Germany enters, the Blues’ opponents on the track… The matches are on Monday’s programme

The alarm won’t go off early this Monday. With three posters on the program, each more interesting than the other, the week starts well for football fans, on Monday, July 24, as the first round of the group stages of the 2023 World Cup continues. The Italian and Argentine national teams, who have not yet reached the level of their male counterparts, will open the ball, before giving way to the Germans and Brazilians, who are among the favorites for the final victory.

7 am: Italy – Argentina (France 3)

In a very dense Group G, even if Sweden gets off to a strong start, the Italians and Argentines know it: they have to start the World Cup strong. And it passes through Eden Park, the legendary hideout of New Zealand rugby, which will see these two nations (more rugby than women’s football at the moment) cross swords.

For the fourth participation in the World Cup, the Italians, who reached the quarter-finals of 2019, will be able to count on a team in full progress, like the national championship, in full development. On the other hand, Argentina, which is also playing the World Cup for the fourth time, hopes to get out of the pools for the first time. This does not seem easy for the South Americans, who are still striving for the first success in the competition (7 losses, 2 draws).

10:30 am: Germany – Morocco (M6)

Women’s football is an 11v11 game, and in the end it is often Germany that wins. Pioneers in Europe, the Germans have always been a scarecrow. And the 2023 World Cup is no exception to the rule. Led by captain Alexandra Pope, PSG’s executor with Wolfsburg in the Champions League quarter-finals this season, the Germans are the big favorites in Group H and are set to take over their spot.

World champions in 2007 and 2013, Olympic champions in 2016 and 11-time European champions will face the humble Moroccans, recent CAN finalists. In their first participation in the World Cup, the Atlas Lionesses will plunge into the deep end of the first encounter. Will French players Reinald Pedro’s be able to raise their level against the German experience?

1:00pm: Brazil-Panama (Match 9)

For the French public, this is the most interesting poster of the day, because it goes against the next two opponents of Hervé Renard’s Bleues, the day after France drew (0-0) against Jamaica. A very unbalanced rudimentary duel in this Group F, which will see the Brazilian stars and the legend Marta fall against Panama. Panamanians, they are newbies at this level, because they have never played in a World Cup or Olympic Games.

So the task promises to be difficult against the Brazilians, the winners of the last America’s Cup, vice-champions of the world in 2007 and double silver medalists of the Olympic Games (2004, 2008). A record that does not necessarily reflect their level, and they are among the best countries in the world, who intend to seek the first crown for the last participation of the legend Marta (37 years, 112 goals in 164 selections).