fourth-place position, while quarterfinalists France stayed in fifth place.
Sweden, who were previously ranked third, now join Germany as the only teams to have claimed the top spot in the FIFA women’s rankings. Their victory over tournament co-hosts Australia in the bronze medal match propelled them to be crowned the new leaders.
Interestingly, Australia dropped one spot to 11th in the rankings despite their fourth-place finish at the World Cup. Japan, on the other hand, returned to the top 10, climbing to eighth place after their impressive quarterfinal run. Co-hosts New Zealand remained in 26th place after exiting the tournament in the group stage.
Other notable changes in the rankings include Germany dropping four places to sixth and Olympic champions Canada falling three places to 10th. Both teams failed to advance past the knockout rounds.
In a time of uncertainty for the USWNT, who recently saw coach Vlatko Andonovski resign from his position, there is now speculation about who will be the next head coach. Ali Krieger, a prominent player in the team, has not ruled out the possibility of luring England manager Sarina Wiegman or Australia manager Tony Gustavsson to replace Andonovski.
As the USWNT regroups and looks toward the future, they will certainly be aiming to reclaim their position at the top of the FIFA women’s rankings. The upcoming hiring of a new head coach will undoubtedly play a crucial role in the team’s journey back to success on the international stage.
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