Although there are no FAWSL games for a while, that doesn’t mean there’s no football to be enjoyed! This international break, we have pulled together the best international team. The only rules are that there can only be one player per country and the team must be within the ShePlays WSL budgets. Check out the team and when these players are playing this international break!
AUSTRALIA – Sam Kerr
International Caps: 100 Goals: 48 Debut: 2008
Cost: £800k Points: 81
Matildas captain Sam Kerr is no surprise on this list with 5 goals in 5 games so far this season. The Australian sensation has played all across the globe, debuting for her hometown team Perth Glory in 2008 as a 15-year-old. The next year she debuted for the Matildas and scored her first goal against South Korea in the 2010 Asian Cup, slightly overshooting the now iconic backflip. The 2010 Asian Cup was Kerr’s first and only taste of international silverware thus far in her career. She’ll be hoping to lead the Aussies to another Asian Cup title in early 2022 and an inaugural Women’s World Cup at home in 2023.
Australia are playing at home for the first time since March 2020 with two games scheduled against Brazil.
Game 1 – 23/10
Friendly vs Brazil
19:50 local at CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Game 2 – 26/10
Friendly vs Brazil
20:05 local at CommBank Stadium, Sydney
ENGLAND – Ashleigh Neville
Cost: £300k Points: 75
Spurs’ Ashleigh Neville might be a surprise for some on this list but her huge 75 points and super affordable price of 300k makes her the most valuable ShePlays WSL players. She leads the league in defensive points (31) and has earnt 3 clean sheets a Tottenham team who look to be a real threat this season. Neville has been with Tottenham since 2017, helping them gain promotion to the WSL in 2019. With new coach Sarina Wiegman and some unfortunate defensive injuries, perhaps Neville could earn a call up to the England squad.
England are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against 2022 Euro bolters Northern Ireland and Latvia.
Game 1 – 23/10
2023 WWCQ vs Northern Ireland
17:15 local at Wembley Stadium, London
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Latvia
20:30 local at Daugava Stadium, Riga
NETHERLANDS – Vivianne Miedema
Cost: £800k Points: 73
Flying Dutchwoman Vivianne Miedema is a name no-one should be surprised to see on this list. To be fair though is there anything that she could do that would surprise us? Signing her first contract at 14, she scored 12 goals in 19 appearances SC Heerenveen in the Eredivisie and since then she hasn’t stopped scoring. Miedema is the Netherlands all time leading goal scorer, well-surpassing her childhood hero Robin Van Persie’s and former teammate Manon Melis’ respective 50 and 59 goals. Miedema is a key figure in the Oranje Leeuwinnen and has been part of their rise to a 2017 European Championship and 2019 World Cup Final.
The Netherlands are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against Cyprus and Belarus.
Game 1 – 22/10
2023 WWCQ vs Cyprus
21:45 local at AEK Arena, Larnaca
Game 2 – 28/10
2023 WWCQ vs Belarus
19:30 local at Dinamo Stadium, Minsk
SCOTLAND – Kim Little
International Caps: 140 Goals: 59 Debut: 2007
Cost: £700k Points: 69
Scottish fans were devastated when Kim Little announced her international retirement in September after 14 years of service since she was 16. Little is one of the few footballers who has played in two Olympic Games for Great Britain earning a joint highest 9 caps. Her Scottish retirement has perhaps come at the benefit to Arsenal as she has been in fine form to start the season. The Arsenal Captain is the highest scoring ShePlays WSL midfielder with 69 points and a joint team leading 4 goals.
Scotland are playing a World Cup qualifier this international break against Hungary and a friendly against Sweden. Will the Scots be able to boogie their way to another World Cup?
Game 1 – 22/10
2023 WWCQ vs Hungary
19:35 local at Hampden Stadium, Glasgow
Game 2 – 26/10
Friendly vs Sweden
19:15 local at St Mirren Park, Paisley
NEW ZEALAND – Ria Percival
International Caps: 153 Goals: 14 Debut: 2006
Cost: £250k Points: 63
New Zealand’s most capped footballer ever, Ria Percival rightfully makes this list (if the formula hadn’t selected her, I might have because Kiwi’s have to stick together!). Emigrating from England at 14, within a few years she was being called up for Football Ferns duty and hasn’t looked back since. Appearing in 3 World Cups and 4 Olympics, she was named the OFC’s Women’s Player of the Decade ahead of countrywomen Abby Erceg and Rebekah Stott.
New Zealand are playing friendlies this international break against Olympic Champions Canada.
Game 1 – 23/10
Friendly vs Canada
16:00 local at TD Place Stadium, Ottawa
Game 2 – 26/10
Friendly vs Canada
20:30 local at Stade Saputo, Montreal
SPAIN – Ona Batlle
International Caps: 13 Goals: 0 Debut: 2019
Cost: £350k Points: 58
Spanish defender Ona Batlle is a product of the acclaimed FC Barcelona La Masia joining the club as a 12-year-old in 2011. She progressed through the ranks to represent FC Barcelona Femení B in the second division. Before joining Manchester United on in the summer of 2020, with stints at Madrid CFF and Levante UD Femenino. Batlle has represented her country in all age groups from U-17 upward debuting for the Spanish full team in 2019 against Cameroon. She has been at the forefront of Spain’s international success at youth level, winning the 2015 U17 Euros and 2017 U19 Euros, as well as a runner-up medal at the 2018 U20 World Cup.
