How do World Cup favourites look ahead of final tune-ups?

In a little more than three months, the World Cup will be kicking off in Australia and New Zealand. With squads being finalised and so little time for changes between now and the start of the competition, how are FIFA's five best-ranked teams looking ahead of vital April friendlies?

Ranked first in the world, the U.S. will be using this window to play the Republic of Ireland — set to debut at the World Cup this summer — twice, first in Austin and then St. Louis. Placed 22nd in FIFA's latest ranking, Ireland will not provide the sternest test for the reigning world champions, but they will be looking for two matches that ready themselves for the fierce competition level of a major tournament.

Although the U.S. are on a six-match winning run, the team has become overly reliant on Mallory Swanson this calendar year. The Chicago Red Stars' attacker has been in sublime form, but she has shouldered an unbalanced share of the goal-scoring responsibility of the team.

With all eyes set to be on 30-year-old Julie Ertz this window, the unattached midfielder not having played a competitive minute since August 2021, manager Vlatko Andonovski might end up putting all his eggs in the Ertz basket to solve his midfield woes. Whether she is even at her old level will be the first question that needs to be answered before the rest of the pieces of the puzzle can be slotted into place. With the June window still to come, the Ireland matches are the last opportunities for Andonovski's midfield experiments.

Playing the Netherlands and Brazil this month, Germany have set up two intriguing encounters that could be used as a measuring stick not just for their own preparations but those of two outside contenders for the World Cup crown.

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