As the U.S. women's national team prepares to embark on the eighth edition of the Women's World Cup, we bring you eight intriguing facts to know before the Americans open play Tuesday in France.
From looking at the USWNT's dominance on the World Cup stage to Americans who have scored multiple goals at the tournament, we dive into the stats you need to know provided by Opta.
⭐️ RUN ⭐️ THE ⭐️ WORLD ⭐️
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) May 2, 2019
RT if you with us. #OneNationOneTeam pic.twitter.com/iuqtO6dKoQ
8 facts to know heading into the World Cup
- The United States' 112 games are the most in the tournament of any country. The USA’s goal differential of +77 is also the best in the history of the World Cup.
- Carli Lloyd has seven goals at the World Cup, which is the most of any player on the U.S. squad. Only two other players on the U.S. roster have multiple goals in the tournament — Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, with three each.
If Lloyd scores two goals at the World Cup this year, she would tie for the ninth-most goals scored at the tournament with nine.
- The USWNT has finished in the top three of every Women’s World Cup with three victories, one runner-up and three third-place finishes. There hasn't been another nation to finish in the top three more than three times. Germany has had two wins with one runner-up finish, while Sweden has finished second once and in third place twice.
- The most frequent matchup at the Women’s World Cup has been between the United States and Sweden. Both sides have already played each other five times before the 2019 tournament. The U.S. and Sweden will meet again June 20 in the final Group F match in France, marking their sixth meeting and the fifth straight tournament in which the two have faced off.
- Lloyd holds the record as the oldest player to have scored a hat trick at the World Cup, which she did against Japan at the 2015 World Cup at 32 years and 354 days old.
- The USWNT has the two keepers with the most shutouts in World Cup history as Hope Solo and Briana Scurry have 10 each. The U.S. has more clean sheets than any team in the competition’s history with 23.
If Tierna Davidson, 20, or Mallory Pugh, 21, score a goal at the World Cup, they would join the top five youngest U.S. players to score at the tournament. Davidson would be third, while Pugh would be fourth.
- Mia Hamm was 19 years and 18 months old when she scored her first World Cup goal.
- Debbie Keller was 20 years, 2 months and 17 days old.
- Cindy Parlow reached her first World Cup goal when she was 21 years, 1 month and 17 days.
- Cat Whitehill was 21 years, 7 months and 18 days old.
- Alex Morgan scored her first goal when she was 22 years and 11 days old.
