World Cup 2023 predictions: Who will be the tournament’s top goalscorer?

The 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup gets underway Thursday, July 20 with the United States favored to lift a third consecutive trophy at the end of the event. However, there are several challengers for the Americans who pose a real threat as the talent gap across the world has shrunk substantially over the last five years.

Outside of the team accomplishments, there are also individual performances to make wagers on for the World Cup. Here’s a look at the odds to win the Golden Boot (top goalscorer) for the 2023 World Cup courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Favorite: Alex Morgan (+400)

Morgan is a two-time World Cup champion and is now one of the veteran presences in the USA team. She went from scoring just one goal in the 2015 World Cup to racking up six in the 2019 edition. Even at 34, she’s one of the best scorers in the world and is expected to anchor the US attack. There’s a chance the coaching staff conserves her for the knockout round by limiting her group stage minutes, which could hinder her pursuit of the Golden Boot. She was somewhat worn down by the end of the 2019 campaign, and the Americans know they’ll need Morgan at her best for the later games.

Other big names in top 5: Sophia Smith (+650), Sam Kerr (+750), Alexandra Popp (+900)

Smith is one of the players expected to break out at this tournament. The 22-year old will be alongside Morgan at the top, but that won’t prevent her from getting scoring opportunities. Kerr, the hometown hero, scored five goals in the 2019 World Cup. She’s expected to lead Australia to glory, but the Matildas aren’t expected to make it far enough where Kerr is a real contender for this honor. Popp is a good candidate at +900, as Germany is expected to be a threat. Germany is No. 2 in the FIFA rankings entering the competition, and Popp has a chance to really rack up the goals in the group stage.

Potential value bet: Alexia Putellas (+1600)

A two-time Ballon d’Or winner, Putellas is recovering from an ACL injury which kept her out of the 2022 Euro. She’s one of the best scorers in domestic soccer, putting 60 in the back of the net over 84 appearances prior to this season. She’s still working through her injury but is set to play in the World Cup. Putellas is arguably the best player in the world and she’s in her prime. This could be the tournament where she leads Spain to something big, and she’ll do it by scoring goals.