Now in it’s second year, the SheBelieves Cup is set to kick off concurrently with the Algarve and Cyprus Cups, the short tournament in America with the same four team compliment as last year. Having finished second to the hosts last year, Steffi Jones will be looking for a stronger performance as she makes her debut at the SBC and she’s named a competitive squad of 23 players for the early-March tournament.

Injury troubles

Unable to call upon regulars Lena Goeßling, Melanie Leupolz, Simone Laudehr or even Verena Faißt as the quartet are all at different stages of their rehab or just too soon back into the action for Jones to be willing to risk them. However, the head coach has been given a boost as Sara Däbritz and Linda Dallmann are back in the fray after recovering from their respective knocks, as is Lena Petermann who hasn’t played for Freiburg since the middle of October.

Aware that the lightening fast tournament will provide key practice ahead of this summer’s Euros Jones is relishing the chance against some of the best teams in the world, aware that the tight schedule and calibre of opponent will challenge everyone in the team. Jones has said the team need to be “brave and self-confident” as well as “creative” as they find the right balance across the three games.

Full team

Goalkeepers: Laura Benkarth (SC Freiburg), Almuth Schult (VfL Wolfsburg), Lisa Weiß (SGS Essen).

Defenders: Anna Blässe (VfL Wolfsburg), Pauline Bremer (Olympique Lyonnais), Kristin Demann (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Kathrin Hendrich (FFC Frankfurt), Josephine Henning (Olympique Lyonnais), Tabea Kemme (Turbine Potsdam), Isabel Kerschowski (VfL Wolfsburg), Babett Peter (VfL Wolfsburg), Felicitas Rauch (Turbine Potsdam).

Midfielders: Sara Däbritz (Bayern München), Linda Dallmann (SGS Essen), Sara Doorsoun (SGS Essen), Leonie Maier (Bayern München), Dzsenifer Marozsán (Olympique Lyonnais), Alexandra Popp (VfL Wolfsburg).

Attackers: Svenja Huth (Turbine Potsdam), Mandy Islacker (FFC Frankfurt), Lina Magull (SC Freiburg), Anja Mittag (VfL Wolfsburg), Lena Petermann (SC Freiburg). 

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About the author
Sophie Lawson
Neutral football fan travelling around Europe, covering matches and bothering footballers for interviews