da betcris： This was a tournament packed with amazing storylines, from surprise packages to shock early exits, but who stood out, for both good and bad reasons?

da aviator aposta： The 2023 Women's World Cup delivered a tournament like no other, with thrills and spills at every corner as the likes of Germany, Brazil and the United States, winners of the last two editions, all crashed out early on, while teams such as Japan entertained all and co-hosts Australia reached an historic semi-final.

It was a World Cup that saw young stars rise to the fore, with Salma Paralluelo shining for eventual champions Spain, Aoba Fujino putting in some dazzling performances for Japan and Lauren James lighting up the world stage for England.

And it was a tournament that delivered its fair share of memorable games, be it Colombia's incredible win over Germany, South Africa's dramatic triumph over Italy that secured a first-ever appearance in the knockout rounds, or Jamaica's draw against Brazil which allowed them to follow the African champions in booking an historic last-16 spot.

So, who were the biggest winners and losers in Australia and New Zealand? GOAL takes a look…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Jorge Vilda

Spain came into this tournament with so much noise around them. After calls for change within the federation followed last year's European Championship, 15 players withdrew from selection for the national team and only three returned for this World Cup.

That meant they were without stars such as Mapi Leon, widely regarded as the best centre-back in the world; Patri Guijarro, Player of the Match in the Women's Champions League final in June; and Claudia Pina, one of Spain's brightest young talents.

But the federation stuck with head coach Jorge Vilda, despite reporting his 'excessive control' and the players' desire for 'greater demand in training'. Had Spain endured a disappointing World Cup, perhaps greater questions would be asked of that decision in the aftermath. However, their triumph will certainly quieten that noise and benefit Vilda.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Sam Kerr

This was meant to be Sam Kerr's tournament. One of the best players on the planet and the face of the Australia women's national team, this was supposed to be a dream for her, a chance for her to captain her team to levels they'd never before reached, and all on home soil.

In the end, it was a fantastic tournament for the Matildas, who reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history. But for Kerr it will be bittersweet, as a calf injury completely limited her on-pitch involvement in that success.

That team-mate and close friend Steph Catley described her absence from the opening game as "one of the most heart-breaking moments of [her] career" said it all. Kerr did get her moment in the semi-finals, Stadium Australia erupting when her thunderous strike flew over Mary Earps and into the top corner to level the scores against England, and it is a moment that will stick with so many Matildas fans forever.

But she'll be rueing those two missed chances that followed it, before England ran out 3-1 winners. If she'd have been fully fit, instead of that being her first start of the tournament, she'd have probably put them away, too.

GettyWINNER: Africa

This World Cup was an absolutely massive one for Africa, with each of Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa qualifying from really tough groups to reach the last 16.

For Morocco, it was a big nod to the strong work the federation has done investing in women's football and committing to supporting the sport more. The country did a fantastic job at last year's Women's Africa Cup of Nations, both in how it was hosted and that the national team reached the final, and their successful debut at the World Cup was another huge step in the right direction.

Nigeria and South Africa, meanwhile, sent messages to their federations with their performances. Both teams have been surrounded by off-field chaos before, during and after the tournament, but they did their talking on the pitch in Australia and New Zealand, showcasing the wonderful talent they have and the fantastic football they can play.

Hopefully this is the latest sign that women's football is massively on the rise in Africa and there will be more investment and, thus, success stories in the near future.

Getty ImagesLOSER: Sweden

Sweden have reached the semi-finals in seven of their last nine major tournaments and yet winning one continues to elude them.

The Scandinavian nation have long had an incredible generation of talent, with the likes of Barcelona star Fridolina Rolfo, AC Milan playmaker Kosovare Asllani, and Magdalena Eriksson, the long-time Chelsea captain before her summer switch to Bayern Munich, all in the 23 for this year's World Cup. But getting over the line and getting their hands on a major title continues to be beyond them.

At the weekend, they claimed a third World Cup bronze medal in 12 years to go alongside the two Olympic silver medals they've collected in that same timeframe. They had a real chance to make this final, too, scoring a late equaliser in the last four against Spain, only to lose all that momentum when they conceded the winning goal moments later.

Will they be able to go all the way on these big stages?