Playing in front of their own fans, the Chinese women’s team are looking to reverse their fortunes after a dramatic slip down the rankings. Their new Swedish coach has injected the squad with youth, and is looking to the 24 year old veteran striker Han Duan to act as a calming influence. Whilst over in England, a national player development centre in Loughborough, established 7 years ago, is now producing a flow of exciting young talent. How will these ever-improving teams fare in what promises to be the most widely contested and prestigious FIFA Women’s World Cup to date.
