SWEDEN
Previous FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances: 1991,
1995, 1999, 2003
All-time best: Runners-up in 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Coach: Thomas Dennerby played professional football for Hammarby and has been a successful women’s football coach for some years now. An ex-employee of the Stockholm drug commission, Dennerby has been head coach since 2005; before that, he was assistant to former national coach Marika Domansky-Lyfors.
Star player: Hanna Ljungberg has long been without doubt Sweden’s top player. Renowned for her exceptional pace, she has recently returned to form after recovering from head and knee injuries. A footprint cast in silver of the 160cm-tall Ljungberg can be found next to the stadium of Sweden’s women’s champions, Umea IK.
The team: Sweden have been one of the top teams in women’s football for many years and they are expected to play a major role in China. The Swedes are strong in attack but vulnerable in defence, while the retirement of playmaker Malin Mostrom has left a void in their midfield.

ARGENTINA
Previous FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances: 2003
All-time best: 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup group stages
Coach: Jose Carlos Borello started out by helping his father coach a women’s team in the provincial town of Burzaco. He was so successful that the Argentinian FA appointed him as assistant coach of the women’s national team in 1998, and by the end of the year he was made head coach.
Star player: Although only 17, Maria Belen Potassa already poses a threat with her pace. Formerly a member of the same team as her brother, she now plays for Rosario Central in Buenos Aires and has a highly promising future ahead of her. The team: Argentina will go into the tournament high on confidence after defeating the continent’s top-ranked side, Brazil, in the South American Women’s Championship final, a victory that also booked them a place in the World Cup finals.

ENGLAND
Previous FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances: 1995
All-time best: 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-finals
Coach: Hope Powell has been England head coach since 1998. The 40-year-old played for various English clubs and won 66 caps for her country, scoring 35 goals. She is a charismatic figure whose contribution to the recent progress of English women’s football earned her an OBE.
Star player: Rachel Yankey is England’s most experienced player, with 71 caps and 11 goals. Awarded an MBE in 2006, last season she won the UEFA Cup, the English league, the FA Cup and the League Cup with her club, Arsenal Ladies. The team: England are one of the up-and-coming nations in women’s football, as shown during the country’s hosting of the 2005 European Championship and by qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in China ahead of favourites France. While strong in attack, the England defence is not always watertight.