FIFA Women’s World Cup: All you need to know about the matches on July 24

Brazilian great Marta makes her bow at her sixth and final FIFA Women’s World Cup in Adelaide on Monday.

Day five features the first appearances of former world champions Germany and Brazil, who are striving to give Marta a World Cup winners medal at the end of her storied career.

Italy, quarterfinalists in 2019, meet Argentina in Group G, at Eden Park with the Argentines seeking a first-ever World Cup win.

The Germans play Morocco Melbourne in Group H and Brazil are such hot favourites against World Cup first-timers Panama in Adelaide it’s hard to get a bet on them at the TAB.

Here’s all you need to know about the three matches on July 24.

Italy v Argentina

Group G; Where: Eden Park, Auckland. When: 6pm.

Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, Prime, Stuff, live updates on Stuff.

It should be tarantella v samba for the passionate fans in the Eden Park stands. Italy made the last eight in France in 2018 but crashed out in the group stages at the 2022 European Championships, finishing bottom of their pool. Now 16th in the world rankings, Italy – boasted by eight players from champion club Roma and nine from rivals Juventus – should still be too strong for Argentina, who have never won a World Cup game or advanced from the group stages at four previous World Cups. The Argentines have just four players at European clubs with the rest based in South America.

Key players: Italy captain Christiana Girelli has over 100 caps and 53 goals – third on the all-time charts. Regularly the top scorer in Italy with Juventus, Girelli is at her third World Cup. It remains to be seen if coach Bertolini will give a World Cup debut to 16-year-old Barcelona midfielder Giulia Dragoni. Argentina’s veteran keeper-captain Vanina Correa was brilliant at France 2019 while striker Yamila Rodríguez, who plays club football in Brazil, was top scorer at the last Copa América Femenina tournament.

Stuff match predictor: Italy 63%, Argentina 21%, Draw 16%.

TAB odds: Italy $1.50, Draw $4, Argentina $5.50.

You can find the squads and other key information about both teams here

Germany v Morocco

Group H; Where: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. When: 8.30pm.

Coverage: Sky Sport, live updates on Stuff.

Back-to-back world champions in 2003 and 2007, Germany are still ranked No 2 in the world, but their form has been patchy ahead of the World Cup, scraping a 2-1 win over Vietnam before losing 3-2 to world no 77 Zambia in Fürth after being two goals down. Still, there is too much class in coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s German team to expect them to stumble against the Moroccans, who were African Cup of Nations runners-up in 2022 but are ranked 72nd in the world.

Key players: Captain Alexandra Popp provides the pep to the German attack. The 32-year-old scored six goals at Euro 22 and is a Golden Boot candidate at the World Cup with the Germans in a comparatively week group. Rising young star Lena Oberdorf’s ability and versatility in midfield or central defence is valued by her coach. Morocco’s English-born forward Rosella Ayane – a teammate of Football Fern Ria Percival at Tottenham Hotspur – impressed with two goals at the Cup of Nations last year.

Stuff match predictor: Germany 90%, Morocco 3%, Draw 7%.

TAB odds: Germany $1.01, Draw $13, Morocco $26

You can find the squads and other information about both teams here

Brazil v Panama

Group F; Where: Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide. When: 11pm

Coverage: Live on Sky 1, live updates on Stuff.

Brazil have the dubious tag of being the best team never to win a World Cup, with a silver medal in 2007 their best effort in eight finals appearances. Maybe Swedish coach Pia Sundhage, who led the United States to two Olympic gold medals, can work her magic with Marta and the rest of the eighth-ranked Brazilian squad. Panama are at their first World Cup and face a baptism of fire in a group headlined by Brazil and France.

Key players: Polish off a pie floater, Adelaide football fans, and head to Hindmarsh Stadium because the chance to watch Marta will be worth the admission price alone if she comes off the bench after a recent knee injury. The six-time FIFA world player of the year is set to retire this year after a glittering career which has seen her hailed as the greatest of all-time. It’s not all the Marta Show though, Brazil also boasts Barcelona’s Geyse and Arsenal striker Rafaelle. Panama’s American-born forward Riley Tanner impressed on debut in the 2023 qualifying tournament in New Zealand and Lineth Cedeño is already a hero in Panama for scoring the goal that sent Las Canaleras to their first finals.

Stuff match predictor: Brazil 87%, Panama 6%, Draw 7%.

TAB odds: Brazil $0, Draw: $21, Panama $51.00.

You can find the squads and other information about the teams here