Spain are playing a friendly against Morocco and a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
Game 1 – 21/10
Friendly vs Morocco
20:00 local at Estadio Príncipe Felipe, Cáceres
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Ukraine
17:00 local at Kolos Stadium, Kovalivka
SWITZERLAND – Noelle Maritz
International Caps: 80 Goals: 1 Debut: 2013
Cost: £250k Points: 54
American-born Noelle Maritz lived in “soccer” hotspot California until she was 10 years old. The Swiss defender made her professional debut for FC Zurich is 2011 before moving to German powerhouse Vfl Wolfsburg for 7 seasons. In the summer of 2020, Maritz joined her current Swiss captain Lia Wälti at Arsenal. Missing much of last season due to injury Arsenal and Swiss fans will be happy to see her having a strong start to the 2021/22 campaign. Maritz was the second youngest Swiss player to appear at their debut World Cup in 2015, starting all four games.
Switzerland are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against Romania and Croatia.
Game 1 – 22/10
2023 WWCQ vs Romania
19:00 local at Letzigrund, Zurich
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Ukraine
19:00 local at Letzigrund, Zurich
NORWAY – Guro Reiten
International Caps: 53 Goals: 11 Debut: 2014
Cost: £450k Points: 51
Norway and Chelsea midfielder Guro Reiten debuted for her local side Sunndal in the Norwegian second division in 2010. At 16 she was picked up by Toppserien team Kattem and spent 9 seasons in Norway with Kattem, Trondheims-Ørn, and LSK Kvinner. This season for Chelsea, Reiten has primarily been utilised as an attacking wingback, start 4 out of 5 games thus far. She has represented Norway at all youth level s and made her full international debut in 2014. Reiten has been part of the Norwegian squad for the 2017 Euros and 2019 World Cup where she scored their first goal against Nigeria.
Norway are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against Poland and Belgium.
Game 1 – 21/10
2023 WWCQ vs Poland
19:15 local at Stadion Miejski Widzewa, Łódź
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Belgium
19:00 local at Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo
AUSTRIA – Manuela Zinsberger
International Caps: 60 Goals: 0 Debut: 2013
Cost: £300k Points: 49
Austrian goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger is the highest scoring ShePlays WSL goalkeeper this season. Leading Arsenal to a league best 4 clean sheets from 5 games she has flourished with the clear number 1 responsibility. Her penalty save and performance this month was a bright spot in Arsenals difficult battle against Champions League title holders Barcelona. Zinsberger was a key member of Austria’s semi-final run at the 2017 Euros playing every game. She will be hoping Austria will be a beneficiary of the expanded 2023 World Cup field.
Austria are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland.
Game 1 – 22/10
2023 WWCQ vs Luxembourg
18:00 local at Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Northern Ireland
19:00 local at Seaview, Belfast
FINLAND – Emma Koivisto
International Caps: 54 Goals: 2 Debut: 2012
Cost: £350k Points: 49
The Emma Koivisto hype train continues and rightly so due to a stellar start to the season with a goal and two clean sheets for Brighton. Koivisto has been a member of the Finnish youth squads and was a member of the third placed U19 European Championship team, playing every minute. She’ll be hoping some of that performance will transfer to the full squad for the 2022 Euros. Finland were possibly surprise top qualifiers from Group E, going unbeaten in all 8 games besting both Portugal and Scotland. Koivisto and the Finnish defence allowing only 2 goals during the qualifying campaign.
Finland are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against Georgia and the Republic of Ireland.
Game 1 – 21/10
2023 WWCQ vs Georgia
20:00 local at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Republic of Ireland
18:15 local at Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki
ICELAND – Dagný Brynjarsdóttir
International Caps: 90 Goals: 29 Debut: 2010
Cost: £250k Points: 40
For such a small country Iceland sure does punch above its weight with producing women’s footballers such as Dagný Brynjarsdóttir. Debuting in 2010 against the USA might have been a peek into the future as she played many years there at Florida State and the Portland Thorns winning NCAA and NWSL Championships. She has a good scoring record for her national team and perhaps her most impactful goal was a game-winning header against the Netherlands to qualify for the quarterfinals of the 2013 Euros. Dagný will be wanting to help lead Iceland to their first World Cup in 2023.
Iceland are playing World Cup qualifiers this international break against the Czech Republic and Cyprus.
Game 1 – 22/10
2023 WWCQ vs Czech Republic
18:45 local at Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík
Game 2 – 26/10
2023 WWCQ vs Cyprus
18:45 local at Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík