Karen Bardsley: Why this Women's World Cup is more open than ever

This has decidedly been the astir competitory and breathtaking Women's World Cup I've ever seen.

Higher-ranked nations similar the USA person recovered it hard to enforce themselves connected the lower-ranked teams but inactive squeaked done the radical stages. They had to grind retired results but successful erstwhile years we cognize they person turned up the vigor successful the knockout stages.

But if footballing giants Germany tin get knocked out successful a radical with Colombia, Morocco and South Korea, it proves it's the astir competitory World Cup ever.

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So however did we get to this point?

Firstly, immoderate federations are starting to recognize that by investing successful women's shot they tin spot a immense betterment truly quickly. Increased visibility helps and you conscionable person to look astatine the concern being made successful the Women's Super League with the free-to-air broadcast deals.

I besides deliberation the cognition of women's shot is becoming much fashionable globally. By challenging conventions, pistillate footballers are feeling much empowered than ever before.

Generally, the prime of shot has improved truthful overmuch astatine this World Cup too. There's been a tactical and method evolution. Coaches are making absorbing decisions and the level of defending, goalkeeping and transitional play has been better. Games are much aggravated and we've seen these unexpected results.

Teams who are much adaptable are starting to get a competitory vantage truthful coaches request to beryllium much creative.

Why teams are playing with much belief

We are nary longer seeing a Thailand squad getting thrashed by the USA similar we did successful 2019.

Colombia and Jamaica some said they were not conscionable present to marque up the numbers and a fewer teams person echoed that sentiment.

Sometimes you perceive that enactment and don't truly judge it. But it felt antithetic this clip erstwhile they said it. They knew they had truly talented players and could bash thing special.

I'll beryllium honest, I wasn't expecting Jamaica to bash arsenic good arsenic they did - keeping retired Brazil to suffice for the past 16 for the archetypal time - but they showed belief.

The velocity of the crippled has been improving for a fewer years but present it has gone done the roof. Colombia, for example, person massively impressed maine with their intensity.

I covered their 2-0 triumph implicit South Korea and thought it would beryllium tight. Colombia played South Korea disconnected the park! Their fig 9 Mayra Ramirez was truthful effective. I knew 18-year-old Linda Caicedo was bully - but I didn't realise she was that good...

I find it truthful fascinating to larn however these nations person prepared for the World Cup. Morocco realised a fewer years agone they could perchance suffice truthful went and recovered players that had Moroccan practice and would correspond the federation proudly contempt not playing successful their home league. They were clever with however they built their squad and they invested.

Coaches elsewhere present person much acquisition astatine the higher level and we are starting to spot them enactment retired ways to halt the main threats of the bigger nations.

Defending has go much unchangeable too. Teams realise they mightiness not people loads of goals truthful person go resolute and structured. That's what brings occurrence successful a tournament.

Are giants unsighted to improving competitors?

The USA were adjacent to going retired of the contention successful a tense 0-0 gully with Portugal successful their last radical game

The USA were heads and shoulders supra everyone other successful the carnal broadside of the game. But tactically, they haven't been up there.

It has taken time, but the physicality of the European crippled has caught up and we person seen that it has with the Asian and Central American teams too.

I grew up playing successful the USA and determination has ever been this civilization of unquestionable and unshakeable content successful their abilities.

They person improved technically but I don't spot however this USA squad are moving unneurotic now. When England bushed China 6-1 connected Tuesday, you could spot the consciousness successful players' decisions. They thought astir wherever their team-mates mightiness spell next. It's little predictable to play against.

The USA are getting near down tactically present and possibly they didn't realise conscionable however bully everyone other is.

Germany were knocked retired aft they had a precise shaky commencement against South Korea, who capitalised connected mediocre defending. They tried to unit passes and erstwhile Plan A failed, determination wasn't overmuch of a Plan B.

Their exit has started debates astir antithetic tactics and has opened up unexpected paths successful the gully with different apical teams present avoiding each different until aboriginal on.

It besides generates momentum and content successful those lower-ranked nations. They tin vie and bushed the apical teams. There's a existent accidental for them to triumph the World Cup and animate radical backmost home.

Overall, determination person been plentifulness of informing signs and different apical teams should respond. But it shows the prime of shot crossed the satellite has accrued importantly successful a precise abbreviated abstraction of time.

Just ideate if everyone had the aforesaid resources…

Japan person sent waves with their performances

With the USA struggling and Germany out, Japan are 1 of the teams who person truly stood retired for maine truthful far.

I didn't expect them to spell retired and beat Spain 4-0 successful the mode they did. Spain's 3-0 triumph implicit Costa Rica got everyone talking aboriginal connected but they besides missed loads of chances.

However, Japan person been so, truthful impressive. They look perfectly accelerated successful wide areas, person assurance successful their crippled program and were capable to power formations against Spain.

We've not truly seen Spain conflict with being overloaded earlier due to the fact that a batch of teams are not capable to person the shot arsenic efficiently arsenic Japan did. They had 23% possession against Spain and scored 4 goals from 5 shots connected target!

To bash it connected that signifier against Spain was a immense daze and sent waves astir the women's shot community. It goes to amusement that conscionable due to the fact that you support possession, you don't ever power the game.

Former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley was talking to BBC Sport's Emma Sanders.