Everton’s Magnificent Seven at the Women’s World Cup

The ninth annual Women’s World Cup will play host to seven Everton Women players as the tournament gets underway today.

Australia and New Zealand will co-host the competition, which takes place every four years, and will see teammates become opponents as they strive to ensure their country does as well as possible.

So which Everton stars are out there and who are they representing? And will it be Blue against Blue in the 2023 World Cup? All the key information is below:

Clare Wheeler – Australia

A prominent figure for both club and country, the midfielder’s combative style has seen her become a firm favourite with Blues’ faithful, and the 25-year-old will be keen to showcase her talents on the world stage in her home country.

Following the switch from the A-League to Europe, Wheeler has become a regular for the Matildas, winning 14 caps along the way.

With Group B playing host to Canada, Nigeria and the Republic of Ireland, qualification will be a close call. Australia will be brimming with confidence though, being on home soil and will open theIR tournament against the Irish, the very team Wheeler won he first cap for her country in 2021.

The fixture will be a hotly anticipated one and also pits her against Everton teammate, Courtney Brosnan.

Fixtures:

Thursday 20 July: Australia v Republic of Ireland, 11am, Stadium Australia

Thursday 27 July: Australia v Nigeria, 11am, Brisbane Stadium

Monday 31 July: Canada v Australia, 11am, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

All kick-off times are BST.

Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Courtney Brosnan – Republic of Ireland

Another key figure for both club and country, few will forget Brosnan’s heroics in the play off win over Scotland, which saw Vera Pauw’s team make history in becoming the first female Irish team to qualify for the World Cup.

Named as Ireland’s Senior International Women’s Player of the Year this year, the stopper will almost certainly be adding to the 23 caps she has already won for her country.

And her first task will be stopping teammate Clare Wheeler and her Australian teammates in the Group B opener. A difficult task no doubt but one Brosnan will truly relish.

Fixtures:

Thursday 20 July: Australia v Republic of Ireland, 11am, Stadium Australia

Wednesday 26 July: Canada v Republic of Ireland, 1pm, Perth Rectangular Stadium

Monday 31 July: Republic of Ireland v Nigeria, 11am, Brisbane Stadium

All kick-off times are BST.

Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images

Katrine Veje, Karen Holmgaard – Denmark

With eight wins out of eight in qualifying, the Danes have roared back to their first World Cup since 2007 and will be looking to go all the way in Australia and New Zealand.

Group D plays host to European champions, England, as well as China and Haiti, but Denmark will be taking nothing for granted as they will look to their experienced leaders to help guide them through some tough, and tricky, fixtures.

And few are more experienced then Veje, who has overcome a number of injuries during her debut season with Everton to represent her nation in her first World Cup.

As versatile as she is experienced, Veje has been capped more than 100 times for her country and will play a key role as Denmark begin their pursuit to glory.

Veje will be ably assisted by Holmgaard, who will be without her twin and fellow Everton teammate, Sara, who misses the competition through injury.

A fierce competitor for both club and country, the midfielder will look to do her nation and sister proud when the competition gets underway.

Fixtures:

Saturday 22 July: Denmark v China, 1pm, Perth Rectangular Stadium

Friday 28 July: England v Denmark, 9.30am, Sydney Football Stadium

Tuesday 1 August: Haiti v Denmark, 12pm, Perth Rectangular Stadium

All kick-off times are BST.

Photo by NESimages/Geert van Erven/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Katja Snoeijs – Netherlands

The Blues’ top scorer last season, the striker will be keen to continue her scoring form when her country’s campaign gets underway.

Playing in her first ever World Cup, her late goalscoring surge for Everton, as well as six goals in her last eight internationals, Snoeijs’ form will be key as the Netherlands will be without the prolific Vivianne Miedema.

And competition does not come much tougher for the Dutch, who are paired with reigning champions, USA, as well as Portugal and Vietnam, who round out Group E.

Whether the Netherlands can top the group remains to be seen, but Snoeijs and co. will see anything other than reaching the latter stages of the competition as a disappointment.

Fixtures:

Sunday 23 July: Netherlands v Portugal, 8.30am, Forsyth Barr Stadium

Thursday 27 July: United States v Netherlands, 2am, Wellington Regional Stadium

Tuesday 1 August: Vietnam v Netherlands, 8am, Forsyth Barr Stadium

All kick-off times are BST.

Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images

Nathalie Bjorn, Hanna Bennison – Sweden

Arguably Group G favourites and one of the tournament favourites overall, Sweden will be keen to put their European Championship Semi-final defeat to England last summer firmly behind them.

And the Everton contingent will play a crucial role if Peter Gerhardsson’s team are to triumph.

Bjorn – Everton’s Player’s Player of the Season last term – heads into her third straight summer tournament, after being part of the European Championship squad and a Silver Medalist at the Olympic Games. At 26-years-old, the defender already possesses a wealth of experience and will be relishing the next challenge in her already impressive career.

With a flair for the unpredictable, Bennison will be one to watch during the tournament, particularly if her match-winning strike against Switzerland last summer is anything to go by.

A big summer signing in 2021, the midfielder is another firm favourite with the Walton Hall Park faithful and will be keen to grow her reputation as Sweden will fancy topping Group G, whom they share with Italy, South Africa and Argentina.

Fixtures:

Sunday 23 July: Sweden v South Africa, 6am, Wellington Regional Stadium

Saturday 29 July: Sweden v Italy, 8.30am, Wellington Regional Stadium

Wednesday 2 August: Argentina v Sweden, 8am, Waikato Stadium

All kick-off times are BST.