WSL stars in Japan

WSL stars in Japan

Moses Yarborough,

Meet the 44 stars of the Barclays Women’s League at the Tokyo Olympics this summer

The highly-anticipated Tokyo Olympics is around the corner and will showcase women’s football for the seventh time since its introduction in 1996.

Among the 12 participating countries, there will be 44 players representing the Barclays Women’s Football League with some serious talent.

Manchester City leads the way with 12 players, 10 of whom play for a British team led by Sydney 2000 gold medalist High Rise.

The Norwegian also chose a strong team from Chelsea and Arsenal and a player from Manchester United and Everton.

Australia, Sweden and the Netherlands are well represented in the competition, while the Canadians find themselves alongside GB in Group E as the team that knocked them out again in 2012.

Here’s a closer look at the WSL players competing in Tokyo this summer.

Manchester City (12)

Manchester City’s huge roster of Olympians includes Team Great Britain, eight of whom are heading into competition for the first time, while Jill Scott and Elaine White are doing so again after becoming part of the 2012 roster.

Elsewhere, Abby Dalkemper is hoping to make up for the United States’ sudden departure from Rio five years ago, and Janine Becky will face many of her teammates when Canada faces Great Britain in the group final.

Eli Roebuck (Team GB)

Lucy Bronze (British team)

Steve Hutton (British team)

Demi Stokes (Team GB)

Jill Scott (Team GB)

Keira Walsh (Team GB)

Caroline Weir (Team GB)

Georgia Stanway (Team GB)

Eileen White (Team GB)

Lauren Hemp (Team GB)

Abby Dalkemper (VS)

Janine Becky (Canada)

Chelsea (11)

Five Chelsea players have been added to Reese’s roster, including last season’s best player Fran Kirby.

Chelsea fans will also want to keep an eye on Kirby’s teammate Sam Kerr, who will lead Australia this summer.

Blue club captain Magda Eriksson is part of the Swedish trio heading to Japan with Zeira Mosovic and Jona Anderson, and new Anouk Nouen is also part of the Dutch squad.

Carly Telford (Team GB)

Milli Bright (Gigabyte Team)

Sophie Engel (Team GB)

Niamh Charles (Team GB)

Fran Kirby (Team GB)

Sam Kerr (Australia)

Jesse Fleming (Canada)

Annick Noen (Netherlands)

Jona Anderson (Sweden)

Magda Eriksson (Sweden)

Zisera Mosovic (Sweden)

Arsenal (9)

Arsenal fans will enjoy whatever level Nikita Paris plays after signing the former Everton and Manchester City striker from Olympique Lyonnais earlier this summer.

Kim Little is also on her second Olympic campaign trail and will share all her wisdom with defending duo Leah Williamson and Lotte and Ben Moi.

Mana Iwabuchi is another new recruit that Arsenal hope to capitalize on as they try to add the Olympic gold to the World Cup medal they won with Japan in 2011.

The player does not need an introduction. All-time top scorer Vivian Miedema went with Holland to her first Olympic Games.

Leah Williamson (Team GB)

Kim Little (Team GB)

Nikita Paris (Team GB)

Lotte Wubben-Moy (Team GB)

Lydia Williams (Australia)

Steve Catley (Australia)

Caitlin, striker (Australia)

Mana Iwabuchi (Japan)

Vivian Midema (Netherlands)

Everton (4)

The Toffees squad has been boosted by new Swedish attacking duo Anna Unvegaard and FC Rosengard defender Natalie Björn.

Goalkeeper Sandy McIver will also be present when he is called up to Great Britain, while Haile Raso must play hard for Australia’s strong side.

Sandy McIver (Team GB)

Hayley Raso (Australia)

Anna Unvegaard (Sweden)

Natalie Bjorn (Sweden)

West Ham United (3)

Hammers fans should know what to expect from Adriana Lyon as the Canadian approaches her third season with the club, but Australian Tamika Yallop is offering an undisclosed fee after only joining the club earlier this summer.

Mackenzie Arnold (Australia)

Tamika Yallop (Australia)

Adriana Lyon (Canada)

Manchester United (2)

Ella Toone, who was originally on the waiting list, has benefited from the recent decision to expand the teams and hopes Jackie Groenen will be a key figure in Dutchman Sarina Weigman.

Ella Tun (Team GB)

Jackie Gronin (Netherlands)

Tottenham Hotspur (2)

Tottenham defender Ria Percival will make her fourth Olympic appearance after battling New Zealand in 2008, 2012 and 2016.

Shelina Zadorsky (Canada)

Ria Percival (New Zealand)

Brighton & Hove Albion (1)

The Seagulls have Japan’s only actress, Inessa Kaagman, who has been the standout player in helping the team achieve their highest score ever in the league.

Inessa Kagman (Netherlands)

Science

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *