Analysing the Past Winners of the Women's World Cup

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The first Women’s World Cup was contested in 1991 and United States won the tournament, beating Norway 2-1 in the final.

That was the first of four World Cup triumphs for the United States and they will enter the 2023 Women’s World Cup as the defending champions.

The 1991 Women’s World Cup featured 12 teams in the three groups, with matches lasting 80 minutes.

The winning United States team included the legendary Mia Hamm but it was striker Michelle Akers-Stahl who stole the show for the United States, scoring 2 goals in the final and finishing as the top goal scorer in the tournament.

Carin Jennings and April Heinrichs were also heavily among the goals for the United States.

The 1995 Women’s World Cup was held in Sweden and Norway lifted the trophy. The Norwegians beat Germany 2-0 in the final having defeated United States 1-0 in the semi-final.

Norway did not lose a game throughout the tournament and conceded just a single goal in the 6 matches they played. Norway scored 17 goals in just 3 group fixtures.

The 1999 Women’s World Cup took place in the United States and it was the hosts who came out on top.

United States comfortably won their group, taking maximum points and came from both 1-0 and 2-0 down against Germany in the quarter final to win 3-2.

The semi-final against Brazil was easier and United States won 2-0 but the hosts could not break down China in the final, which went to penalties.

United States kept their nerve to score all 5 of their penalties and cement their place at the top of the women’s game.

In 2003 and 2007 it was Germany’s time to dominate women’s football on the international stage.

Five of the same players were in the Germany starting XI for both finals and they beat Sweden 2-1 after extra time with a golden goal in 2003 before defeating Brazil 2-0 in 2007.

Kerstin Stegemann, Ariane Hingst, Kerstin Garefrekes, Birgit Prinz, and Renate Lingor were the five players to start both Women’s World Cup finals.

The 2011 Women’s World Cup was played in Germany and it was Japan who won the tournament, claiming their first title.

The Japanese became the first Asian team to win a senior World Cup and did so having finished second in their group behind England.

Japan then went on to cause upsets in the knockout stages, first beating the hosts Germany 1-0 after extra-time and then defeating Sweden 3-1.

The final against United States went to penalties following a 2-2 draw and Japan won the shootout 3-1.

2015 and 2019 saw United States return to the top of the women’s game.

A crushing 5-2 win over defending champions Japan in the 2015 final highlighted their dominance and having only scored 4 goals in the group stage, United States turned it on.

Hope Solo, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Carli Lloyd were the stars of the team.

Rapinoe, Heath, Morgan, and Lloyd all featured in the 2019 final and all four players were key to the success of the United States.

Both Rapinoe and Morgan will play again for the United States in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.