The 2023 Women's World Cup is the first in the women's game to feature 32 teams, and a staggering eight teams qualified for their first-ever tournament this year. Before the tournament, there had been concerns that these teams would simply be brushed aside, but they've had quite the opposite effect, causing huge shocks and changing the balance of power in the women's game.
In previous editions of the Women's World Cup, it was often a case of the same teams always doing well. The likes of England, Germany, Brazil, Canada and the USA dominating. But three of those teams are out already.
Instead, it's the debut teams lighting up this tournament, with five wins and a draw between them, championed by African side Morocco, who are just the fourth of 25 debut teams this century to make it out of the group at the first attempt.
Morocco got off to a rough start however. In fact, the eight teams making their World Cup debuts all not only lost but collectively failed to score in the first round of group matches.
Whilst Portugal and the Republic of Ireland were both unlucky to lose, none of the eight teams really showed they were worth a place in the tournament. Usually in football, we'd say this kind of thing can't change overnight, but at this exhilarating tournament, it pretty much did.
Not every one of the new teams managed to win or even score a goal, but they've all brought something to this tournament to make it that bit more magical.
Vietnam
Vietnam were very well supported in New Zealand this year, but their team didn't give the fans too much to take home from the tournament on the footballing side.
In every game, they were thoroughly outplayed, without creating much of a threat to the USA, Portugal or the Netherlands. But their Group E opponents perhaps explain why they didn't enjoy the successes of their fellow debutants. After all, the USA and Netherlands were the 2019 finalists, a harsh test for any debut team.
The football was never going to be the main focus for this Vietnam team though. Of course they'll be disappointed to have gone out with the worst goal difference without scoring a goal, but the experience will live with the players and fans for the rest of their lives.
Portugal
Group E was cruel in an entirely different way to Portugal. Having been narrowly beaten by a stubborn Dutch side in their first game, the Selecao were impressive in their 2 - 0 victory over Vietnam on Matchday Two.
Then came the USA. The World Champions. Arguably the best women's football team ever.
Portugal were by far the better side, especially in the second half. They limited the USA to a few half chances for Alex Morgan, and in the 91st minute, Ana Capeta struck the woodwork with a chance that could've sent Portugal into the knockout stages with the biggest upset in World Cup history.
There was so much good to take from the tournament for Francisco Neto's side, and although their exit was painful, they can take pride in knowing that they likely would've made it out of any other group at the tournament. Portugal will be back with a point to prove in tournaments to come.
Zambia
Zambia had the typical debutant World Cup; overwhelmed by superior teams to start with before finding their feet at the end of the group.
In the first half of the heavy defeats to both Spain and Japan, there were signs of quality from Zambia, but after going a few goals down in both games they completely fell apart. The two 5 - 0 losses were more a reflection of them losing their heads rather than being torn apart.
Given their resounding thrashings in their games with Japan and Spain, there was absolutely no pressure on their Matchday Three meeting with Costa Rica, who were also out after defeats to both group favourites.
Zambia outclassed Costa Rica in that final game, playing genuinely good attacking football, holding their own against a team with more tournament experience than themselves. It came far too late for Zambia, but they've shown the world that they won't just be a team to be rolled over when they come back to the World Cup.
Philippines
The Philippines have made themselves something of a villain at this World Cup, ultimately being responsible for New Zealand's elimination.
After the Kiwi's stunned Norway in their opening game, they knew a win over the debutants of Group A would send them through. But the Philippines had other ideas.
This is a team that has been building and improving just as well as any in world football in the past couple of years, moving into the top 50 of the FIFA World Rankings and coming agonisingly close to winning the Southeast Asian games earlier this year.
This Summer's 1 - 0 victory over New Zealand was the culmination of two solid years of progression. It was clear from the emotion on the faces of the Philippines players after that game just what it meant to them.
Whilst they didn't make it into the knockout stages, the Philippines certainly gave a good account for themselves as a smash-and-grab team who can really compete on the biggest stage.
Panama
Marta Fox will go down in World Cup folklore with quite possibly the best free-kick ever scored at one.
Panama's tournament didn't feature much excitement up until their final game, but a 9-goal thriller with France showed their tremendous spirit, continuing to fight as if it were a final even at 5 - 1 down.
Let's not forget though that Panama were 1 - 0 up through Marta Fox's 30-yard rocket of a free-kick, an absolutely sensational way to score her country's first-ever Women's World Cup goal.
The scenes of pure jubilation at full-time were a beautiful reminder of what football should be about. Everyone was happy, players, fans and staff alike. The result was secondary, they simply enjoyed celebrating their country and being able to play against legends like Diani and Marta. It was refreshing and it was beautiful.
Republic of Ireland
Refreshing and beautiful aren't exactly words you'd associate with Ireland's football but they certainly gave it a good go in their own rustic way.
The women's game is often given an unfair reputation of not being quite as physical as men's football, but Ireland successfully debunked that myth 10 minutes into their opening game.
No team in the group stages worked harder, was as determined to win every single ball as Ireland. Experienced players like Arsenal's Katie McCabe and Birmingham City's Louise Quinn provided moments of quality, but they weren't quite enough on their own to get Ireland a first World Cup win.
Despite only taking a point, Ireland made their nation proud. It's been 21 years since the Ireland men appeared at a World Cup, so the nation were delighted to see their Girls in Green taking on Olympic Champions Canada as well as Australia and Nigeria. The gritty attitude of the Irish team has already got them thinking about the 2027 tournament, where they'll be aiming to go one step further and get that first World Cup victory.
Haiti
Haiti were without a shadow of a doubt the most hard done by team at this or perhaps any World Cup.
England took them for granted, but Haiti performed brilliantly and genuinely deserved at least a point from the game, losing only to a soft VAR penalty. Their final game against Denmark also saw the Caribbean side go 1 - 0 down to a penalty before conceding a 100th-minute goal from open play.
But Haiti suffered a huge injustice in their defeat to China. The officiating was disastrous. Granted, that may mean that China should've won by more, but both sides had shouts for free-kicks and penalties which the officials completely missed or ignored.
Throughout all three of their games, it really felt as though Haiti were about to do something incredible, and even though their finishing was poor at times, they were extremely unlucky to leave Australia empty-handed.
Morocco
Morocco have been the story to inspire generations. Not only did they make it out of Group H at their first World Cup, but they did it after the worst possible start.
Both Hanane Ait El Haj and Yasmin Mrabet scored own goals in a 6 - 0 mauling by Germany which made Morocco look as though they could be in for a very long couple of weeks in Australia.
But the recovery they showed to not only progress but also keep two clean sheets in their remaining games was extraordinary. They are the living representation of never giving up, and they'll take that mentality into their last 16 game against France. Will they be underdogs? Of course. But that hasn't stopped them so far.
What both the men and women of Morocco have achieved in the past year is a breath of fresh air for world football, putting African football at the forefront of the world's stage.
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