da dobrowin： As well as the England and USWNT stars, Japan are well-represented in the best XI of the tournament's opening fortnight…

da winzada777： What an incredible group stage we've just been treated to at the 2023 Women's World Cup. There were huge shocks, with two-time winners Germany, Olympic gold medallists Canada and South American champions Brazil all crashing out, while the underdog stories kept coming as Jamaica, Morocco and South Africa made the last 16 for the first time in their respective histories.

We've seen surprise results, too, such as Japan thrashing Spain, and the big guns are starting to warm up, as seen in huge wins for Sweden and England.

At the heart of it all have been some seriously impressive individual performances, with the race for the Golden Ball award certainly heating up with each matchday that has passed. As we prepare for all the drama that is sure to come in the knockouts, GOAL picks its team of the Women's World Cup group stage…

GettyGK: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria)

When you look at Nigeria's squad, you're immediately drawn to the attack. Asisat Oshoala, Ifeoma Onumonu, Uchenna Kanu and Rasheedat Ajibade are among the players Randy Waldrum can call upon in the final third, but one of the stars of their group stage was at the other end, in goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Four years on from becoming the youngest goalkeeper to keep a Women's World Cup clean sheet, the 22-year-old has experience that belies her years and that certainly helped her as she kept two big clean sheets against Olympic champions Canada and a determined Ireland.

Racking up a save percentage of 83.3 in her first three games, Nnadozie's stand-out moment was the stop she made to deny Christine Sinclair, the greatest goalscorer in the history of international football, from the spot. It gave Nigeria a great foundation to build on in Group B.

AdvertisementGettyRB: Tiernny Wiltshire (Jamaica)

Again, Jamaica's star names come in the forward areas, with Manchester City star Bunny Shaw certainly the poster girl for this team, but their defence was the key as they caused one of the shocks of the tournament by knocking out Brazil.

The Reggae Girlz are yet to concede at this World Cup, with a 1-0 win over Panama sandwiched in between goalless stalemates with France and the South American champions, and Tiernny Wiltshire was absolutely solid in the latter two results.

Tasked with keeping some real top talents quiet in her right-back role, Wiltshire won 10 duels, made 10 clearances, won five tackles and both of the aerial battles she competed in across the two games. There haven't been too many outstanding, eye-catching right-backs over the first phase, but there haven't been any more reliable and dependable ones than the 25-year-old.

GettyCB: Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)

How often can you say that a centre-back is in the race for the Golden Boot? Amanda Ilestedt certainly is after netting three times from defence in Sweden's first three games.

The first of those was absolutely crucial, her header from Kosovare Asllani's 90th-minute corner saving Sweden's blushes and allowing them to start with a win over South Africa. A few days later, she came to their rescue in a different way, breaking the deadlock from another set-piece just before half-time, the Olympic silver medallists having found Italy tough to break down before that goal.

Ilestedt, who signed for Arsenal this summer, has been important at the other end of the pitch, too, helping Sweden to record two clean sheets as they enter the knockout rounds as just one of three teams to take maximum points in the group stage.

GettyCB: Naomi Girma (United States)

There's no doubt that the U.S. women's national team were poor in the group stage, with their tally of five points the lowest they've ever recorded at a Women's World Cup. That said, Naomi Girma has been excellent for the reigning champions in the heart of defence.

Only conceding once in the first three games, the U.S. were relatively solid at the back despite their struggles, Girma's composure and ability to take control of situations particularly important given the team lost captain and star centre-back Becky Sauerbrunn just before the tournament.

So often what the 23-year-old does can be under-stated and therefore go unnoticed, but it certainly shouldn't. She's already one of the best in the world in her position.