After helping Switzerland qualify for just their second-ever Women’s World Cup, Lia Walti and Noelle Maritz are hoping their side can surprise a few people out in New Zealand and Australia.
The duo will take on the Philippines in their opening game on Friday, having been drawn in a group alongside co-hosts New Zealand and Frida Maanum’s Norway, and will fancy their chances of progressing to the knockout stages where history shows anything can happen.
The duo may boast World Cup experience having been part of the squad that qualified back in 2015 where they reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by hosts Canada, but Lia believes that this edition will be completely different to what they previously experienced given the huge growth of the women’s game since.
“The beauty of our game at the minute is every new season we reach a new level,” she said. “I feel so privileged to be able to experience that. I think we saw from the Euros the impact that had even just here in England, so I expect this World Cup to be the biggest in history.
“It’s so exciting for us to be part of that. We don’t always qualify so it’s going to be an amazing experience.”
Noelle shares her teammate’s excitement: “I think Switzerland are often seen as the underdog so I’m hoping we can perform well and be a surprise at the tournament and show everyone what we are capable of as a nation.
“The game has obviously developed a lot since the last tournament, so I think it will be even more competitive. Every nation has been preparing and has been looking forward to the tournament for a while now. I think there are going to be some really close games which will make it even more interesting and better for spectators and players.”
The duo come into the tournament having been a part of an Arsenal squad that won the Continental Tyres League Cup and reached the semi-final of the Champions League, despite a lengthy injury list.
They both feel that their experiences at club level have once again highlighted the importance of a galvanised squad allied with a strong belief that they have a chance of success by all pulling in the right direction - something Swiss captain Lia is hoping to instil into her squad.
“It’s been such a special season, very big highs in terms of performances and big lows based on injuries and how we ended the season,” she added.
“The main thing I learned is no matter who is on the pitch, no matter what team ends up playing, as long as you are all on the same page and if you stick together as a team, anything is possible. That gives me confidence in the future that as long as you have a plan as a team, you can achieve anything.”
“It’s important it is for us to stick together and see game to game what’s going to happen, and not look too far into the future,” added Noelle. “Sticking together, believing in each other and making the most out of any situation we face - that’s the key lesson I will take into the World Cup with my team this summer.”
Find out everything you need to know about the tournament with our Arsenal-related preview including when you can see all of our players in action in Australia and New Zealand.
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