The USA is skipping the Algarve Cup for the SheBelieves Cup it is hosting. European champion Germany, England and France -- all quarterfinalists at the 2015 Women's World Cup -- will give the U.S.
women their toughest tests in the buildup to this summer's Rio Olympics.
2016 SheBelieves Cup Schedule: March 3 in
Tampa Germany vs. France, 5 p.m. ET
USA vs. England, 7:30 p.m. ET, FS1
March 6 in Nashville, Tenn. USA vs. France, 3 p.m. ET ESPN3
England vs. Germany, 5:30
p.m. ET
March 9 in Boca Raton, Fla. France vs. England, 5 p.m. ET
USA vs. Germany, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3
ENGLAND.
Mark Sampson has named 19 of the 23 players from the team that finished in third place at the 2015 Women's World Cup. Back are goalkeeper
Karen Bardsley, who grew up in
Southern California, captain
Steph Houghton, midfielder
Fara Williams, who scored the gamewinner against Germany in overtime of the third-place match, former University of North Carolina
defender
Lucy Bronze, who had the gamewinner against host Canada in the quarterfinals, and Portland Thorns forward
Jodie Taylor.
England Roster: GOALKEEPERS (3): Karen Bardsley (Manchester City), Siobhan Chamberlain (Liverpool), Carly Telford (Notts County).
DEFENDERS (9): Laura
Bassett (Notts County), Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Gilly Flaherty (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Liverpool), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Claire Rafferty (Chelsea), Alex Scott (Arsenal), Demi
Stokes (Manchester City), Casey Stoney (Arsenal).
MIDFIELDERS (6): Katie Chapman (Chelsea), Isobel Christiansen (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Jill Scott (Manchester City),
Fara Williams (Arsenal).
FORWARDS (6): Eniola Aluko (Chelsea), Karen Carney (Chelsea), Gemma Davison (Chelsea), Toni Duggan (Manchester City), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Jodie Taylor (Portland
Thorns FC).
GERMANY. Steffi Jones has taken over for
Silvia Neid, who had been head coach for a decade. Also gone are
longtime goalkeeper
Nadine Angerer and 2015 Women's World Cup Golden Boot winner
Celia Sasic, who retired. Out are starting midfielders
Simone Laudehr, who has college exams, and
Melanie Leupolz, who was a late scratch because of an injury.
Anja Mittag, who won the Bronze Boot with five goals at the Women's World Cup, will now lead the attack, while
Almuth
Schult has taken over in goal.
Germany Roster: GOALKEEPERS (3): Laura Benkarth (Freiburg), Almuth Schult (Wolfsburg),
Lisa Weiss (SGS Essen).
DEFENDERS (7): Saskia Bartusiak (FFC Frankfurt), Kathrin Hendrich (FFC Frankfurt), Josephine Henning (Arsenal Ladies/ENG), Tabea Kemme (Turbine Potsdam), Annike
Krahn (Bayer Leverkusen), Leonie Maier (Bayern Munich), Babett Peter (Wolfsburg).
MIDFIELDERS (7): Melanie Behringer (Bayern Munich), Anna Blaesse (Wolfsburg), Sara Daebritz (Bayern
Munich), Sara Doorsoun (SGS Essen), Lena Goessling (Wolfsburg), Svenja Huth (Wolfsburg), Isabel Kerschowski (Wolfsburg).
FORWARDS (6): Mandy Islacker (FFC Frankfurt), Lina Magull
(Freiburg), Dzsenifer Marozsan (FFC Frankfurt), Anja Mittag (Paris SG/FRA), Lena Petermann (Freiburg), Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg).
FRANCE.
Injuries have robbed the Bleues of captain
Wendie Renard, midfield star
Amandine Henry and starting defender
Laure Boulleau, but they still have a lot of talent.
Laura
Georges (167),
Camille Abily (158),
Elise Bussaglia (150),
Louisa Necib (135),
Elodie Thomis (125),
Eugenie Le Sommer (116) and
Sarah Bouhaddi (100) all
are members of the century club in caps.
France Roster: GOALKEEPERS (3): Sarah Bouhaddi (Lyon), Méline Gerard
(Lyon), Laetitia Philippe (Montpellier).
DEFENDERS (7): Sabrina Delannoy (Paris SG), Kelly Gadea (Montpellier), Laura Georges (Paris SG), Jessica Houara D'Hommeaux (Paris SG), Sakina
Karchaoui (Montpellier), Amel Majri (Lyon), Griedge Mbock Bathy (Lyon).
MIDFIELDERS (9): Camille Abily (Lyon), Viviane Asseyi (Montpellier), Charlotte Bilbault (Juvisy), Elise Bussaglia
(Wolfsburg/GER), Kadidiatou Diani (Juvisy), Kheira Hamraoui (Paris SG), Aurelie Kaci (Lyon), Marie-Charlotte Leger (Montpellier), Elodie Thomis (Lyon).
FORWARDS (4): Marie-Laure Delie
(Paris SG), Claire Lavogez (Lyon), Eugenie Le Sommer (Lyon), Louisa Necib (Lyon).